Hardee's Digital Menu Board Installations
One of the largest Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) franchise holders in the United States, with hundreds of locations across the country, known for its strong brand and high-volume operations.
Challenge:
Barranco was approached by this major QSR franchise holder with a large-scale regional project to install digital menu boards in the dining areas and drive-thru lanes of numerous restaurant locations.
Given the high-traffic nature of the franchise’s operations, minimizing downtime was crucial—especially in the drive-thru lanes, where every minute of disruption could impact sales. The goal was clear: "keep money rolling in and biscuits coming out." The project initially kicked off smoothly with clear expectations, and Barranco was excited to help the franchise modernize its customer experience. However, as the project progressed, significant challenges arose, particularly with the pace of the installation.
Several weeks into the project, Barranco’s team was struggling to meet the timeline, and the customer expressed frustration with the disruptions to drive-thru operations during the digital conversions. The downtime was longer than anticipated at each site, leading to revenue loss and dissatisfaction from both operators and customers.
The customer emphasized that the project needed to move faster to reduce the impact on operations, especially during peak hours. The situation was critical, and Barranco needed to find a solution that would both satisfy the customer and keep the project moving forward without sacrificing quality or safety.
Solution:
Barranco’s team responded swiftly by rethinking the approach and mobilizing additional resources to address the challenges. A cross-functional team was assembled, combining project managers, field technicians, logistics coordinators, and engineers to devise a comprehensive solution that would minimize downtime and expedite the installation process. Key solutions implemented included:
Enhanced Project Pace: Barranco increased its workforce at each location to accelerate the installation process. By scaling up the number of technicians working on the project, Barranco was able to complete installations more quickly, significantly reducing the time spent on-site at each location.
Temporary Drive-Thru Solutions: Recognizing the critical need to keep drive-thru lanes operational, Barranco engineered a temporary solution. During each digital conversion, Barranco set up clear signage and employed flaggers to direct traffic and ensure smooth ingress and egress. This allowed customers to continue using the drive-thru while the installation was taking place, without significant delays.
Clear Communication and Coordination: Barranco worked closely with the franchise’s operators to schedule installations during off-peak hours whenever possible, further minimizing the impact on daily operations.
In addition, Barranco kept constant communication with the customer, providing real-time updates and setting clear expectations for each site’s progress.
Results:
Barranco’s proactive approach and quick adaptation helped resolve the challenges and ultimately turned the project around. By increasing the pace of the installations and implementing temporary drive-thru solutions, Barranco was able to minimize the operational impact of the conversions.
As a result, the franchise was able to maintain revenue flow and customer satisfaction during the installation process. The franchise holder was particularly impressed with Barranco’s ability to adapt mid-project, quickly identifying the problems and offering creative solutions.
The team completed the regional rollout with increased speed, minimized downtime, and without compromising the quality of the installations. The project, initially at risk of running behind schedule and causing significant disruptions, was ultimately finished quickly and ahead of schedule, paving the way for more opportuities with this franchise.