Spring Creek Barbeque, a renowned name in the Texas culinary landscape with over 30 years of history and 29 locations, faced substantial operational challenges due to unreliable network and communication systems. But a game-changing move with Vivant’s Managed Networks brought dramatic improvements in operations and cost savings. This success story explores how Vivant’s Managed Network Service revolutionized their operations, significantly cutting costs, and enhancing service efficiency – a familiar challenge for the restaurant industry.
INDUSTRY: Quick Service Restaurant
LOCATIONS: 29
The Challenge: Connectivity Chaos
The primary challenge faced by Spring Creek Barbeque was consistent interruptions of their internet and phone systems. This impacted orders, wait times, customer experience, and PCI compliance. Here’s the breakdown:
Problem 1: Inadequate Internet and Inconsistent Speeds
- Slow point-of-sale systems: Any delay during a transaction means longer wait times for customers, leading to frustration and potentially abandoned sales.
- Inefficient online ordering: Sluggish internet made it difficult to manage online ordering platforms, potentially leading to missed or inaccurate orders.
- Payment processing issues: A slow connection could cause credit card processing failures, forcing time-consuming manual workarounds or even lost business.
- Poor staff communication: Many modern restaurants utilize cloud-based tools for scheduling, inventory management, or team communication. Unreliable internet would hinder the effectiveness of these tools.
Problem 2: Unreliable Phone Systems
- Lost revenue from missed calls: A restaurant relies on its phone for reservations, takeout orders, and customer inquiries. Every dropped call represents a potential loss of income.
- Bad customer experience: Frequent outages lead to frustrated customers unable to get through, hurting brand reputation and potentially leading to negative reviews.
- Internal communication breakdowns: If phones aren’t reliable, coordination between front-of-house and kitchen staff could suffer, impacting wait times and order accuracy.
Problem 3: Ineffective Support
- Prolonged downtime = lost revenue: The longer it takes to get an internet or phone issue resolved, the more money Spring Creek Barbecue potentially loses.
- Increased staff frustration: IT issues take staff away from core duties. Having to deal with slow or unhelpful support adds to the stress, impacting morale.
- Lack of proactive solutions: If the provider is merely reactive instead of helping prevent future outages, the problem only perpetuates.
Problem 4: Prohibitive Costs
- Paying for unreliable service: This is the ultimate insult to injury. High costs for constantly failing internet and phone lines simply need to be more sustainable.
- Opportunity cost: The money wasted on poor connectivity could be better invested in other areas of the business, such as marketing, staff training, or improved ingredients.
- Strained budgets: Excessive connectivity costs force difficult budget decisions, potentially impacting other important aspects of the business.
How Vivant Transformed Operations
Vivant implemented a turnkey and customized approach to address these challenges:
- Upgraded to high-speed internet at all locations: Spring Creek Barbecue moved from slow DSL to high-speed broadband.
- 100% Uptime Guarantee: Vivant’s SmartCONNECT eliminated internet outages across all locations.
- Upgraded all phone systems for a uniform brand identity: New hardware, software, and features brought consistency to phone systems, aligning with their brand.
- Installed a PCI-Compliant Firewall: Advanced security to protect against unauthorized access.
- Consolidated billing and tech support for all locations: One unified service for streamlined connectivity management.
The Result: Operational Excellence and Cost Savings
- Enhanced Employee Satisfaction: Staff can now focus on core tasks without managing connectivity issues.
- Cost Efficiency: Significant reduction in overall internet and phone expenses.
- Uninterrupted Business Operations: No more revenue lost due to outages, ensuring continuous business functionality.
- Consolidated Customer Support: A single provider offers nationwide coverage, simplifying the resolution process.
Key Metrics:
- CONSTRUCTION FEES WAIVED: $250,000
- COST SAVINGS: $29,780 annually
- ONE PARTNER: One bill, one tech support team across all locations
Business Implications
- Enhanced Internet and Telephone System Availability: Always-on, high-speed connections keep operations smooth.
- Improved Customer Service: Ability to meet customer demand and expectations consistently.
- Exceptional Support Experience: Rapid and effective issue resolution from Vivant
“With Vivant’s SmartCONNECT, we don’t have to worry about losing sales when internet and phones are down. We never lose online orders, never process credit cards offline, and never lose phone orders anymore.” ~ Spring Creek Barbeque
Could Your Business Benefit from a Connectivity Upgrade?
If your business is struggling with unreliable internet, outdated technology, or exorbitant communication costs, Vivant can help. Contact us today and discover how we can transform your operations and put money back in your pocket.
