Guest post: Why I’m lovin taking my clients to McDonald’s
In this guest posting Kevin Moore, CEO of retail marketing company Crossmark explains why he takes his clients to McDonald’s.
With McDonald’s announcing its 2008/09 performance last week, it’s clear that brands that reinvest in their stores and retail outlets can make clear-cut profits – even now.
McDonald’s Australia is now well into a refurbishment program that almost everybody who reads this will have experienced.
Since 2003 McDonald’s has embarked on a store refurbishment program while at the same time introducing new menu offers that reflect – and are reflected by – the new store formats. The aim has been to improve the shopper experience and therefore increase frequency of visit and average spend.
Kevin,
Interesting piece. The biggest challenge for Maccas is changing the perception of it being somewhere you would go as a business meeting place. I’d suggest there is still an amount of stigma attached to the brand as a kids playhouse of ‘low rent’.
The numbers indicate that is happening if not happened.
Wifi is key and it’s amazing how few ‘retailers’ in Australia have embraced it, still seeing it as an extra expense as opposed to being an enticement.
Great post! McDonald’s is a very results-driven organization, where all of its stakeholders — from crew to corporate — remain dedicated to the customer experience, as I discovered in co-writing the book, “Everything I Know About Business I Learned at McDonald’s” (McGraw-Hill). When viewing the restaurant from that perspecitve, it’s easy to see each unit as a place of opportunity, not just a place to grab a quick meal. No wonder you take your clients there!
Would you like fries with your business meeting?
Great post..i couldn’t agree more in watching Maccas innovation and leader in fast food! I do however pop in for my ‘Latte’ and get frustrated when Iam constantly having to wait to be served…where as they pump the customer through on the other , do you want fries side of the counter…..I watch now and time them, as it’s my pet hate to wait to be served… They need to remeber that yes they are are now attracting a different customer type, dare I say snob, no that wouldn’t do, but we all have an expectation don’t we…. Still, i keep going back as the product is value!
What McD’s should do (and I think they had started the concept it in Victoria originally) is open some McCafe’s as separate outlets (mainly small shops or shopping centre type deals).
McC’s are an Australian idea and was taken overseas…so I think they should keep looking at the concept and make it more of a standalone brand/outlet as well.