….. So, sit back, close your eyes and imagine along with me….well, you can’t close your eyes and read this at the same time, so just sit back and imagine….
Cheers!
The Cheers bar is now a chain of Cheers bars spread all over the country. Everybody knows your name BEFORE you walk in (because there are sensors in the parking lots that read your handy Cheers key fob that you never leave home without….) and they also know what your favorite drink is and which is your favorite table or bar stool – NO matter which location you happen to stop into! You are thinking that’s pretty cool by now, I am certain…but, wait – there is more! When your favorite brew is going to be on special, you receive an email or text message (your choice) letting you know. And, you don’t have to worry about getting all settled on your bar stool of choice only to find out that they are out of your favorite brew or concoction, because the friendly staff at Cheers has already ensured that their suppliers provide the ability to track each keg or bottle as it makes it’s way to a Cheers location. (But, we’ll get to that sitcom in a minute.) NO waste of any marketing $s on a promotion that doesn’t have supply to back it up! And, that free cold brew that you are sipping (because they “just” seem to know when you have reached the “buy 7, get one free” threshold) tastes great! This RFID technology now allows Woody, Sam and Carla to focus on valuable customer interaction NOT on asking the same old questions and hunting around for the last bottle of brew or a keg that should have been in the supply cooler in the back!
Another Episode…
Now, on to the Laverne and Shirley episode (or our next link in the chain)…. Laverne and Shirley have led an employee buyout of the brewery and are now part of the Sr. Mgmt team. They have become the #2 beer brewer/distributor in the country (with international expansion plans over the next couple of years). Their rise to #2 from #2000 has been due primarily to a strategy of listening to their customers’ (the Sams and Dianes of the world) requests to provide proof of delivery and other key logistical visibility capabilities. Yep, you guessed it….they used RFID technology to do so! The rise to #2 is also attributed to their jointly hosted beer tasting and brewing festivals with their customers. Joint promotion and marketing $s put to great use – again all underpinned by RFID technology! And lastly, Shirley has been playing a lead role in their supplier management activities and has managed to get raw material cost down significantly, thus allowing for more $s to be available for marketing and R&D efforts. She has required all of her suppliers to support enhanced proof of delivery capabilities and better visibility of the shipments of key brewing ingredients such as hops and barley. Need I even mention that this too was accomplished mainly with RFID technology!?
And, on to our last and final link in the chain…..you guessed it – Oliver and Lisa FINALLY got the farm in Hooterville up and going! They are now the 4th largest barley grower in the country. They purchased a fleet of trucks to handle distribution with Mr. Ziffle running that fleet which is aptly named: Arnold’s Trucking. Each Arnold’s truck is fully equipped with GPS, and each pallet/crate/container of barley is RFID tagged as well. Life is quite good on the farm these days!
…and Your Enterprise
If you think that what RFID did for these 3 sitcoms is cool, these were just the tip of the iceberg….and just think of what it can do in your enterprise to enhance the customer experience. So, if I can pull myself away from the TV and finish my report on this topic, it will be available in just a few months to help you do so!
As for Lennie, Squiggy and Norm….I guess that there are some things that even RFID can’t help!!
Cheers!