Installing Tech in Your Business? Step Back Before You Power Up

We all know the drill. Sales dip, service stutters, data’s a mess—so you look to tech to fix it. A new platform, a slick dashboard, maybe a shiny app. And sometimes it works. But more often than not, you’re left wondering: Did we just add another system to manage the chaos?

Before you buy anything, stop. Not forever. Just long enough to ask the right questions. Because installing tech is never just about tech. It’s about operations, behaviour, and your people.

Step 1: What’s the Problem You’re Actually Solving?

Don’t chase tech because it’s trending. Chase it because it solves your problem.

Start with these questions:

• What’s breaking in your operation?
• Where are you leaking time, energy, or money?
• Are your teams crying out for clarity—or better tools?

Look at the friction points in your guest journey, your employee experience, or how you handle data. Once you can map the problem, the right solution becomes easier to find.

Step 2: Don’t Just Google “Best Tech for Hospitality”

Let’s be real—there’s a sea of suppliers and a lot of noise out there. You don’t need more sales decks. You need someone who’s been in the operator seat and knows what actually works.

Sourcing tech is about fit, not flash:

• Will it play nicely with your current stack?
• Will it scale with you?
• Can your team use it easily—or will it collect dust?

Speak to people who’ve been through it. That’s where Tech on Toast comes in—we connect you with real operators and proven partners.

Step 3: Know What ROI Really Looks Like

We all want tech to pay for itself—but the payoff isn’t always instant.

Good ROI might look like:

• Cutting down labour spend by tightening rotas
• Reducing waste through better data
• Giving your GMs more time to lead, not admin

But here’s the trick: you have to define success before you launch. Otherwise, you’re chasing shadows.

Step 4: Implementation Isn’t Just Plug-and-Play

No matter how “plug-and-play” a tool claims to be, people need time, training, and space to adopt it.

• Pick a champion inside the business
• Start small—pilot, test, get feedback
• Roll out gradually, not all-at-once chaos

And for the love of hospitality, don’t do it mid-peak trading or just before Christmas.

Step 5: Park the Tech. Relearn the Operation.

Here’s the truth: if your operation is broken, tech will only make it more visible.

Sometimes the best thing to do is step back. Shut the laptop. Walk the floor. Watch the shift. Listen to your teams. Watch your guests.

Only then will you understand where the tech should live, and whether it’s empowering your business—or just layering complexity on top of confusion.