Fast-food giant McDonald's is using data analysis software to improve customer service and increase sales in its UK outlets.

The company has standardised reporting software across all areas of its operations, to evaluate trials of new products and business practices, and to rate the success of technology initiatives.

'There are many business initiatives that we have used the software to assess the business benefits,' said Keith Frimley, McDonald's business relationship manager. 'We are using it to pull up information on our next innovation - the introduction of our new deli baguette, which is being tested in 160 restaurants.

'We are looking to see how the introduction of this new product is affecting our sales,' he said.

McDonald's has extended the use of business intelligence software from vendor Business Objects, to provide additional information about customers and sales patterns.

Data gleaned from the use of the software prompted the company to open outlets half an hour earlier. Frimley says sales data demonstrated that extended opening hours would increase sales enough to warrant the trial's extension to all 1,300 UK restaurants.

The software has also been used to evaluate the use of wireless handheld devices to take orders and cut queueing times (Computing, 17 July 2003).

'We collected transactional data from the devices and pulled it into the software to assess the speed of service,' said Frimley.

'This was one business initiative that we needed to report on its success to decide whether or not we should extend it across our restaurants. This proved the business benefit, but also helped us look at speed of service and how our order takers could improve their level of customer response,' he added.

McDonald's has been steadily extending use of the business intelligence software since it first standardised a variety of reporting packages used by its own restaurants, and is evaluating further use on a global basis.