Share information and increase operational efficiency
In the fast-food industry, profit margins are razor thin and split-second timing is critical. So even minor improvements in operations can have a huge impact on business success. To make the smart business decisions that are necessary to implement change, management must monitor trends and track exceptions daily.
But often, managers don't have sufficient insight into the business they need to effect change. As a result, many aspects of the business are not examined often enough or very thoroughly, leaving opportunities for improvement unaddressed.
"The strength of business insight," says Bill Frizzell, industry technology strategist for Microsoft Corporation, "is the ability to visualize trends in a real-time fashion. This is huge from an operational standpoint of the business at a higher level." Microsoft business intelligence (BI) solutions have helped companies such as Burger King and Taco Bell implement real-time analytics; make rapid, smart decisions; and increase operational efficiency. In this article, we'll discuss how the Microsoft Business Intelligence platform can help you streamline operations and reduce costs in a competitive marketplace.
Simplify information gatheringIn many organizations, unit operators and managers spend so much of their time gathering data, they have less time for running the business. Restaurant chains have multiple systems that provide different data at different times, and none of it gets to management fast enough. Inconsistent views can add to general confusion rather than consensus. A Web portal, such as BizTalk Server, can help integrate existing systems and provide your people with the information they need.
Microsoft recently implemented a BI solution for Burger King Corporation. Before the solution was implemented, Burger King was printing out 25,000 profit and loss statements every two weeks and sending the statements by Federal Express to offices and units throughout the country. The company now sends the reports over their Web portal. In the first three years, Burger King projects they will realize a 300-percent return on their BI investment. "Burger King," says Frizzell," is an example of how to do it right."
Arby's Restaurant Group (ARG), whose chains include Arby's, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Pizza Hut, implemented a Microsoft business intelligence solution to help them integrate the twelve systems they relied on. "They had people whose entire job was making sure data was being recorded correctly," says Frizzell. "Having BizTalk Server as an integration hub enabled them to use Web-based tools and service oriented architecture (SOA) to gather data and make it available to people in their organization."
Track performance more efficientlyBy setting key performance indicators (KPIs), management can get fast access to performance data. This rapid feedback loop saves managers hours each day and enables them to identify and resolve problems—such as shrinkage and slow through-put—much sooner. "Business insight," says Frizzell, "frees management to manage."
"For example, because of the way shrinkage, including theft, occurs," adds Frizzell, "you can identify definite patterns to the way people take from an organization. Without a business intelligence solution, it could take two to three weeks to understand that someone was stealing and how they were doing it. With tools in place, trends are apparent quickly, and within a day, a manager can have enough information to determine that something is not right and turn information into action."
By tracking and acting on performance data, managers can increase through-put efficiency from the speaker to the register. Everything that occurs based on a single order is tracked and shown through the portal. If the items in the order are taking four minutes rather than two, managers can make changes to the efficiency of the business processes. When ARG implemented a Microsoft BI solution, they increased their through-put by two percent, which equals about two million dollars per year.
Microsoft's BI platform
The goal of a restaurant business intelligence solution is to enable managers at unit, district, regional, and corporate levels to evaluate ongoing performance and optimize their operations. Research firm Gartner, Inc., recognizes Microsoft as a leader in business intelligence (in the publication, "BI Platforms Market Share, Worldwide, 2005"), showing a 35.9 percent revenue growth rate for Microsoft's Business Intelligence platform in 2005. By using a Microsoft restaurant business intelligence solution, restaurant managers can easily track key performance indicators across many dimensions. They can access real-time data to make smart decisions. And they can benefit from improved communication and collaboration.
Microsoft business intelligence is a complete and integrated offering, providing access to widespread applications and reports, supporting all aspects of the decision-making process. Whether as your data warehouse platform or simply as an analysis and reporting solution, SQL Server 2005 provides the fastest growing Business Intelligence platform. Delivered through the Microsoft Office system, this comprehensive, integrated approach helps you build and deploy robust business intelligence applications for everyone in your organization while controlling costs.
.For enterprise reporting, deep analysis, and data integration, the following servers and client tools can enhance your business:
.Windows Server (including Active Directory) to provide role-based performance capabilities and .NET Framework.
.BizTalk Server 2006 to automate and optimize business processes. This includes powerful, familiar tools to design, develop, deploy, and manage those processes.
.Microsoft SQL Server 2005 to provide advanced data integration, data warehousing, data analysis, and enterprise reporting capabilities to help ensure interoperability in heterogeneous environments and speed the deployment of customer's BI projects.
.Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services
.SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
.Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)
End-user tools that build on the BI platform capabilities of Microsoft SQL Server: Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, and Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007
http://www.microsoft.com/industry/hospitality/businessvalue/foodserviceBIarticle.mspx
