POS

Why a best-of-breed tech approach unlocks innovation possibilities

A best-of-breed approach to technology is a great option for brands interested in customizing their offerings and putting the top solutions in place in multiple categories for their guests and employees alike.

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April 11, 2024 by Chris Lybeer — Chief Strategy Officer, Revel Systems

It's a common question for restaurant operators reevaluating their technology: do I proceed with a best-of-breed or an all-in-one approach? A best-of-breed technology approach is one that uses an API to integrate leading solutions to a single, core technology platform, namely, a point of sale (POS) within a restaurant environment.

Returning to the question at hand, which approach is best? Through the recent decades of acceleration in the space of restaurant technology, pros and cons have emerged for both approaches. This article will primarily focus on the philosophy behind a best-of-breed approach.

It's tough to do everything well

There is timeless wisdom in the adage, "Jack of all trades, master of none." Technology is no exception to the rule. According to Carissa De Santis, chief technology officer for BRIX Holdings, parent company to Pizza Jukebox, there were a few drivers behind her decision to move forward with an open cloud POS platform with best-of-breed capabilities rather than an all-in-one solution.

"I prefer a best-in-breed approach for technology providers," she said. "I haven't found any all-in-one provider that can do everything, and do it well. So why not make it easy for the restaurant to choose what they'd like?"

At BRIX Holdings, De Santis is making technology decisions that impact an entire portfolio of brands, including Friendly's Restaurants, which has been a family favorite brand for more than 80 years. The operations at Friendly's differ significantly from those at Pizza Jukebox, which is a fully automated concept featuring a pizza robot (affectionately named "Luigi"), an operational feat made possible through a cloud POS platform with an open API.

BRIX is a case study for vastly different operations existing within one parent company. The same benefits apply to single concept brands as well. Consider this example: A startup has come up with new AI vision technology to help with your order accuracy — a key challenge for your business. You would want to be able to plug that in quickly and easily to test it. More and more of this is coming, and with a best-of-breed approach, you can decide which products drive value for your business, and you can choose from the leaders in their respective verticals when making your selection.

Partnership is more important than ever

Today's tech providers need to offer more than flashy features and functionalities; they need to demonstrate their ability to be a lasting partner. Especially in the case of a best-of-breed technology implementation, partnership is a critical component for restaurant operators to consider when making vendor selections.

Why is partnership so important? One reason is, with the rapid rate of change in the tech space, unforeseen scenarios and questions are going to arise. It's simply the nature of the beast, and the risk associated with the value of staying current with new capabilities.

Additionally, when you're working with multiple systems that need to connect together so they work seamlessly, it will require coordination. Technology providers who are unwilling to include the human factor in their total offerings will fall short when it's time to adapt and scale. A true partner will be intentional with the services that accompany an open tech platform and will have an infrastructure for regular collaboration throughout your partnership.

Save space to innovate

Change is the only certainty when it comes to predicting the future. For brands ambitious with growth plans and methods for staying at the forefront of customer delight, choosing technology designed for flexibility will give you the built-in space to explore new territory.

Though all-in-one solutions have their merits — including predictable cost and system simplicity — this tech approach will leave operators wanting when it comes to the Luigi pizza robots of the world and the many unknown inventions of the future. If innovation is a priority for your menu of offerings, consider a best-of-breed approach to your next tech stack investment.

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Revel Systems is an open cloud order management platform at the heart of our clients’ business. Through flexible architecture and open API, Revel ensures brands have the freedom they need to design a full tech stack that meets their needs, enabling them to provide an unmatched customer experience, diversify revenue streams, and scale with ease.

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