No one expects four-star service at a fast-food joint, but at the same time you expect service to be, well, fast. And somewhat competent. McDonald’s currently faces falling sales, and 20% of the complaints they receive are about customer service. Customers complain about “chaotic” service and “unprofessional” employees. Logical conclusion: time to work on their customer service. The chain is overhauling their ordering system in an attempt to make fewer mistakes and speed things along. Will it work? Maybe.

The problem with expansion for a chain like McDonald’s is the franchise system. The company isn’t just tens of thousands of restaurants scattered all over the planet: local franchisees run the majority of restaurants, making it tens of thousands of restaurants owned by a hundreds of franchisees.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Corporate explained the upcoming changes to franchisees in a recent webcast. One franchisee who viewed the webcast explained to the Wall Street Journal the new focus: “[F]or us to maximize the potential that’s out there, we’ve got to be the leader in guest satisfaction.”

What this means for customers is a slightly different ordering procedure, one that will be familiar from other restaurants. The new “dual-point system” will have customers place their orders with one person, whose sole focus is theoretically on taking the order down and getting it right.

Each order has a number, and customers will wait for their order at the opposite end of the counter. There, a runner will assemble orders, fetch extras like drink cups and sauce packets, and make the whole experience less “chaotic.” McDonald’s hopes.

McDonald’s Tackles Repair of ‘Broken’ Service [Wall Street Journal]

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