McDonald's boost sales with Apple's iBeacon technology
McDonald's teamed with Piper for the test project, which gave the restaurant chain the ability to push offers to both iPhone and Android smartphone users. Customers who installed Piper's app received special offers when they walked in range of an iBeacon, leading to an 8 percent upswing in McChicken sandwich sales and a 7.5 percent increase in McNugget sales.
iBeacon is a technology Apple developed that uses Bluetooth LE transmitters to send location-aware information to smartphones. Retailers can use the technology to highlight nearby products, deliver special offers, change display lighting based on a shopper's location, and more.
For McDonald's franchise owner Jack Pezold, iBeacon technology represents a way to proactively reach out to customers to increase sales and offer better service. “Everyone is looking at their phones, millennials especially, and that's where we've decided to engage,” he said.
The iBeacon test program is being used for more than just pushing food offers to customers. McDonald's is also sharing job openings and customer service surveys to diner's smartphones. Customers can reply to the messages and they're contacted in person before leaving the restaurant.
Apple has been using iBeacon in its own retail stores for some time, and other retailers have been testing the platform, too. Based on the success of the Columbus test program, McDonald's is planning on expanding Piper's iBeacon solutions into more of its locations.