Transition To All-In-One POS Systems To Boost Sales

By Business Solutions magazine

The National Restaurant Association states that restaurant-industry sales reach $1.5 billion on a typical day in 2008. Chef and restaurateur Damian Mandola intends to add to this figure with his new restaurant, Trattoria Lisina, located on the grounds of Mandola Estate Winery near Austin, TX. Mandola's vision for his new restaurant was simple – good food coupled with good service. He had ‘good food' down pat, but to ensure ‘good service,' he would need to provide his staff with efficient technology, including an all-in-one POS solution. Mandola looked to Restaurant Computer Solutions (RCS) for this exact kind of solution.

RCS is a VAR that provides POS hardware, software, an installation services to bars and to fine dining, quickservice, and fast-casual restaurants (e.g. Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits). Tony Pridemore, president of RCS, started the company in 2000. The VAR is headquartered in Houston, employs 12 people, and generates more than $2.5 million in annual sales. While RCS caters to nationwide restaurant franchises such as Smoothie King and Marble Slab Creamery, nearly all its clients are located throughout Texas. Trattoria Lisina is Mandola's new fine dining Italian restaurant, which caters to the general public and the winery's visitors. Pridemore garnered the Trattoria Lisina project because of his prior business relationship with Mandola; he had successfully installed all-in-one POS touch screen systems in a number of Mandola's existing restaurants. "Damian did not look to any other VAR for this new POS solution," explains Pridemore. "He allowed RCS to choose the POS hardware and gave us free rein over the entire implementation because he trusts the work we do." Pridemore acknowledges that this particular installation's procurement is atypical. "Normally, 20% to 30% of our business is acquired through referrals," explains Pridemore. "The remaining 70% to 80% is acquired by our sales team, which makes cold calls to sell our product." RCS' sales team consists of four people who purchase lists from lead service companies to generate leads. The lists cost approximately $225 per month for a 12-month membership. The lists generate around 100 leads per month, which lead to eight sales per month.

For several years, RCS sold PC-based POS terminals that were not all-in-one units. The terminals were cumbersome and not durable enough to withstand the wear and tear that result from a restaurant kitchen environment. "The product was not water resistant, so its circuitry was not protected," explains Pridemore. Also, the PC-based unit did not include fan-free terminals, which eliminate the need for failure-prone exhaust fans and liquid cooling or heat pipes. "I knew that in order to escalate sales, RCS would have to overhaul its entire product line," says Pridemore.

Used with permission from Business Solutions magazine