1. Would it be appropriate for Kimball’s to solely rely on the handheld devices for customer orders? Analyze and discuss this point.
2. Review the marketing, promotional and social media discussion from the previous chapter. What type of hardware should Tyler recommend to assist with these initiatives?
3) Tyler wants to brand the new location with the service-oriented environment, providing timely and quality service for its customers. He believes that the use of technology would not only create that environment, but also show customers a well-managed business using technology. What alternatives could fulfill this branding for a restaurant? Should they use handheld devices to process customer orders at the tables? Would this be an efficient method of entering orders? What types of devices could be used?
KIMBALL’S RESTAURANT: Hardware for the Appetite Tyler and Michael have worked on the marketing plan for the new location. They believe that it will be successful in expanding their marketing reach to gain new customers for Kimball’s lakeside location. Now it was time to turn their attention to improving the operational aspect of their business. At the top of their list was determining what restaurant software would best fit their needs for the new location, and if their current computer hardware could handle it. Talking Technical Tyler and his parents agreed that upgrading their information system would help create a more efficient operation at the existing restaurant, and provide a solid base for launching their new location. They also were excited about having access to additional data and reporting capabilities to help them evaluate and plan more efficiently and effectively. What they didn’t know was what hardware and software they needed to achieve their goals. Tyler contacted Clark Howard at posiDining Systems (PDS), the software company that installed their current POS system. They selected PDS’s entry-level version several years ago as a low-cost option to automate the operations. Since the installation of the PDS system, some of the issues have been reduced (see previous chapter cases for additional explanation). However, he is concerned that the version of the system they are using may not be enough for the new location. He was concerned that the servers manually entered orders into the system based on notes taken at the table. There could be mistakes in either the writing or entry of the customer orders. Tyler explained the estimated volume that was anticipated at the new restaurant as well as some of the management issues that were anticipated at the new location. Clark and Tyler reviewed the number of workstations needed by the wait and kitchen staff as well as the dining and bar area seating chart. Clark told Tyler that the more robust version of PDS’s product would be able to operate the new location effectively, provide more data for management, and avoid some of the problems they’re currently experiencing with the POS system. Although Tyler wanted an information system that could help his family operate and manage the restaurant effectively, he was also concerned about the cost and the learning curve associated with a new system for both staff and management. Clark understood his concerns. Tyler asked if it would be possible to install the upgraded system at the current location for 2-3 months while the lakeside location was being prepared. Although there might be some additional cost to install and reinstall the hardware and software, they could train people at the current location so the transition to the new location would be less stressful. Clark said he would prepare a proposal for this phased-in approach that would detail the associated costs for the restaurant.
