{"id":5557,"date":"2022-01-04T14:43:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-04T20:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/live-gordon-food-service.pantheonsite.io\/tech-demos-ask-you-invest\/"},"modified":"2023-05-24T13:18:05","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T18:18:05","slug":"tech-demos-ask-you-invest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gfs.com\/en-us\/ideas\/tech-demos-ask-you-invest\/","title":{"rendered":"Tech demos: Ask before you invest"},"content":{"rendered":"

Restaurant operators understand that choosing the right technology solution is vital to business success. They also understand how busy they are, meaning that if they\u2019re going to spend the time on a demo, it\u2019s important to get the most out of it.<\/p>\n

BackofHouse<\/a> tapped Ken Tsang of the restaurant help desk Science on Call<\/a> to review the key questions an operator needs to ask when demoing a new solution.<\/p>\n

Which solutions do I realistically need to demo? <\/strong>
\nA little research goes a long way. Before you actually engage in a demo, make sure you\u2019ve identified any must-haves, narrowing the field to those that truly appear to make sense for your business. Be honest and clear-eyed about your needs and resources.<\/p>\n

Who are the key players in your category, and how do your features compare?<\/strong>
\nOne way to find out if a solution is a good idea for your particular business is to quiz reps on how their solutions fit the market. How do they see themselves? Who do they consider competition, and why are they better?<\/p>\n

Tsang recommends aiming to demo 3-4 solutions in whatever category you want to implement., from reservation systems, to third-party delivery platforms. \u201cGenerally that seems to be a good number,\u201d he said, because it allows you to learn how different vendors are thinking about the space.<\/p>\n

How does pricing work? What return on investment can I expect? Can you offer any breaks?<\/strong> 
\nSolutions are there to deliver ROI and smooth out the operational flow of your restaurant\u2014and any solid reps should be able to articulate why their solution is worth the money. Ask direct questions about pricing and listen to their answers. And if the price isn\u2019t to your liking, it never hurts to ask if there is any wiggle room.<\/p>\n

How much does my restaurant actually need?<\/strong>
\n\u201cMost customers don’t need the Cadillac version every time, but we want to know if they have a very particular thing that\u2019s only available in [a certain] tier,\u201d Tsang said. \u201cUnderstanding your requirements and how these companies segment their product, making sure it lines up to your restaurant\u2019s actual needs is crucial.\u201d <\/p>\n

Who handles implementation?<\/strong>
\nJust because a solution checks all the other boxes doesn\u2019t mean it magically installs its software and hardware in your restaurant. We\u2019re talking about implementation, and according to Tsang, you should ask about it so you know who is in charge of getting the technology up and running. <\/p>\n

What is your support system like?<\/strong> 
\nSimilarly, you should get a sense of what kind of support you can expect from a vendor once you\u2019re using their product and have questions or unexpected problems. As Tsang puts it: \u201cOK, so we get this thing implemented, and something breaks six months down the road. What kind of support tiers do you have?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

What integrations do you offer today\u2026 and what about tomorrow?<\/strong>
\nAsk how well a solution integrates with your existing tech stack. \u201cThere are so many products out there that do niche things, but if they don’t work with your POS system, for example, it’s gonna be extra work for you,\u201d Tsang warned, adding that it\u2019s worth inquiring about future integrations to see if your issue might soon be solved, and what your potential partner\u2019s future roadmap looks like.<\/p>\n

If you have restaurant technology questions or need help figuring out the right solution, visit backofhouse.io<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

7 time-saving questions restaurant operators should ask.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-running-your-business"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTech demos: Ask before you invest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The right restaurant technology is vital to success. 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