The TekEfficient QSR Tech Checklist is a comprehensive list of technologies that any given restaurant / QSR owner may need to launch or grow their business. This is an excellent tool for IT personnel or consultants as well as technology channel sales personnel looking to advise clients and prospects.
Introduction
According to a TheSpoon.tech, 60% of restaurant orders are executed off-premises. This was as of October 2019 – before COVID-19. By the end of March 2020, delivery services such as DoorDash usage was up by 70% and the average order size was also up by 24% YoY.
What does this mean? If you are a QSR / restaurant owner, and you haven’t implemented a strong technology/digital/off-premises engagement platform, you are missing out on an enormous amount of revenue and may be threatening the sustainability of your business.
The good news? You don’t have to be a technology expert to launch or upgrade your systems and digital experience. With partners like TekEfficient who work with QSR’s and restaurants on a regular basis, you can find and implement the right tech for your specific situation with no cost for the consultation. What tech is right for your restaurant? Use this checklist as a resource to find out just that.
Let’s get started!
Network / Connectivity (Internet, Local/Wide Area Network, MPLS, SD-WAN)
Choosing network services that are reliable, secure, and high-performance is critical for success. Nothing kills productivity faster than network downtime or congestion and the inability to respond to customer and prospect needs in real-time can cost lead to lost revenues. Some things to consider when choosing your network include the following.
Phone System
Even with the increased use of alternate forms of communication by way of email, text messaging and social networking, businesses will still need a dependable phone system for the foreseeable future. A phone system can lead to a positive or negative brand experience, yield valuable insights through reporting, route to hunt groups and mobile phones, and more. There are also significant cost differences and scalability limitations depending on your selection. For these reasons, it is important that your restaurant chooses the phone system that best suits your specific needs.
Which system is right for you – traditional PBX, hosted PBX/VoIP, cloud-hosted PBX/VoIP, personal/mobile phones only? Consider the following.
Software
Most QSR’s / restaurants cannot function without the use of several different kinds of software. Not only does software make many business processes easier and more efficient, it also makes them more accurate, reliable, and portable. Due to the wide array of software/software as a service (SaaS), it may be helpful to think about the following aspects in order to determine which software may be most beneficial to you, especially when it comes to Point of Sale (PoS) solutions, digital signage management, and other critical systems.
What applications / software will be required to run your restaurant?
Software considerations:
Have you researched new Software as a Service (SaaS) alternatives to the big name apps? Often times this can be cheaper, higher performing and offer better features and integration with other new technologies.
How many users of each will you need?
Is it more efficient for you to buy licensing through a third party supplier?
Have you considered getting the licensing through a cloud provider? This saves you management time and is normally a pass-through cost with no lost cash flow.
Will you have staff to manage licenses/compliance?
Do you need to allow for staff growth in the number of licenses purchased?
According to The Radicati Group in their Email Statistics Report, 2013-2017, Business email accounts total 929 million mailboxes and is considered the “go-to form of communication in the business world.” Businesses use email to communicate with clients in a variety of ways including customer service, invoicing and marketing. They use email to receive bills from vendors and to send internal communication with employees. Email is the most cost-effective and time-efficient form of communication, especially when contacting large groups of people. Because this is one the most critical business functions, it is important to consider the following.
Website
A professional looking, easy to navigate, and informative website is one of the best ways to establish the legitimacy of a business of any size. On the flip side, a poorly designed or outdated website it one of the easiest ways to lose credibility with potential or existing clients. Not only is a website a great way for people to learn about your products and services, it can be one of the more economical methods to market your business as well. Today, it can be essential to think about the following in regards to your website needs.
Hardware
Nearly all businesses rely on hardware to function. The 2013 Small Business Technology Survey reported that 87% of respondents indicated they utilized a computer for their business. Because of the capital expenditure necessary to purchase hardware, this may very well be the most critical decision that your business will undertake. Some considerations to take into account include the following.
Backup & Disaster Recovery
Accidental data loss can happen at any time, whether data is unintentionally deleted, corrupt, or lost due to system failure. If critical data is lost, it can have a lasting negative impact for your business. Backup & Disaster Recovery is a simple way to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances. Think about the following when making your decision.
IT Services & Outsourced Support
IT professionals are more in demand than ever, making it either harder to find a qualified employee, or cost-prohibitive to hire. Nevertheless, due to businesses dependence on their Internet, email, software & hardware systems, it is crucial to have an expert to rely on when something goes wrong. Some things to consider about IT Services include the following.
New Location / Real Estate
Setting up a new office is a very exciting time for a business. However, there are some important details that should not be overlooked when choosing your new location.
Compliance/Regulations, Security
Closing
With so many technology options available in network, phone systems, email, software, hardware, websites, backup & disaster recovery, and IT Services, we know keeping up with it all can be overwhelming at times. We hope this checklist has been helpful and wish your restaurant maximum success as your customer base grows.
As always, if you have any questions regarding the list – or would like some help with sourcing-procuring-implementing the right technology for your business – please let us know. Our QSR technology consultants have worked with eateries just like yours and can help point you in the right direction at no cost to you!
TekEfficient QSR technology consultants have helped a wide range of restaurants upgrade their technology and digital engagement platforms. The best part? There is no cost to retain our services!