The Secret Sauce of a Multi-Site Operator: Unveiling the Power of Data-Driven ‘Leadership.

The restaurant world is always changing, none more so than the post-COVID hangover.  

It’s been a tough period, and because of this, operators are always looking for the marginal gains that will help them to reduce the overwhelm of their teams, as well as continually improve their business performance.  

See how the team at NONA use Tenzo to improve their operations across multiple locations.

The ability to harness data effectively has become a key component in the success of any operator.  It unlocks a superpower that we haven’t had in such abundance before. For the first time, we are really seeing restaurateurs utilise the power of data to optimise their productivity.

So, let’s break down how the top 5% of operators are using data to enhance their performance.

Unlock the Power of Data

Before we talk about the transformative capabilities of how data-driven platforms can make such a difference, let’s take a moment to remind ourselves of the importance of data in the restaurant industry. 

Every plate served, every table turned, every purchase, every roster, and every customer review generate a treasure trove of information.  This data isn’t just numbers though. 

This data is the key to understanding your business, your customers, and your team. 

It’s the secret sauce that, when harnessed correctly, can elevate your operations, and help your people thrive.

The Challenge of Multi-Site Management

Until 2022 I was a COO for a global investment company, managing 16 brands, across 4 countries in 3 continents.  

The process of keeping up-to-date on the performance of these locations wasn’t easy.  Local nuance, regional market fluctuations, labour modelling variations and supply chain pricing were all reasons why we needed to have a strong understanding of the business.  Through utilising data, and, making it easy to read, we were able to focus our efforts on the right locations, in the right outlets, and at the right time.  

In fact, by optimising our processes and using Tenzo to optimise our historical data, we were able to start reacting in advance by implementing trend reporting in the business.

You can see how we managed to save 15% on labour by using Tenzo in our UK operations.

How to Optimise Your Data

Imagine having an assistant by your side, one solely focused on helping you conduct this complex collation of data effortlessly.  It’s unlikely that you will have the resources for this, especially in the early phase of growth. 

That’s exactly what Tenzo brings to the table with its PerformanceOps platform. Tenzo empowers operators to lead with precision and insight, breaking the information down into easily digestible and customisable dashboards.  

It was this flexibility to tailor the data to my needs that helped me use the platform to oversee operations across such a vast estate.   

Even now, when we engage with clients at Auden Hospitality, we always look to implement effective ways to consolidate and analyse data to create easily measurable action plans that are backed up by data. 

So how can all this lead the way to being your secret sauce?  

It’s simple; it allows you to focus your time and energy where you need to the most.  It increases your productivity, allows you to manage more effectively and gives you back the power of time, something I always refer to as being the most valuable tool a leader can have.

Below, I have shared some points on how to optimise this to be your kryptonite.

Identify Trends to Help Teams in Need: 

Analytics isn’t just about crunching numbers; it’s about spotting trends and patterns that you may miss if you are looking at reactive data and results. 

For example, are some of your locations consistently underperforming?  Are there specific days or times when you need additional staff because covers peak?  Analysing trends can answer these questions and more, enabling you to proactively address issues before they become major problems.

See my post on LinkedIn where I show you how using trends can generate different results with a simple click of a mouse.

Celebrate Success:

Acknowledging and celebrating your team’s successes is just as important as identifying areas that need improvement.  

Daily reports and live dashboards allow you to track and celebrate achievements, boosting team morale and fostering healthy competition among your locations. After all, a motivated team is your most valuable ingredient.  

Throughout my career, the locations that had the longest-serving team always had the best results. It’s especially important in the current flipped economy, meaning that any way to foster a stronger culture is going to reap rewards.

Optimise Your Insights: 

As you become more confident with the data you are seeing, you will be able to refine and optimise the output.  Constantly evolving and looking for more insights will help you to deeper dive into your business and fine-tune performance.

Remember how I mentioned that at Auden Hospitality, we use data and insights to back up everything we do?  It’s this process that helps us find new opportunities in the business and create measurable plans for the success of new initiatives.

In summary, think big, start small, review, measure and refine.

Prioritising Time and Resources:

In the fast-paced world that operators live in, time is of the essence. Tenzo doesn’t just provide data – it helps you prioritise where you should focus your time and resources, again helping you to prioritise your time where it will be the most effective. Here’s how:

Daily Insights:

Seeing daily insights and trends means you can address issues promptly, whether it’s a sudden drop in week-on-week sales or kitchen wastage growing in value.

Efficiency Enhancements:

By optimising your supply chain, labour scheduling, and inventory management, you can ensure that your operations run smoothly. This frees up your time to focus on strategic initiatives rather than day-to-day firefighting.

So, there it is, the secret sauce is no longer a mystical concoction locked away in a chef’s kitchen.  It’s data – the insights, trends, and patterns that data helps you uncover and leverage.

By harnessing the power of data-driven leadership, you can lead your teams more effectively, support those in need, and celebrate those who excel.

And with Tenzo by your side, you’re not just managing restaurants; you’re conducting a symphony of success, optimising the audience, and elevating your results.

If you want to hear more about how I use trends to analyse businesses, I am delighted to be joining Christian Mouysset at the Hospitality Tech Expo, on the 10^{th of} October, 2023 where Christian will be leading a discussion about, ‘How Hospitality sales looked in 2023 and why proactive strategy can foster stronger results?’