IAS's new patent pending OrderXcel system enables fast-food customers to place their orders on a touch-screen, pay for them with cash, check, credit or debit card-all without relying on a counterperson. Once they've paid, customers can receive their orders as quickly as possible from a counterperson who is dedicated solely to service.

Clearly, consumers like self-service options. The same reasons that make supermarket scanners so popular apply to IAS's new product as well: customers have more control with the option of self-service or full-service, and the overall lines in a restaurant or a supermarket should be shorter, since more employees can handle more lanes of customer traffic.

A survey by Harris Interactive, Rochester NY, offers more evidence of ongoing consumer frustration with long checkout lines. The Harris ShopperInsight study found lack of checkout staff is by far the single most important factor affecting customer satisfaction. Not only was this one of the most frequently mentioned problems by the surveyed customers, it was also considered one of the most frustrating.

Store Owner Benefits

From the store-owners' standpoint, the benefits are impressive. Just as IAS scanners have freed supermarket employees to focus on other areas of service, the new OrderXcel system gives counter help more time to make sure that customers get what they've ordered without making them wait any longer than necessary.

A single employee can oversee and provide assistance to customers for a number of lanes.

Solving Competitive and Labor Issues

According to the National Restaurant Association's 2000 Quick-service Operator Survey, restaurants see the competitive intensity dramatically increasing, driven by consumers' insatiable desire for convenience. Nearly four out of 10 adults (39 percent) reported that they are cooking fewer meals at home than they were two years ago. The average person's food costs that are spent on meals away from home has risen to 50 percent.

Roughly two-thirds of quick-service operators reported that their organization had a problem with the labor shortage for crew persons, crew supervisors, and assistant managers. Fifty-six percent of quick-service operators also indicated that the labor shortage for managers was a problem in their organizations.

In a business of high-employee turnover, the OrderXcel requires very little training. The order touch screen is simple enough for any customer to use. Counter help do not handle any cash, checks, or credit cards. And, no employee cash drawers need to be counted or balanced at the end of a shift

OrderXcel Machine

The OrderXcel pays for itself. Each machine has ten order monitors. Ten customers can order at the same time. A single employee oversees a number of OrderXcel machines at once while doing other tasks such as cooking, preparing, or putting orders together.

The machine is very versatile. It can be used as just an express lane, offering a limited menu of combo meals only; or, it can run the entire counter.

 

 

How Does It Work The OrderXcel is simple for employees and customers alike. First, the customer chooses his/her order. Second he/she chooses how he/she will pay. The customer has the option of paying cash, check, credit or debit.
     

Cash Or Debit If the customer chooses to pay with cash, the OrderXcel automatically gives exact change both in cash and coins. If the customer chooses to pay with a debit card, he/she simply punches in his/her PIN number. Check Or Credit If the customer chooses to pay with a check or credit card, the OrderXcel will simply ask the customer to insert his/her driver's license (or photo ID) into the machine while the system takes a live snapshot of the customer. Then, the OrderXcel asks the customer to approve the transaction by placing his/her finger on IAS's fingerprint chip. This information along with the order is transmitted back to the employee's control monitor. The employee simply reviews the data on the monitor to make sure it matches. If the information is correct the employee touches a button on the touch monitor to approve the transaction. If there are any questions, the employee easily communicates with the customer via voice or telecom communication.