It’s Friday afternoon and chances are, some of you will be off to visit Dan Murphy’s shortly. The adult beverage company may not be a brand you initially think of when you think progressive technology, however they’ve already got some runs on the board with EV chargers at some of their locations.
Dan Murphy is announcing a new direct-to-boot drive-thru, with number-plate recognition. The service has launched at its first location, for customers visiting the Dan Murphy’s Manly Vale store this week. This is believed to be the first time an Aussie retailer has applied this technology to enhance the customer experience.
This works by customers entering their vehicle registration number when ordering, then when you reach the drive thru, digital cameras alert the team members you’ve arrived. They then know how many slabs or bottles of wine to put in your boot, offering quick, convenient and COVID-safe service.
I’d love to see other outlets would implement this same technology. After ordering a coffee on McDonald’s mobile app, then proceeding through the drive-thru, I’m constantly asked if mine is the mobile order. Using number plate recognition, they’d know that and using a digital profile, they’d also know I don’t need a printed receipt.
“We are using technology to offer increasing convenience to customers, and the Covid crisis has accelerated the demand for innovative ecommerce solutions,”
General Manager of Digital Claire Smith.
The direct to boot drive thru with number plate recognition will be rolled out to more stores across the country in the next 12 months.
I’m not sure about you, but being able to know you could be in and out in just a couple of minutes, would definitely draw me to buying from Dan’s, even if the price was a few dollars more. Assuming you value your time, this makes loads of sense and something I hope continues in post-COVID world.
Customers opting to use contactless pick-up saw an increase of 61% during FY20 according to stats from Endeavour Group, the parent company of Dan Murphy’s and BWS.
Over 170 Dan Murphy’s and BWS stores have rolled out contactless direct-to-boot service since April – initially as a response to Covid-19. Direct-to-boot means customers place their order online, send an SMS when they arrive at the store, and a team member then puts their order in the car boot.
“Direct-to-boot service started as an idea to help customers and team members socially distance, but customers have responded to the convenience of it, so we are not only keeping the service indefinitely, but expanding the offering and making it even more convenient – like in the Manly Vale Dan Murphy’s store case,”
General Manager of Digital Claire Smith.
Endeavour Group’s digital arm Endeavour X – which is led by Ms Smith – was launched in August 2019 to lead the digital transformation of customer and team experiences across the business, and it’s safe to say it’s been a busy first year.
“In the last six months, we have had to accelerate ecommerce capabilities for our retail brands including BWS and Dan Murphy’s. Covid-19 has changed the ways our customers discover and shop not just in 2020, but for the foreseeable future, and as retailers, we have had to adapt and innovate to meet their needs.
We changed the way we deliver due to Covid-19, and developed contactless delivery for our team and customers, with many customers opting for contactless delivery in order to maintain social distance.”
General Manager of Digital Claire Smith.
How number-plate recognition works
1. Order online
Customer orders online on danmurphys.com.au, and enters their licence plate number during check-out.An SMS and email sent to the customer, with instructions and ability to add/change plate number post-purchase.
2. Arrive at drive thru
As the customer arrives at the drive thru, cameras scan the number plate, match it with a pick-up order and alerts the team of the customer’s arrival.
3. Park
While the team identifies the order in the pick-up room, instructions and progress updates are communicated to customers in cars via digital screens mounted on the driver’s side.
4. Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) check & order received
Customer stays in the car, while the team member does an RSA check and places the order in the car boot. Digital screens recap the order for customers to check while their order is loaded.
