1
platform replacing the spreadsheets
TypeMulti-site hospitality group
EngagementWorkforce platform + e-commerce build
ScopeBack-of-house tooling + new front-of-house sales channel
01 · the challenge
The challenge
Two unrelated problems running in parallel. Back of house: a workforce and labour set-up being run out of spreadsheets, with rotas drafted by site managers in three different formats and labour cost reporting weeks behind the trading week it described. Decisions about Tuesday were being made on what last month's labour ratio looked like. Front of house: a brand with a queue of customers asking for online ordering that didn't exist, and a sales channel sitting on the table while delivery aggregators ate a third of every order the group did capture. Either problem on its own would have been a project. Both at once needed sequencing, not stacking.
02 · the approach
How we approached it.
- 01
Workforce + labour platform selected and rolled out
Compared providers, ran a structured selection, negotiated terms, configured the platform site-by-site, and ran the training. Rotas, contracts, holiday tracking and labour cost reporting all in one place. Managers stop drafting in Excel from Wednesday onwards.
- 02
Labour reporting tied to live sales
Daily labour-against-revenue view by site, by section, by shift. Site managers know on Tuesday what last week cost, not three weeks later when it's somebody else's problem. Head office sees group-wide trends before they harden into bad habits.
- 03
E-commerce site designed and built
Brand-led storefront for the group's first direct sales channel. Product catalogue, payments, fulfilment and stock management wired up. Launched as a standalone channel sitting alongside the existing aggregator presence, not replacing it.
- 04
Reporting consolidated across both
Labour cost on one side, direct sales on the other, in the same daily and weekly view as the trading numbers. One report, not three. Head office reviews labour ratio versus revenue and direct sales versus aggregator share in one sitting.
- 05
Ongoing review against the metrics that matter
Quarterly review of labour ratio against revenue, and direct sales against aggregator share. Adjust the rota assumptions, the promo cadence and the channel mix where the data points.
03 · the results
The results.
New
direct sales channel launched
Daily
labour-against-sales reporting
Labour planning and labour reporting now live in the same tool, and managers see last week's numbers on Tuesday morning. The e-commerce site picked up incremental revenue from week one, without the aggregator fee taking a third of every order. Two unrelated problems, both off the to-do list. We picked this one for the page because it sits at the intersection of two things we do: back-of-house tooling and new revenue channels. There's more in the portfolio.
whenever you're ready
Let's talk about your tech.
Half an hour on Zoom or in person. We'll show up with questions, not a slide deck.