Introduction:
We will explore insights with Andy Dulka, the CIO of Restaurant Technologies. We will dive into the people who make Restaurant Technologies successful, and then learn more about expanding success within restaurant technology.
Dealing with Change and Ambiguity:
These two characteristics are the beginning of how to ”Control the Kitchen Chaos.”
Change within RTI:
According to Andy, the IT team has been on a digital transformation journey for the past 3+ years. In that time, a tremendous amount of technological change has been deployed within the company. This is a level and a pace of change that is only possible because of the intense focus on delivering what the customer needs. The team has deployed a new field service solution, a new CRM, a new digital marketing platform, a new pricing platform and a contract management solution. On the horizon is completing a new data platform and embarking on an ERP implementation.
Beyond the focus of creating a more efficient business for customers, Restaurant Technologies also focuses on improving the employee’s family lives. Restaurant Technologies established an education foundation to offer post-secondary scholarships for employees. Funds are raised during the year through fun and creative ways, and through employee payroll contributions.
Ambiguity drives the change:
The best way to explain how well the Restaurant Technologies’ team creates so much positive change so quickly is with a recent success story. They went live with Salesforce Field Service in February of 2022 and, since then, they have committed to a 2-week sprint delivery model and have faithfully delivered business improvements every two weeks since their launch.
This shift to a continuous improvement model has been the cornerstone of the project delivery under this digital transformation program. Business ownership and partnership with the IT teams allows for shared ownership and truly moving at the speed of their business.
This mindset drives continuous improvement and creates a culture designed to challenge the status quo.
Impact of technology in Restaurants:
Incredible steps have been taken through technology to increase the safety of the restaurant workforce and truck drivers.
IoT like you never expected:
If you have ever worked at a restaurant, you know the dangers of disposing of used cooking oil. Accidents while moving cooking oil have caused severe injuries to restaurant staff. Restaurant Technologies created a solution using IoT sensors to gauge the oil level and dispose of it by suctioning it through piping to their oil collection containers and reducing the danger for restaurant staff around the country. RTI’s trucks deliver fresh oil and pick up used oil based on these IoT readings.
Safety on the roads:
This past year, Restaurant Technologies implemented Fleet Telematics that allows for automated tracking of truck metrics. Allowing both the fleet management team and the drivers to quickly access critical information and open the door for continuous improvement making the experience safety and data driven.
Environmental Mindset:
The innovation doesn’t stop there; Restaurant Technologies has found ways to create change within the environmental space converting nearly 300 million pounds of cooking oil. In comparison, a Navy Aircraft carrier is 204 million pounds. This oil is becoming biofuel that is put back into the market (including in some of their vehicle fleet), allowing them to help their customers reduce impact on the environment.
Conclusion:
Restaurant Technologies is committed to continuous improvement of its craft, its technology, and its people. It’s outstanding that a company known for cooking oil and hood and flue cleaning is making significant strides in technology and the community. If you have questions about Restaurant Technologies, Andy encourages people to connect with him on LinkedIn or join SIM and pick his brain.