Introduction
McDonalds is one of the world’s major fast food brands, and a main player in fast food industry. Its reputation precedes its value. In 2011, the world standards organisation used one of the products of McDonalds called BigMac as a standard to compare prices across the world to calculate living expenses. The company supported this by explaining that a single McDonalds store takes into consideration all the factors such as labour rate, raw materials, electricity, water and land costs in price fixing.
Mc Donalds uses a number of information systems in its day to day management of the store.
Information Systems
Of all the information systems used in Mc Donalds, the most used are the Inventory System, and the Employee Scheduling System.
Inventory system is nothing but a modified Library Information System. It is because the library and a particular Mc Donalds store, both act as a single system in which there are many items categorised in sections which keeps coming in and the existing ones keep going out. This intricate similarity made the systems use each other.
The Employee Scheduling System is a part of Management Information System. It has an interface and a database to make all other functions of this system easy to run.
Explanation
Inventory System (Library Information System): A library information system enables the users to track down each and every single product at the facility. The inventory system uses a similar way to store the list of things in the store, and all the details about them to be used whenever necessary.
The working of an Inventory system can be explained as: 1. Assistant Manager counts everything in the store on a weekly basis. 2. He stores all these details in the central computer. 3. Manager predicts the next week’s sales based on previous week. 4. Manager calculates the resources and materials required. 5. Checks with the report if they are available. 6. Orders them online. Head office verifies and approves order. 7. Products will get delivered. 8. They will be counted and double checked against delivery receipt. 9. Entered in the system. 10. Count will keep updated as the store is selling
Employee Scheduling System (Management Information System):
Employee scheduling is the one of the major tasks involved in managing a store, in retail or in fast food industries. So Employee Scheduling System is a much necessary information system for every store to have.
This system works as follows: 1. Every employee joined in the company will give their availability details. 2. Availability details are entered along with employee’s names, IRD numbers, Visa Expiry Dates, and other relevant details. 3. Based on the sales from hour to hour, manager decides how many people to work in each shift. 4. Manager checks all the employees available on that particular dates and times required. 5. Rosters the employees available and qualified. 6. System synchronises with McDonald’s headquarters server. 7. Server updates the details into MeTime website. 8. Employee logs in to MeTime website to check information regarding roster.
Hardware
Library Information (Inventory) System uses a lot of hard ware from scanners, label printers, EFTPOS terminals, computers, drive thru machines etc.
Most important part of this system’s hardware components are 1. Barcode Scanner: Barcode Scanner is used during the daily stock check, weekly check, delivery check and sales check. It simply scans the bar code of a particular item, compares with its database, and updates that the item has been scanned. Then the system chooses the action to do. If the item scanned is at sales terminal, reduce by one, or at the delivery check, it will be one more. 2. Sales Terminal: Sales terminal is a compulsory system in a fast food chain like McDonlad’s. It contains two systems, first one is computer screen with touch interface, and another one is the eftpos machine. 3. Central Computer: All the transactions being processed will be getting updated to a central computer which stores them in a data base and updates them to the server on regular intervals. 4. Label Printer: Label Printer is used to notify the employee which product to use first, based on their delivery and expiry dates. Once a delivery check is done, the computer detects all dates linked with the products and sends command to label printer to print all the labels.
Employee Scheduling System only have a limited hardware but extensive. It is 1. Manager Terminal: This is the computer system where the manager first enters all the details of employees and their availability information. This is the same system where he analyses the information and prepares rosters. 2. Central Server: The Manager’s Terminal synchronises all the information with central server at headquarters. This system updates the data to an Employee Portal Website called Metime. 3. Employee Terminals: This systems are usually in the crew room, available for employee access. They are used by employees to report anything or to place feedbacks. They can also do this at home by logging into their portal. 4. Check-In Machine: his is a thumb print operated machine which every employee has to check with, while starting and leaving work. This system updates the manager’s terminal, and in turn to the headquarters. These timings registered are used to calculate the employee’s pay/wages.
Software:
Inventory System:
There are two softwares used in this system. 1. Inventory Control software: This software uses all the input by managers, and all the inputs by barcode scanners, and other systems to analyse if there will be any shortage or overage of goods at any time nearby. This predicts these things so that manager can be proactive and order for stocks. 2. Sales Terminal software: This uses employee input to order a product for customer. It sends that order onto the display in back area. The staff working there prepares the order and sends it to the counter.
Employee Scheduling System:
The two major softwares that are used in this system are 1. Roster Application: This takes the input from manager about how many employees needed for particular shift, and uses data available in database to show a list of potential employees to work a shift from which the manager can chose one. 2. MeTime: MeTime is a software developed by McDonald’s to serve as an Employee Portal. Employees can use it to manage rosters, check for shifts, and communication with other employees as well as management.