Speaking to HumanIPO, Lennheden explained that through shifting the food ordering and delivery process to the online sphere, Yum is facilitating food delivery services and improving the offering to customers.
“The internet is a great facilitator of food delivery services. Instead of calling and ordering food from one particular restaurant, the Internet enables you to browse through a myriad of restaurants and menus and pick exactly the type of food that meets your needs,” he said.
“This means that we put the choice back to the consumer instead of being forced to eat, say a greasy pizza, because that is the only menu the consumer has.”
By moving food ordering to the online space, customers receive a more reliable service in terms of accuracy of order and delivery, while cost and time involved in ordering food to be delivered are cut significantly.
“The existing system is relatively antique and low-tech. It relies on customers calling in to a central place to place an order. That central place will then dispatch delivery guys to the restaurants to place the order, wait for it to be cooked, pick it up – and deliver it back to the customers with a hefty mark-up,” Lennheden said.
“The challenge with this approach is that orders take a very long time to reach the customers and often go wrong. Either because there is a misunderstanding over the phone, or because the delivery guy contacting the restaurant got the wrong message from the order taking person.”
In contrast, orders placed on Yum.co.ke are relayed over the internet in writing to the restaurant immediately, facilitating quick response times. Customers also receive a written record, ensuring accuracy of food delivered.
Further, Yum charges a small one-off fee for each delivery, with food being charged at restaurant price without a markup.
Like this, Lennheden says the food delivery service in Kenya will be revolutionised and made entirely accessible.
