Technology
Tropical Smoothie using FlyBuy to streamline off-premise orders
September 16, 2021
Tropical Smoothie Cafe has partnered with Flybuy — created by Radius Networks — to help franchisees maximize labor efficiency when filling curbside, in-cafe pickup and delivery orders. The chain, which has 1,000 locations, deployed the technology in over 200 franchised cafes and will eventually implement it at every unit, Tropical Smoothie CEO Charles Watson, said in a company press release.
"We have to adapt to what the guest wants, and studies show that consumers are demanding curbside," he said. "We've seen our off-premise order volume increase by 20% and have had a substantial uptick in repeat guests since working with Flybuy."
How it works
When guests place an order on the TSC mobile app or TSC website, Flybuy captures it and communicates with the guest and crew members simultaneously. Guests receive instructions on how and where to pick up their order, which is configurable to each cafe. The cafe receives automated audible and visual alerts when the order has been confirmed, when the guest is 5 minutes away, the moment the guest has arrived, and the second they pull into the curbside pickup spot or enter the cafe. Communication to guests and crew members is customizable by location and pickup type, according to the release.
The results of the technology integration were clear for TSC almost immediately after implementing Flybuy; guest and delivery driver wait times decreased, guest satisfaction improved and off-premise sales increased.
"Labor shortages are at the forefront of every restaurant operator's mind, so investing in a technology that enables staff to multitask is key for every type of order," Jeff Baski, Flybuy CBO said in the release. " Flybuy's early alerts enable staff to be proactive when fulfilling off-premise orders. Most restaurant chains are still using reactive manual technology, which does not provide the customer with the speed they demand, and more importantly, the cafe crew with the information they need in order to prioritize every minute."
