Overview

Stratix helped one of the world’s largest quick-service chicken chains migrate to a connected tablet ecosystem, streamlining operations for franchisees and field teams in the U.S. and internationally.

The Challenge

Use of tablets is on the rise in restaurants, where they’re helping quick service restaurant chains reduce costs, improve the customer experience, and stay competitive in a crowded market. This chain wanted in. But rolling out connected devices across a franchise network spanning the U.S. and international markets meant tackling real operational complexity: unifying disparate systems, getting devices into the hands of franchisees and field teams reliably, and making sure those devices could stand up to the pace of a restaurant environment.

The company needed a way for its teams to access core operating systems, including reporting dashboards, training websites, and other store systems, all on a single platform.

The Ask

As part of its mobile IT initiative, the quick service restaurant group set out to build a connected device program that would:

• Procure, configure, stage, kit, and deploy tablets at scale across U.S. and international restaurants
• Connect devices to the cloud through the company’s proprietary digital app-based tool for remote restaurant management
• Custom-brand each tablet to reflect the company’s identity
• Equip devices with hand straps and neck/shoulder straps so tablets stay secure and within reach of employees on the floor
• Provide ongoing device support, including repair and replacement for units damaged in daily operations

To pull this off, the company needed a partner who could manage the full device lifecycle, not just get tablets out the door, but keep them running and franchisees supported long after rollout.

The Solution

Stratix engaged with the chain to serve as its full-service mobility solutions provider. Specifically, Stratix:

• Established an advanced exchange program to repair and replace damaged devices, minimizing downtime for restaurant teams
• Procured tablets powered by Verizon’s 5G network, giving restaurant teams fast, reliable connectivity to cloud-based systems
• Provided warehousing, provisioning, and asset tagging for every device before it left for a restaurant
• Handled kitting, staging, and deployment so tablets arrived ready to use, loaded with the correct software right out of the box
• Deployed mobile device management (MDM) to keep devices secure and centrally managed across the franchise network
• Outfitted each tablet with custom branding, hand straps, and neck/shoulder straps built for the demands of a restaurant environment

The Result

With its new digital ecosystem in place, the chain successfully rolled out a new menu item, a chicken sandwich, virtually across its U.S. restaurants. All training procedures were delivered directly to restaurant teams through the connected tablets. The program has transformed how the chain’s restaurants operate, driving greater efficiency and higher satisfaction among both customers and staff. Stratix continues to serve as the chain’s ongoing mobility partner as the program evolves.