In the high-pressure, low-margin restaurant industry, your tech stack is the lifeblood of your business. It drives customer value, streamlines operations, and sets the foundation for scalable growth. But finding the right tech partner can feel like pulling a needle from a haystack when the market is saturated with seemingly similar solutions, and picking the wrong partner can significantly impact your bottom line.
Legacy loyalty solutions have handcuffed themselves by building rigid all-in-one products that are expensive to integrate and difficult to customize. And many customers have come to realize that their all-in-one solution does not deliver on the promise of a unified dashboard of consolidated data. As a result, leading brands have turned to a more dynamic approach: assembling a dream team of best-in-class tech partners, each masters of their own domain, working together to create harmony across your operations.
Long John Silver’s is a prime example of this best-in-class strategy. This summer, they launched a 360-degree ecosystem that unified their in-store and digital experience by teaming up with tech partners across CRM and SMS messaging, customer data management, web and mobile app development, offer management, loyalty programs, digital wallet integration, and POS middleware solutions.
But how do you find these top-tier partners and what sets them apart? Having founded and scaled several businesses over the past 20 years, I’ve noticed a few trends along the way that can help you find, forge, and foster the best partnerships.
Spotting the Stars
There are several high-level indicators that separate the wheat from the chaff, and conferences can offer valuable clues—if you know what to look for. First, look beyond the companies with the largest booths or biggest sponsorships and pay attention to those that are sharing the stage with their clients.
For example, Chipotle’s Jason Scoggins recently referred to their tech partner, noting, “Our main contact is truly an extension of my team. She represents Chipotle as if she’s part of our own team. Even in calls we’re not part of, she advocates for us, demonstrating a deep understanding of our ecosystem and how everything should align.” When a customer is willing to publicly endorse a tech provider like that, it’s a powerful signal of trust and satisfaction.
Another tell? Watch the CEO. If they’re constantly in the spotlight, who’s steering the ship? Yes, leaders need to hype the business, forge partnerships, and raise money, but they also need to keep a finger on the pulse of the business. In my role, I conduct quarterly one-on-ones with every employee because the culture and leadership directly influence how a company serves its clients. A CEO who is too far removed from the day-to-day may struggle to maintain that quality.
Next, check client churn and employee turnover. High churn in either category is a red flag. Strong partnerships are rooted in companies that treat their teams well.
Lastly, do other partners in the ecosystem recommend them? The best tech partners are collaborative. If they’re recognized as a trusted player in their network, that’s a good indicator of reliability. Our own platform integrates with nearly 50 tools and systems from tech partners we trust so that customers can customize their engagement ecosystem to fit the needs that extend beyond our scope.
Evaluating Fit
Once you’ve identified a potential partner, the real work begins. You need to evaluate how well they’ll integrate with your goals and existing systems. Start by forming a cross-functional team across sales, marketing, IT, and product to identify a holistic view of your immediate needs and long-term goals. Knowing what you need—and what you don’t—will help guide your selection.
Scalability and customization should be at the top of your list. The right partner should offer a modular solution that can plug into your existing systems and adapt as your business evolves, allowing for easy upgrades and integrations as new needs arise.
When assessing a tech partner, ask for references and case studies. Investigate their track record with other restaurants. Have they grown alongside their clients? When you ask for references, do they provide one or two names or invite you to call any of their customers?
There are plenty of tech vendors out there that over-promise and under-deliver. A genuine partner should be consultative, not salesy, helping you source the best solution to meet your needs—whether it’s from them or another provider.
Transparency & Tough Love
Not every tech partner will be the right fit, and the best ones will tell you that. In fact, a partner that says “yes” to everything you ask should raise concerns. Great partners understand their own limitations and will refer you to other companies when they recognize a better fit.
Your partner team should be willing to have difficult conversations. Whether it’s resetting unrealistic expectations or sharing hard truths, transparency is non-negotiable.
Ultimately, the goal is more transactions, at the right price, for the greatest number of guests resulting in profitable revenue growth. In the world of technology, it’s really all about the people behind the product. With the right partners by your side, you’ll be able to build a tech stack that not only meets today’s challenges but prepares you for tomorrow’s opportunities.
Catherine Tabor is the founder and CEO of Sparkfly.
