The Strategy: Cook’s Three Pillars of Transformation
From the stage at NRF, Cook outlined a clear and actionable approach to transforming technology infrastructure, based on three pillars:
Stabilize: The first priority was ensuring operational stability:
- Reducing help desk calls: Streamlining support processes to address issues more effectively.
- Improving systems availability: Enhancing uptime to support smooth daily operations.
- Refining legacy applications: Modernizing or replacing outdated systems to create a more reliable foundation.
Modernize: Once stability was achieved, the focus shifted to building a future-ready platform:
- Building a strong team and capabilities: Recruiting top talent and fostering expertise in digital technology.
- Executing a multi-year tech roadmap: Laying out a clear vision for progress, addressing connectivity, POS systems, and cloud solutions.
Optimize: With the foundation set, Jack in the Box prioritized innovation to elevate customer experiences:
- Digital menu boards: Delivering dynamic, real-time updates for improved customer engagement.
- Artificial intelligence: Leveraging AI to personalize customer interactions and streamline operations.
- Automation: Implementing technology to boost efficiency and reduce labor-intensive processes.
The Role of Managed Services
Comcast Business played a critical role in enabling Jack in the Box’s transformation by providing the connectivity and infrastructure necessary to support these initiatives. Managed services ensured reliability and scalability, empowering Cook and his team to focus on innovation without worrying about foundational challenges. Johnson shared that Comcast Business’s goal is to deliver reliable, resilient managed systems, which includes a dedicated team working with Jack in the Box and Del Taco to support franchisee’s operations. He said, “It starts with personalization that you provide to the end user – such as favorite menu items popping up on their devices – in order to drive loyalty programs, brand recognition, and customer retention.”
In a followup LinkedIn comment post-NRF, Cook also expressed “Thanks to tech partners that include Qu POS, World Wide Technology, Verifone, Touch Dynamic, Chase, Aurus, and Pune India for their invaluable partnerships and ongoing contributions to Jack/Del Taco’s objective of becoming a formidable tech competitor in the QSR industry.”
