Buca Di Beppo
INTRODUCTION
Buca already maintains tight communication with and among its stores, thanks to a sophisticated Minneapolis-based private network provided by Qwest that allows toll-free data and voice traffic. A centralized phone system enacts 4-digit toll-free calling within the chain and within the centralized reservations center, which enables an all-day centralized reservations database for the dinner-only chain.
Now they’ll tap that infrastructure to collect more detailed data about each
check. Analysis of this data will fuel decisions about menu management and knowledge
of each restaurant’s demographics. The relationship between marketing and
IT will be enhanced since IT can now
deliver the granular data that improves decision-making.
At the home office, integration of Squirrel Corporate Database Manager with Cognos
planning software enables analysts to freely mine the wealth of data from guest
transactions. Buca also uses Lawson financials. Squirrel’s foundation in Microsoft’s
SQL Server platform offers Buca
the system fault tolerance required for its sophisticated suite of solutions. Buca
maintains very stringent standards for data security and access.
AGGRESSIVE UPGRADE...
Buca’s confidence in the integrity of the Squirrel solution is reflected in the chain’s aggressive rollout schedule: 93 stores and their corporate website in 10 weeks. And they did it themselves!
With an objective of being in control of their destiny, the solid design of the Squirrel suite makes that possible. The approach enables Buca to simultaneously upgrade the WAN software, perform equipment maintenance and upgrade its POS hardware to Squirrel Systems’ new 12.1” TFT Workstation in half of its stores, as well as enhance the benefits of the new POS software’s graphical user interface.
Buca has always been a fan of Squirrel, but SquirrelOne offers an even simpler user interface, allowing wait staff to focus on the guest, not the computer.
Buca di Beppo is a collection of family-style neighborhood
restaurants, with décor crammed with Italian memorabilia
and a no-windows basement design that evokes an oldworld feel. Parent company Buca
Inc. regards its restaurant managers as "Paisano Partners" — not
family,
but just like it. So it's no surprise that Buca wanted to keep it in the family
when it came time to upgrade its stores to a new point-of-sale (POS) system and
deploy new corporate management modules.
Buca di Beppo has been using Squirrel Systems' POS since
founder Phil Roberts launched the chain in a Minneapolis
basement in 1993. As the company grew, its IT needs
became more complex as well.
So when Squirrel Systems first introduced SquirreOne and
Corporate Database Manager, Buca was among the
first in line.
Buca's main goal was to make it simple for their wait staff
to provide a great experience to their guests. For Buca, that meant three new things:
getting the whole chain on the same POS version, implementing its first gift card
program, and making store system control and
maintenance more centralized.
A CLOSER LOOK
Buca has always been a fan of Squirrel, but SquirrelOne offers an even simpler user interface, allowing wait staff to focus on the guest, not the computer.
That new interface includes integration with the Givex gift card system. Previously, wait staff would offer gift certificates for purchase at the end of the meal, but would have to run off and find a manager and ring up a separate transaction to complete the purchase. Now wait staff can carry the gift cards and activate them with a card swipe at the register, and include the purchase with the dinner check.
Squirrel Corporate Database Manager delivers improved centralized control of each Buca store's menu and pricing. Previously, they had to go into each POS via a voice-over-IP wide area network (WAN) to make changes to items or prices. Now Buca management can make menu and pricing changes by region or price tier; thus reducing the number of changes required from ninety-nine to three or four. The new system saves time, boosts control and frees up IT staff for other activities.
