The tech company selling pizza

Hello and welcome back to Connected Concrete.

As anyone who has read a few of these posts know, I write about what I've learned about optimizing company and plant performance.

You would also know that two of may favorite themes involve managing from a clear set of values and technology.

This story offers both.

Go on.

In the early 2000s, Domino’s Pizza faced significant challenges as it struggled with outdated processes, declining sales, and fierce competition from other fast-food chains. Customers were increasingly dissatisfied with the experience, particularly the speed and convenience of ordering. The company knew it needed a new approach to remain competitive in a rapidly changing market.

Values first.

The first thing Domino's did was openly admit that its pizza wasn’t meeting customer expectations. Naturally, a very hard thing to do.

They didn’t stop at acknowledging the problem though. They committed to change. The company revamped its pizza recipe with better ingredients and invited customers to give feedback.

This resonated with customers and marked the beginning of its turnaround.

But it was Domino’s technological pivot that really changed things.

The technology play.

Domino’s shifted its focus to technology and innovation, investing heavily in online ordering and digital infrastructure.

In 2008, they launched their own online ordering platform, which allowed customers to customize orders, track deliveries, and pay online.

In 2011, Domino’s introduced the “Pizza Tracker,” a revolutionary feature that let customers see exactly when their pizza was prepared, baked, and on the way.

This tracking technology gave customers more transparency and engagement, while also optimizing Domino’s own delivery processes by reducing the strain on staff and allowing them to focus on quality and efficiency.

Domino’s continued innovating by developing apps for smartphones, smartwatches, and even voice-activated platforms like Amazon Alexa and Google Home.

They also adopted machine learning and data analytics to enhance operations, optimize delivery routes and predict demand to ensure timely service.

These technology investments dramatically streamlined operations, reduced delivery times, and created a smoother, more enjoyable customer experience.

Today, Domino's views itself as a "tech company that sells pizza." and the value of this identity shift speaks for itself.

Domino’s became the largest pizza company globally in terms of sales, with its stock price increasing more than 4,000% from 2008 to 2018.

Through technology and an unwavering commitment to productivity improvements, Domino’s reinvented itself and set a new standard in the fast-food industry, proving that embracing digital tools can create an outstanding competitive edge.

In today's age of rapid technology advancements, these opportunities are available to any business in any industry.

If pizza can go high-tech, what's holding your company back?

Next up...

Can't really say right now!

What I can say is that I will be taking a break from Connected Concrete through the holidays.

Meanwhile, whatever holiday you celebrate this season, I hope it is a good one!

Many thanks for reading this edition and all of the others this past year.

See you next year!

Jeff