Hungry Jack’s implements in-store Wi-Fi networks for customer use

Fast food restaurant chain Hungry Jack’s recently implemented in-store Wi-Fi networks, to support a free Wi-Fi service for customers. The service has attracted more than 4600 daily average users across the stores and more than 200 daily users in the top stores in Sydney and the Gold Coast.

The service was deployed by Primus Australia and includes technology from Emerging Systems, Aruba Networks and Check Point Software Technologies.

The solution is a wireless local area network (WLAN) customised to offer free access and incorporates security features not typically seen in free Wi-Fi hot spots. These include antiwireless client-to-client traffic filtering technology, which prohibits peer-to-peer connections between devices on the same Wi-Fi connection, assisting to prevent smart device hacking. Firewall devices have also been deployed in the core, assisting to prevent unwanted attacks on users using personal computers in-store. Dynamic bandwidth allocation allows up to 1 Mbps bandwidth to each individual user.

“We have been able to provide our customers a superior browsing experience,” said Joey Butler, the Hungry Jack’s National IT Manager.

The managed Wi-Fi solution is also changing how Hungry Jack’s interacts with its customers, thanks to the use of Aruba Networks’ AmigoPod. The solution provides guest and visitor management technology, including an option to incorporate an advertising services plug-in. This feature provides Hungry Jack’s with a marketing tool capable of collecting data and customer feedback in real time and delivering dynamic target marketing content.

Joe O’Keefe, Digital Marketing and Social Media Manager at the chain, commented: “Consumers are becoming more media savvy and advertising to them can be challenging, so it’s important that our team is able to focus on the old marketing principles of right time, right place and right message. The [solution] allows us to achieve this goal by assisting us to deliver targeted and relevant messages to our customers in-store when they are ready to buy.

“If we have a special offer, such as our recent $2 Whopper offer, we can update our AmigoPod advertising message (on the login page) to link to a voucher or similar that customers can use in-store. That’s a really powerful tool for our business.”

At the heart of the Wi-Fi solution are the Aruba 3600 Wireless Controllers, which support the AP-93 units located in each store. The AP-93 is an indoor 802.11n access point (AP) designed for low-density deployments in offices, hospitals, schools and retail. These APs optimise Wi-Fi client behaviour and automatically help ensure that the APs stay clear of interference, resulting in more reliable performance.

The Aruba technology runs on a management system known as Airwave, which provides a 360° snapshot of the WLAN environment, allowing the support teams to ensure that the Wi-Fi services are up and running and available, via detailed real-time reporting. It also allows Primus to monitor the health and performance of the networks, run diagnostics and provide Hungry Jack’s with user statistic reports.