Digital Transformation Vendor Selection in the Quick Serve Restaurant Industry

Opportunity

A Quick Serve Restaurant(QSR) company had experienced a significant increase in online orders as a result of the global pandemic.  To maintain the online expectations of these highly desired guests, the company embarked on a multi-year digital transformation.

The company’s existing technology stack provided stability, security, scalability and reliability, but offered minimal flexibility to improve the guest experience from the landing page to the checkout page.  The company quickly recognized the need to identify a software vendor that could support a holistic digital transformation, including: a Content Management System (CMS), menu optimization, order flow, payment flow, 1:1 digital personalization, analytics, attribution and much more.

Leveraging Pepper Foster’s extensive background in vendor/software selections and proven methodology, the team provided the necessary experience to partner with the client through the Request For Information (RFI) and a subsequent Request For Proposal (RFP), while building a framework for selecting the best partner to achieve the business objectives of increasing online ordering, reducing cart abandonment, and generating loyalty program members.

Solution

By partnering with stakeholders, subject matter experts (SMEs), and franchisees across the organization, Pepper Foster was able to define the scope of the project and outline the key project goals and objectives.

An RFI selection framework was developed based on requisite vendor experience with online ordering, maturity in the industry, experience with franchisees, technical and functional acumen, as well as security and privacy concerns. Seven vendors were invited to participate and based on the criteria and vendor interviews, two finalists were identified.  

A follow-up RFP was produced that included a deep dive into current and future state requirements, goals, objectives, as well as items in and out of scope.  References were interviewed, both client and existing technology partners. The finalists presented an initial proposal and a scripted vendor demonstration.  At the end of the RFP phase, stakeholders, SMEs and Leadership were near consensus on the selection of the vendor.

Outcome

By leveraging Pepper Foster’s vendor/software selection experience, methodology, and overall collaborative approach, a final vendor partner was selected to be a long-term partner during this multi-year transformation. The client stated, “Pepper Foster’s approach was uniquely helpful for building consensus across large swaths of the company’s core leadership teams and was critical to the successful outcome, by inspiring confidence in the expected results of the vendor partner selected.” Based on the successful delivery of the vendor/software selection phase, Pepper Foster has been asked to continue with the implementation phase of the project, which will span deep into 2022 and possibly beyond.