How to Hire a Restaurant IT Director, IT Manager or IT Team
Whether you’re hiring internally or an outsourced IT company, make sure you’re getting the right expertise for your business. Look for a partner that is dedicated to moving your business forward in a future where restaurants need technology to survive. We’ve put together a list of 5 things to consider when deciding on who makes IT decisions for your restaurant.
1. Know what you’re paying
Monthly retainer? Salary? Hourly?
Why is subscription-based so great? For starters - the subscription model benefits both the client and the provider. Clients enjoy the convenience of auto-renewals while having access to a high-value offer for a small investment. Some higher-tier services may also add value and benefits such as remote monitoring, project consulting, inventory management.
While IT/Tech support can sometimes be tricky to offer in a subscription form, it offers transparency of the recurring fee. This allows a restaurant to more easily create a budget for IT services while factoring in potential extra-charges for future growth projects and serious glitches that require specialized and therefore more costly assistance. With Science, our customers have access to a reliable team of experts, 24/7 at a cost much lower than other outsourced IT companies.
Is pricing transparent?
In order to understand how other IT companies charge, we reached out to gather some quotes. We found that many don’t have a standard pricing model and don’t want you to know how much they charge because they are afraid they will scare you off.
We were shocked to see how secretive many were, and their refusal to answer any questions regarding pricing without a consultation with a sales representative where a quote would be sent out after the meeting. This lack of transparency should concern you, as further research indicated that the companies that don’t want to share pricing have a reason for it, usually being that they are quite costly.
Are there high onboarding/implementation costs?
Be mindful of potential onboarding costs. Some IT companies charge a high on-boarding or one-time installation fee for implementing new POS systems and software. Some can charge as much as $150/hr totaling thousands of dollars just to get to know your business and assess your needs. Science offers every client a free consultation just to get to know our team and so we can accurately suggest solutions. You can take our recommendations and do it yourself or have our team get the ball rolling.
2. Are there biases?
Restaurant Tech Partners/Resellers (hardware and software)
Does the company have its own technology that they are trying to sell you? As opposed to being impartial to all options? Are they keeping up with different features and updates of all available technology solutions?
Ex: NCR - Silver, and Aloha are their own POS systems with costly, proprietary hardware and software. Both have various complaints such as glitchy hardware, lack of common and useful features, and exuberant pricing for hardware and support contracts.
Or, if you hire an IT Director internally they may only have experience with a handful of solutions that are out there. Amongst their day-to-day tasks, they may not have the time or resources to dedicate towards researching all the possible solutions. Not to mention that’ll cost you upwards of $100,000/yr towards their salary, plus benefits and you’ll lose them 3 weeks a year to vacation and sick days. At Science our team is available 24/7/365 (yes that includes nights and weekends!) for as little as $179/mo per location.
Do they have relationships with specific hardware and software companies that lead them to offer inaccurate and biased advice?
“When your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”
When IT companies have exclusive relationships with specific hardware or software companies-- especially if they are resellers of a POS system-- how will you know if they are recommending that system because it fits your needs or because it fits their profit model? On the other hand, if your tech support team is constantly updating you on what the latest useful features including: POS systems, online-ordering/delivery options, etc. that should indicate they are unbiased as these software and hardware providers are constantly improving and their pricing fluctuates so there are often different “bests” every month or so. Every restaurant is unique, and different menus, locations, and service models require technology to work in a different way for their business.
Ask yourself: Are they trying to up-sell you in order to make the most money off of your business?
Always ask for a second opinion. A clear warning sign is if your tech support contact is trying to get you to invest in a lot of new technology all at once, rather than assessing your needs and your budget
3. Do they really understand your business?
Are they industry-specific? Or do they offer IT support for a variety of businesses?
Many of these IT companies boast about having been around for decades and providing excellent support for businesses ranging from schools to banks. Your best option has to be someone who is passionate about the restaurant industry, as they will be the most empathetic and understanding of your business’s needs, not a company that is an expert in IT and technology exclusively. After all, technology isn’t a one size fits all. You have to understand the specific industry itself to provide the best service. We know all about fixing a cable under a deep fryer or answering frantic calls from a bartender on a Friday night when the music suddenly stops.
Do they understand all the aspects of your business? Do they care about your company culture and values?
Is your business all about who you employ? Are you a coffee shop all about facilitating community and creating a warm environment that brings loud and boisterous crowds? Or a quiet study/work environment? These are some of the many questions your IT support needs to ask you in order to provide the best and most customized support!
4. Are they there for you when you need it most?
Is your tech support team available 24/7 or only 9-5 Monday-Friday? Can you call for support during your business hours be it before 6 AM or after midnight? Can you actually call them without being hit with exorbitant fees for the after-hours service?
At Science, we understand that few hospitality businesses function on a 9-5 schedule - be it a bakery that begins working at the crack of dawn or a nightclub open till 4 am. Will your tech support team actually be there when your POS system failure can potentially cause you to lose thousands of dollars in sales because no one can help till the morning? We love restaurants, and that’s why we work restaurant hours, not banker’s hours.
5. Do they understand your IT budget?
Will they work with you to make sure they are providing the best support possible while understanding, not all restaurants have the budget of a franchise?
At Science, we understand what small businesses care about, but not everyone does. We understand that the aspect of financial planning is paramount in small businesses. Failure to plan for unexpected expenses is a sure way to guarantee that a company will collapse, and that is a reason we provide subscription-based pricing. This ensures an easier way to budget IT expenses. Make sure the IT person/team you are considering hiring asks the right questions and really gets it. An IT person who is trying to upsell you into investing in the most costly systems is a great example of someone who doesn’t understand your business.
Will they go above and beyond to help you grow your business while delivering a good ROI/return on investment?
Will they be there when a printer stops working and someone needs to crawl underneath a deep fryer to fix a cable? Do they know how to talk to a chef? Will they constantly meet with you to see how they can offer the best service that fits your budget and helps grow your business? Will they promote you on their social media and in-person when given the opportunity? All we can tell you is that’s what Science does and we believe that is the only way to do it!
