How a beloved and growing coffee chain brewed scalable IT support during a time of change
Reducing friction by using the channel that fits the moment
Turning invisible failure points into non-events
A single IT support team that understands hospitality, not just the technology
The Challenge: No single owner for day-to-day tech
When Jessica Lord, now CEO with 16+ years with Heine Bros. Coffee, moved from finance into operations, she modernized fast. Switching to Toast for POS, Restaurant365 for back office, and operator-friendly tools across the stack. The foundation was stronger, but tech firefighting still landed on store leaders and a local network vendor. Hidden failures added stress and cost revenue during rushes.
Brief internet “blips” would auto-disable third-party services in Toast, quietly cutting off digital orders until someone noticed and toggled them back on. With approximately 35,000 guests/week across 17 stores and 15% of sales coming through digital orders, those minutes weren’t abstract, they were lost moments with guests.
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A Louisville-born coffeehouse with deep community roots and a people-first ethos. With 300 employees, 17 locations, and 35,000 guests per week, they serve coffee with consistency and care.
The Solution: Restaurant-savvy support that meets the teams where they are
Jessica heard an unsolicited shout-out for Science on Call from another operator on a conference panel, then ran three operator reference checks. The feedback matched what she hoped to hear: they understand hospitality, not just software.
A few months later, Science On Call was turning invisible failure points into non-events. Baristas get unblocked in seconds, using the channel that fits the moment. Managers spend less time chasing vendors and more time coaching teams. Not to mention that, the team at headquarters only sees ticket escalations that truly need them.
“Every hour a manager spends troubleshooting is an hour not serving the team or guests. The goal is human connection; tech should give that time back."
– Jessica Lord, CEO, Heine Bros. Coffee
“Every hour a manager spends troubleshooting is an hour not serving the team or guests. The goal is human connection; tech should give that time back." – Jessica Lord, CEO, Heine Bros. Coffee
By the Numbers
Proactive re-enablement means no more 15% revenue loss during outages.
00% Fewer escalations to headquarters & vendors
Tickets are resolved 00x faster.
Calmer stores with better work culture
One month after launch, SoC appeared on each team’s “It’s Working!” column at the company offsite—a simple, human signal that the change lifted real weight off real people.
With faster response and resolution times on the floor, including nights and weekends, staff and management are focused on serving guests and improving other efficiencies.
With support available via text, phone, or quick video, the baristas feel that help is attainable with the way they actually work—mid-rush.
“I worked with Mike from SOC on a Saturday morning. He was extremely helpful and patient, even while I was simultaneously speaking with guests, taking orders, and troubleshooting. He took the time to explain exactly what he was doing and how we might be able to help the team in the future if this issue comes up again.”
Moving Forward…
Heine Bros. is gearing up to grow beyond 17 stores with a young, energetic team. Science On Call absorbs routine friction and guards against hidden outages so baristas and managers can stay present with guests, where the hospitality actually happens.
“Some value won’t show up on paper until you stop losing it. Science On Call gives us that time back.”