Domino's pizza - Case Study Example

Domino’s Information Strategy Domino’s is a fast food dealer company that has been operational since 1960. Despite the stiff competition the company has always faced from other players in the industry, its customer-centered information strategy has always ensured that it remains relevant in the market. The company in a bid to extend the massive yet pivotal growth it experienced in the 80’s and 90’s o this century, opted to revolutionize its information strategy to make it more adaptive to the technological developments realized during the sunset years of the previous century and the early years of this century. Consequently, this analysis presents the elemental constructs of the new information strategy, the digital technologies used in the implementation of the strategy as well as the qualification of such technology to be part or reminiscent of a digital ecosystem. Domino’s revolutionary information system stems primarily from operation innovation complimented by technology-enabled processes, and more specifically the store design. Since the basic steps of making pizza available entail placement of the order by the customer followed by an immediate order preparation that takes into consideration the waiting time duration balanced against quality maintenance, the need for store managers to monitor the rate of order preparation became imperative. Consequently, the business based on its operational design and available technology rolled out a program, the leaderboard that provides store managers with real-time information on performance analytics and operational metrics. Through this platform, store managers are able to monitor the performance of their respective stores relative to that of neighboring ones. In addition to providing information to the store managers, the leaderboard also relayed the same information to regional managers and to the headquarters, which implies that remote monitoring of store became possible. It also increased transparency in the operations of the stores since employees were able to track key performance indicators and make corrections whenever a situation arose that warranted such. Relaying of feedback from customers also became an immediate process, with the management following on the customer to assure them of address of the mentioned issue in time before they could influence other customers. The impact of this came in twofold. First, by addressing complaints at personal level, Domino’s built a rapport with the would-be disgruntled customers, assured them of the problem being addressed and hence created a sense of mutual interdependence between the supplier and the buyer. Secondly, real time availability of information regarding performance status of a store relative to others within a certain region inspired a spirit of internal competition between stores to serve their respective clients in the best way possible to the customer’s utmost satisfaction so that the particular store could top the chat in terms of order delivery and quality. Noteworthy though is that Domino’s does not explicitly present the necessary steps of successful implementation of this strategy, but rather leaves them as implied constructs. Information such as data collection functionality the leaderboard remains water unchartered. Upon realizing that consumer interest in the order fluctuated during the waiting time period, the company invented the Domino’s pizza tracker that provided the necessary customer engagement throughout the ‘dining experience’. With the tracker in place, the customer is able to actively monitor the development process of the order, a concept that hinges on partial involvement as a means of maintaining the initial level of interest throughout until the order is delivered. The company’s focus on technology-enabled processes was also beneficial to employees since it promoted talent development and organization learning that in turn encouraged learning between peers. The company also extended this to consumer involvement through the launch of “Think Oven” thereby allowing consumers to relay their ideas that pertain to their special needs. However, unlike store design constructs that are at best oblique, technology-oriented information system employed by the company are open and simple, and virtually entail resourceful and objective use of the social media. Domino’s makes use of varied digital platforms in its attempt to reach out to its customers, interact with its operating environment and inspire employee performance. For instance, the Leaderboard program allows store managers to access immediate customer feedback regarding the quality of order delivered. The availability of such information inherently improves customer satisfaction even though no direct customer interaction exists between the customer and the leaderboard. The pizza tracker, unlike the leaderboard directly supports and achieves the company’s objective of being transparent with the customers. Through this digital platform, the customer is able to monitor the order preparation process turn in turn maintains or hypes their interest in the order. Externally, the company uses social media platforms to foster interaction between the customer and the company. For instance, the use of ‘Think Oven’, a Facebook application that allows customers to share their ideas regarding their needs, knowledge of quality pizza preparation as well as any new insights that could lead to better order preparation, especially when the customer prefers a custom-made order, is an important internal program that runs on an external third party platform. The company’s choice to run the application aligns well with its target of reaching other consumers who are well outside their circle of operation, the achievement of which relies to an extent on the passive persuasion that happens when one person sees and admires what the other is using, and subsequently makes a move towards testing its workability. Does the technologies that support Domino’s transparency strategy to consumers amount digital ecosystem, well, they actually do. According to McCormack (2011) a digital ecosystem is only complete when it encompasses the relevant digital touch points, the people that interact with them as well as the processes and technology environment that provides the necessary support. I the context of the elements present with Domino’s operation system, the relevant digital touch points include the leaderboard, the pizza tracker and ‘Think Oven’ hosted on Facebook. The users comprise all workers, from managers to the bakers and delivery personnel on one hand, and the customer on the other. The processes and environment include the basic operation units for the aforementioned programs, computers, and social media as a host of other programs. The system qualifies to be an ecosystem since the mutual interaction between these three elements all point to specific objectives. First, they support the success of the company in terms of availing real time information to the customers especially regarding order processing and at the same time facilitate communication between the customer and the company regarding any emergent issues, more so relating to quality. Secondly, through ‘Think Oven’, the consumers, through suggestions are able to make suggestions and influence their orders to be custom-made according to their specific desires, a practice that in turn portrays the company as being transparent with its dealings with the customers. The company therefore not only depicts itself as a market leader with its interactive operating platforms, but also operates on a mode that guarantees consumers a level of transparency found nowhere else in the market. Reference McCormack, R. (2011). Digital ecosystems: A framework for online business. Retrieved from http://bitstrategist.com/2011/06/digital-ecosystems-a-framework-for-online-business/ / Read More