Better sales skills, strategic outsourcing keys to technology successSpecial Report: FS/TEC & Nafem ShowTechnologyLebhar-Friedman, Inc.outsourcing; sales skills; technology; expenditure; information technology; FS/TEC© 2009 Lebhar-Friedman, Inc.February232009Vol 43 and Issue 074307NRN_SpecialReport6Dishing on everything from project pitching to doing more work with fewer hands to coping with regulatory mandates, a quartet of foodservice information technology professionals shared their insights here at FS/TEC 2009.Nation’s Restaurant NewsFebruary 2009 · Vol. 43 / No. 07SPECIAL REPORT: FS/TEC & NAFEM SHOWBetter sales skills, strategic outsourcing keys to technology successJAMESSCARPA

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ORLANDOFla.February232009 —Dishing on everything from project pitching to doing more work with fewer hands to coping with regulatory mandates, a quartet of foodservice information technology professionals shared their insights here at FS/TEC 2009.They agreed that expenditures are under the microscope today, in response to “Making the Case for IT Investment in a Tough Economy” panel moderator Mary Hamill’s question about how they justify new IT spending to upper management. Hamill, until recently, was vice president of human resources and IT for Max & Erma’s Restaurants of Columbus, Ohio.“Everything is being scrutinized at a much deeper level now,” said Tripp Sessions, vice president of IT-restaurant solutions for the Atlanta-based Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc., with 10,000-plus locations. “But in a lot of ways, it is making us sharpen our game. I think we’ll walk out with better skills in pitching projects and initiatives.”Justifying investments at Papa Murphy’s International Inc., a Vancouver, Wash.-based franchisor of more than 1,100 take-and-bake pizza stores, “is harder than it used to be,” said Gary Trobaugh, vice president of business technology. “I have to answer how many more pizzas it’s going to sell and whether I would spend my own money on it.”Kathleen Chugh is vice president of information technology for Columbus, Ohio-based Bravo Development Inc., with about 80 Bravo and Brio casual-dining restaurants, among other concepts. She said of working with her chief executive and chief financial officer, “I probably have to drive a bit more data this year than in past years so they understand” project benefits.But at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, business units such as operations, finance or legal usually take the lead in making the case. “I try to partner with them and build the [return on investment],” said Tim Davis, chief information officer of Atlanta-based AFC Enterprises.There was a consensus that outsourcing helps one get more done with shorter staffs, especially when specialized technical work is needed.Outsourcing the Bravo help desk “was the right thing for us to do” said Chugh, who added that she outsources certain projects so she can meet the demands of internal business clients without making them wait unduly.Even a company with a 180-person IT staff, such as Wendy’s/Arby’s Group, finds outsourcing handy.“We outsource quite a bit,” said Sessions, who has 20 help-desk contractors and hires outside talent for specialized work.Panelists said they are concerned more about compliance issues, such as meeting the data security standards of the Payment Card Industry group or following pending or recently adopted governmental rules for nutrition disclosure on menus.“We’re being asked to educate our [franchise] owners even more now” on PCI compliance, Trobaugh said. “Our spending is about the same, but we’re spending more time on it.”As for mandated nutritional labeling, “it could be what pushes us to adopt digital menu boards in the quick-service space,” Sessions said.

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