Breaking into eCommerce with Restaurants

This week was my first week as Director of Technology for Patronpath. A young technology company, Patronpath has already had a large impact in the Online Ordering industry.

Unlike many other companies, Patronpath has focused their software both on User Experience and Integration. Rather than create software for the buyer, they are concentrating on developing software for the user.

The company has done an incredible job in both growth and technology given the fact that they’ve really not had a technology guru ‘owning’ the application. I spoke with CEO Mark Gallo today and couldn’t express how impressed I’ve been.

The company has been nimble, quickly adjusting their business into the areas where Restaurateurs need them most. The team there is incredible. Their knowledge of the industry is what makes everything work and what’s build a great company.

Looking at the Restaurant Industry, you might think I’m nuts to jump into this gig. Half of all restaurants fail and the profit margin on the average non-chain, family restaurant is brutal. The difference between a successful restaurant and a failing restaurant can be as thin as a hair… that’s where Patronpath comes in. Adding online ordering to a restaurant for take-out and/or delivery is what’s pushing the industry forward right now.

Here’s why Online Orders make the difference:

1. People order more food when they order take-out and delivery. Think about it… when you take your family to a restaurant, you order a pizza for the table. When you order delivery, you order enough for a breakfast or a late night snack, too!
2. People are looking for convenience more and more. Grocery stores are closing and restaurant chains are growing. The reason is simple, we want to spend more quality time with our family given our busy lifestyles and less time shopping and cooking. If you can get a great meal for your family and pick it up on the way home, why not!? Eating out is a hastle… but breaking open a meal in the privacy of your own home still allows the family to gather around the table.

A great online ordering system reduces ordering errors and takes less employee resources as well! Pretty hard to mess up an order when you’re the one putting it together, right?

There’s still a lot of work to do, though. The POS systems are still fairly antiquated. Walk into the average restaurant and you’ll find a robust POS running on Windows 95 and working out of an Access database! Sure, there’s a cool touch screen… but the industry is ripe for a serious player to come in and clean house.

Online Ordering systems make up the difference. Utilizing APIs with POS, Fax, and Email Integration – restaurateurs are free to do what they do best… sell a lot of great food and service while adding both more and larger orders! That’s where we come in. We’ve got some great applications that you’ve got to see to believe. The company and the industry are ripe for the taking and we’re going to be the best!

Here in Indianapolis, we’re implementing our software with Scotty’s Brewhouse.

Walk into any Scotty’s and you’ll immediately notice that the experience is all about the user and combining that with technology. For you Colts fans, every seat at Scotty’s is a front seat since each booth has it’s own LCD television! Be sure to check them out for lunch as well… they have a great $5 menu!

Be sure to tell them that Doug from Patronpath sent you!