Taco Bell's New App Offers Flavorful Real-Time Social Media Example

Earlier this week it was brought to my attention in an article by The Huffington Post that Taco Bell introduced a new version of its app allowing people to create a custom order, pay and save order preferences for future orders. The app even has a feature to indicate when users get to Taco Bell so the order can be prepared on arrival. If this doesn’t count as an example of real-time social media customer service and PR I don’t know what does.

First of all, maybe I am a little behind on the latest trends because I did not even know fast food chains like Taco Bell had its own app. Apparently, apps are the next big thing in turns of fast food chains because McDonald's and Starbucks also have apps both utilize to bring customers coupons and promotional updates.

The article noted Taco Bell’s app allowing customers create custom orders and pick up prepared on arrival food set this app apart from apps used by other food chains. Taco Bell hopes this app supplemented with other tactics will boost sales to $14 billion by 2022. I think Taco Bell has a great fighting chance to reach this goal.

In Scott’s book “Real-Time Marketing and PR” he says time and time again that speed and agility rule supreme in real-time marketing because people want things NOW and this app delivers in the speed of NOW. Instead of taking time to stand in line, relay your order to a cashier and wait until your food is ready this app cuts out the wait time and allows you to place and pay for your order where ever you are in real-time. As Scott would note in Chapter 3 this app allows Taco Bell to respond to what customers say as they say it.

Additionally, Taco Bell made a bold move by shutting down all its social media platforms in order to draw attention to the new app. For example, if you visit Taco Bell’s Facebook page all you will be able to see is a picture that reads “The new way to Taco Bell isn’t on Facebook it’s #onlyintheapp.” When today’s world of PR is all about incorporating social media, I think it will be very interesting to see how Taco Bell’s decision not to engage customers online will unfold.

I tried using Taco Bell’s app the other night and contrary to what some hesitant consumers might think it works really well. I was able to enter my credit card information, place my order and notify Taco Bell when I was coming to pick it up without any problems. When I got to Taco Bell, all I had to do was give my name at the drive-thru and my food was prepared without any confusion.

The next time you think about making a late night Taco Bell run try placing your order from the comfort of your room so all you have to do it pick it up when you arrive. Don’t be scared to be an early adopter and take advantage of Taco Bell’s real-time social media marketing campaign.