Wendy's Mobile App

If you are interested in the intersection of mobile and physical (bricks & mobile) the folks at Wendy's are worth keeping an eye on.

Here is a piece on their mobile app strategy for 2016:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/wendys-pivots-forthcoming-sales-around-new-mobile-app-self-order-kiosks

Here is a snippet from the piece:

The Wendy’s Company is starting off 2016 with a competitive edge by testing in-restaurant beacon technology, a new mobile application and self-service kiosks, pointing to how quick-service chains must evolve to stay with the times.

The fast-food chain has been testing a number of new mobile-first initiatives at its labs in Columbus, OH, as well as in select restaurants. Wendy’s fans can expect to see the new 2.0 app roll out sometime later this year, while store employees can anticipate a region-by-region introduction of beacon technology to augment the brand’s mobile ordering tests.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Wendy's Nationalized Personal Offers Through Mobile

Wendy's has been making some news recently as you can see in the pages of this blog and that continues today.

Here is a snippet from the story:

Wendy’s sees an opportunity to add personalized offers and national coupons to its mobile ordering and payments experience, underscoring the growing convergence between leveraging mobile to build customer loyalty and drive added convenience.

During a conference call with analysts to discuss the company’s second quarter financial results, executives discussed its ongoing test of mobile ordering and mobile payments as well as plans to take a new innovation lab to the next level later this year.

Here is the full story once again by the folks over at Mobile Commerce Daily:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/wendys-sees-opportunity-for-personalized-national-offers-with-mobile-ordering

Looks like interesting, fun, and cool things happening at Wendy's. What I can't quite see yet, however, is how traditional QSR that typically caters to lower socio-economic demographics is going to see a huge uptick in adoption for mobile apps, etc.  I'd expect that of the fast-casual crowd such as Chipotle but am more skeptical here. As a vehicle for differentiation this makes perfect sense to me and appears to be excellent work by the team at Wendy's. We'll see how it does.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Wendy's Tests Mobile Ordering

Quick service restaurants are in a mad rush to differentiate by speeding order and deliver and thereby adding convenience for customers.  Wendy's is reported to be testing a mobile ordering app with bluetooth.

Here is the quick story from the excellent blog MorningNewsBeat:

http://morningnewsbeat.com/News/Detail/47510/2015-07-30/

Here is his take on the story:

KC's View: This sounds suspiciously like the Starbucks mobile app, and I say that as a compliment. I've said here before that I think the Starbucks app, especially as it becomes more robust and allows for remote ordering, is a terrific piece of behavior-altering engineering ... and more companies should be thinking about how to offer something similar.
I wonder what else is cooking out there?

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Mad Scramble in QSR Continues with Wendy's

The mobile world opens up new opportunities for quick service restaurants that are always looking for ways to gain an advantage over the competition by speeding up service delivery or adding conveniences.

Wendy's is making more news with a new innovation lab:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/wendys-foreshadows-mobile-ordering-features-with-innovation-lab-rollout

Here is a snippet from that piece:

The Wendy’s Company is opening a series of innovation labs in Columbus, OH, as it looks to mobile and digital to help shore up its recent sales successes and pull further ahead of the competition by continuing to innovate how younger consumers interact with the fast-food burger chain.

The labs will provide a collaborate environment for its employees to explore digital enhancements, and will also be a testing ground for the brand’s continuation of mobile innovation such as ordering and payment functionalities, suggesting that these features will become requisite for all fast-food chains in the near future. Wendy’s is opening up the facility near The Ohio State University’s campus, and will provide accommodations for 25 information technology and operations employees, who will put effort towards enhancing digital experiences.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Wendy's Mobile Growing

Great little article over on Mobile Commerce Daily about Wendy's and their mobile efforts.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/wendys-outshines-competition-as-common-pos-integration-opens-mobile-opportunities

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Wendy’s is already using mobile ordering in seven restaurants in Columbus, OH, and plans to covert the Phoenix market by the end of this month while a loyalty pilot program is underway in nine markets and a mobile payments pilot test expected to launch soon. While mobile alone is not the answer for brands, if Wendy’s can integrating messaging that is resonating with its mobile strategy, this could give the brand a boost.

Wendy's is involved in CurrentC and could have interesting work lined up.  Here is a bit more from that article:

Wendy’s is also a member of the retail consortium MCX, which is developing a mobile payments solution. The chain expects to begin a pilot test of the MCX mobile wallet, CurrentC, in the coming months.

Taken together with the mobile ordering and loyalty pilots, Wendy’s is clearly betting big on mobile.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Three Points of News - iOS 7, Wendy's and Walmart

First up is news on iOS 7 that has gone under the radar so far.

http://www.cultofmac.com/271225/appreciated-ios-7-feature-will-change-world/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

A curious download hit Apple’s app store this week: a messaging app called FireChat.

It’s a new kind of app because it uses an iOS feature unavailable until version 7: the Multipeer Connectivity Framework. The app was developed by the crowdsourced connectivity provider Open Garden and this is their first iOS app.

The Multipeer Connectivity Framework enables users to flexibly use WiFi and Bluetooth peer-to-peer connections to chat and share photos even without an Internet connection. Big deal, right?

But here’s the really big deal — it can enable two users to chat not only without an Internet connection, but also when they are far beyond WiFi and Bluetooth range from each other — connected with a chain of peer-to-peer users between one user and a far-away Internet connection.

It’s called wireless mesh networking. And Apple has mainstreamed it in iOS 7. It’s going to change everything.

Next is news on mobile payments in the new Wendy's app:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/wendy%E2%80%99s-eyes-personalized-mobile-commerce-with-nationwide-payment-launch

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Wendy’s has rolled out mobile payments to all of its United States locations, giving the brand a first-mover advantage in the quick-service restaurant space as well as early insight into how Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and other types of technology can improve the in-restaurant experience.

Eighty-five percent of Wendy’s locations in the United States began accepting mobile payments one week ago through the company’s branded iPhone and Android app, with the remaining percent joining soon. The payments currently rely on a six-digit, one-time code, but the quick-service restaurant is also testing other types of technology to cut down on the number of steps involved in paying for a meal.

“Right now you’re using a six-digit code to connect to the POS — we may use Bluetooth, for example, instead of a six-digit code,” said Brandon Rhoten, vice president of digital at Wendy’s, Dublin, OH.

You may recall Wendy's just announced as an owner of MCX preparing for a future mobile payments offering.

Finally is news on Walmart offering price comparison functionality within their app, in a limited fashion.

http://www.morningnewsbeat.com/#A44070

Here is a snippet from that piece:

KC's View: I think that any tool that creates price transparency is potentially powerful, but I have to admit that I am less than overwhelmed by the description … because the comparison is taking place after the Walmart purchase, not before. Plus, not comparing prices to online retailers seems a little disingenuous, since that's where some significant price competition comes from.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

MCX, Paydiant, and Wendy's

News in the mobile payments space.  I first found this on Stores.org.

The Merchant Customer Exchange company, MCX, has signed with Paydiant for mobile technology.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mcx-adds-paydiant-to-power-mobile-payments-and-expands-qsr-reach-with-wendys-245184751.html

Here is a snippet from that release:

BOSTON, Feb. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX) today announced that it will add Paydiant'scloud-based, white label platform to its custom developed mobile commerce infrastructure. MCX is a group of leading merchants dedicated to improving the shopping experience by offering consumers a widely-accepted, customer-focused and secure mobile commerce platform. MCX merchants represent more than 70 prominent brands with 110,000 locations that process more than $1 trillion in payments annually.

Two new owners of MCX were also announced: Acme Albrecht grocery and Wendy's.

MCX also announced that Wendy's® and Acme Fresh Market are among the latest merchants to become MCX merchant members. With restaurants nationwide, Wendy's is the world's third-largest quick-service hamburger company. Acme Fresh Market is a regional grocery store chain with locations throughout Northeast Ohio.

Happy reading,

J.W. Gant

**UPDATE**
A good write-up on this with quotes from a mobile "expert" on this move's implications:
http://www.digitaltransactions.net/news/story/4521

One more, less interesting but containing good blurbs from MCX CEO Dekkers Davidson:
http://www.paymentsnews.com/2014/02/mcx-adds-paydiant-to-power-mobile-payments.html