Demystifying the Black Box Perception of Technology

Christopher Carroll, VP-IT, Cheddar's Casual Cafe

Easy Access through Cloud Computing

A key benefit of cloud computing for the hospitality industry is the ability to deliver anytime, anywhere access to data and applications via multiple end user devices. We have embraced cloud computing by moving our hospitality management teams to applications like Office 365 and a cloud based Business Intelligence tool. Giving our workforce access to their key performance metrics and data allows our teams to have collaborative conversation about performance leveraging the same view of information no matter their location or device.

Importance of Tailored Reports

Our approach to making data effective is to build and deliver dashboard views of key data metrics. We steer conversations related to performance, goals and budget towards dynamic dashboard version of the truth instead of e-mail and static spreadsheets. To deliver dashboards we leverage CTUIT Radar to load our keys performance data into a cloud based repository. With the our data in a central place we leverage CTUIT canned reporting along with our own custom reports and data exports to provide tailored actionable reporting to our restaurants.

"Picking the right technology has to be a balancing act of pushing the business towards the future while ensuring the business is well positioned to live in that future world"

Engage in Technology before Applying

Technology has the ability to take an organization to the next level when properly selected and delivered or set it back when it is not. I have learned that picking the right technology has to be a balancing act of pushing the business towards the future while ensuring the business is well positioned to live in that future world. My advice to fellow CIOs is to spend time talking to the business about technology before it is adopted to foster awareness and educate the business continually throughout the process. Getting the business community excited about future technology early on in the process naturally compels users to be the torch bearers for technology adoption and success. Demystifying the black box perception of technology by engaging your business in direct and simple conversations will pave the way for successful project implementations.