The mobile payment system, for example, doesn’t require employees or customers to scan mobile devices or enter any codes; the transaction takes place entirely in the app. And because it allows users to order food on their own and pay for it without a traditional in-store point of sale system, the app is a venture into customer self-service, which has become a growing trend among leaders in customer experience, according to Hyken. Even the new loyalty program is designed to push customers toward self-service, he says.
“Modern day consumers just prefer to do things themselves. The loyalty program gives that extra incentive to use the app for ordering. The app is training customers to interact with that self-service technology, while rewarding them for those service engagements,” Hyken says. “Self-service customer service is a great thing. It improves operations, empowers the customer, and keeps everyone happy,” he adds.
In the coming months, Taco Bell plans to add more features to the app. Delivery is an option that the company is exploring, and the app may eventually allow diners to take advantage of catering and delivery services, Lieberman told Bloomberg News. Catering services are already being tested in some Houston locations.
“Taco Bell is really early to this game, which is great for them. More and more customer experiences are headed to mobile, and Taco Bell is getting ahead of its competitors,” Ray Wang, founder and principal analyst at Constellation Research, says. The company earned a SuperNova award from Constellation Research back in 2012, and continues to thrive, according to Wang.
Other players in the fast food industry are feeling the pressure, and many are working to catch up. “We’re already seeing companies like McDonald’s accepting Apple Pay and taking other small steps in mobile, but Taco Bell is doing it on a broader scale,” Wang says. “What Taco Bell is doing has staying power. The next phase for them is going to be delivering me my food in an Uber,” he jokes.