Finding Flexibility at the POS
Founded in 2011 by Carl Chang, Pieology operates 130+ locations, and aims to expand to more than 200 by the end of 2017. In order to enable that rapid growth, while ensuring happy franchise owners and allowing for more efficient practices system-wide, finding the right point of sale system is critical.
The POS is the heart of the restaurant; without a good POS system everything becomes difficult, time consuming or just doesn’t exist. I was determined to find a solution to an internal problem that would 1) meet Pieology’s current and future requirements and 2) appease our major stakeholders with the selection.
A rapidly growing restaurant franchise is like the Wild West for an operations team and menu items, discounts, and pricing need to be consistent for all locations while allowing the franchisees autonomy to make necessary changes. In addition, our marketing team needs an online ordering solution, loyalty program and social media integration; accounting wants everything to be easily accessible and integrated into our existing financial systems; the development team wants growth and sales information; our HR department wants to know how they’re going to manage payroll and ensure that we’re adhering to state labor laws; and our customers want a convenient, seamless and positive dining and brand experience.
Proving Efficiencies Secures Franchisee Buy-In
Contrary to legacy POS systems, the cloud-based system offered by Toast allows multi-location franchises to run on a single platform. Sales, labor and inventory data are available in real-time and easily accessible from anywhere. The previous POS system required pushing changes to individual locations and then rebooting the entire system. Now, a change is made, pushed out, and it’s available across all locations.
In order for a fast growing company like Pieology to compete in a crowded market dominated by restaurant giants, it’s imperative to function with the same efficiency they do. Once franchise partners saw how easy the new system was to navigate, manage and make changes on, they were on board with our recommendation.
Online ordering has become a crucial revenue stream. It’s critical that online ordering be easy and accurate to provide customers with a clean and convenient ordering experience. It’s pointless if the order is processed wrong, difficult to import or slows down the speed of the assembly line. That’s why it has to be built into the POS system.
With the new POS system, Pieology’s web and mobile orders are sent directly to the kitchen, reducing errors and increasing efficiency. Online orders come in and are processed exactly like an in-store order, and cashiers don’t have to learn or manage anything new. Likewise, guests can order wherever they are while enjoying an easy-to-use online ordering experience.
Today’s customers want online ordering, speedy service, high-quality food and a seamless, enjoyable digital experience. A POS must adapt to be flexible, agile and nimble in order to meet those demands.
What was your first job?
Little League Baseball announcer
Who inspires you?
Creative people
What are your hobbies? Family, Skiing, Kayaking
What technologies excite you?
IoT, using the human body to transmit passwords, SpaceX
Sage Advice:
Always do your homework and research before making a decision
What is one other job that you would like to try? Inspirational speaker
What is one goal that you would like to achieve in your life?
Financial freedom
What three people would you invite to lunch? Abraham Lincoln, GOD, Steve Jobs
