Krystal restaurants (think White Castle with mustard, Kumar) have finished a full year with their free WiFi hotspot program, and have decided to extend it to all 243 company-owned restaurants (as well as recommend it to their 180 franchises.)
The evidence of increased sales are anecdotal, but CIO David Reid told CMO Magazine he has already tracked a bottom-line advantage.
Previously, salespeople and managers had to find places to plug into phone lines or Ethernet connections to check e-mail or do other work, but now they can sit anywhere in the restaurants and conduct their work easily, he said. "Were seeing huge gains in our own productivity and our communications. If the customers find it beneficial, then thats just gravy."
Managerial efficiency and quicker time-to-market from a $100/unit investment that also carries PR and (possible) sales benefits?
Decisions don't get much easier than that.