About the author💡Paul Tanner is an experienced hospitality operator with a strong track record in managing and scaling restaurants. Currently, Paul serves as the Managing Director at CUPP, overseeing strategic operations and expansion. His previous roles include Area Manager at Hana Group and Area Manager at Warren’s Bakery, where he played a key role in optimising performance across multiple locations. Passionate about innovation in the hospitality sector, Paul focuses on integrating technology to improve restaurant operations, enhance customer experiences, and streamline workflows.
Change is inevitable in any restaurant. From simple things like updating your menu to larger ventures like implementing new technology, change is always around us.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my time in hospitality, it’s that employee support is essential for change success — especially when it comes to new tech. If employees don’t embrace it or learn how to use it properly, it’s unlikely to succeed.
So what’s the solution? How do you overcome resistance and ensure success?
That’s what I’m here to discuss. In this article, I outline some best practices for managing change, all based on my own experience. By the end of this article, you’ll know how to tackle resistance and increase employee buy-in when implementing new restaurant tech.
1. Expect initial resistance
When introducing new technology, don’t be surprised if your team reacts with skepticism. Employees may feel overwhelmed, especially if they’ve experienced multiple system changes in the past.
The best way I can describe it is like someone letting the air out of a balloon. It’s kind of like, “Oh great, here’s another thing that’s not going to work and is going to make our lives harder.”
And I can understand these concerns, especially when a team has gone through so many different types of technology to try and find what worked for them and hadn’t found anything yet. It’s a lot of time and effort spent using systems that don’t fit the bill.
I joined CUPP business when other significant changes were happening. It was a lot for employees to handle all at once.
Plus, there’s a lot that goes into the bubble tea recipes. Although it’s only one type of drink, the menu is huge with lots of modifiers. The team wanted to be sure we were using the right tech to manage these variables effectively without disrupting supply chains and inventory.
I think the main thing to remember is that initial resistance is normal, and that it isn’t always an indicator of how the change will go. If you handle it well, you can show employees why the new tech is necessary and get them to come around.
So how do you handle this resistance?
Here are some suggestions:
- Prepare for it in advance. I usually try to drop new concepts into conversations when visiting different stores to get a feel for what they think of the idea. This helps me understand their initial reaction and feelings towards the change.
- Consider their concerns. After that, it’s a good idea to focus on the main things that people might be scared of. In a lot of cases, their fears are different from mine, so it’s useful to find out what their reservations are so I can prepare to address them. It also helps me understand what employees need for the new tech to be successful.
- Acknowledge their concerns. Let your team know you understand their hesitation and are committed to making the transition as smooth as possible. For example, if employees are concerned about remembering how to use the new system, you can acknowledge this concern and explain that the system is incredibly user-friendly and lots of guidance and support will be provided. Essentially, they will not be alone.
- Communicate the reasons behind the change. Explain why the new system is necessary and how it’ll benefit them in the long run. When people understand why change is necessary and the benefits of adopting change, they’re more likely to embrace it.
When communicating change, try to make everything as clear and concise as possible. We usually share an email with the overall information and then have one-to-ones with store managers to clarify the plan.
2. Involve employees in the decision-making process
One of the best ways to increase support for new tech is to involve employees in the decision-making process. Employees feel more invested in new technology when they have a say in the decision.
And as much as I think something’s right, I could be wrong. It’s important to have multiple inputs to ensure you choose the right tech for the business.
To involve employees in the decision-making process, I like to invite key staff members to demos. It’s a great way to let them explore the system before finalising your choice.
When we started using Nory, for example, we had a call with the team and invited some of our employees to see the system. It was a big sigh of relief for me (and the team) when they loved the product.
Tip: It’s important to invite the right people to demos and presentations. You don’t need everybody — too many cooks in the kitchen isn’t productive. Invite those who will use the technology regularly and who can influence adoption within the restaurant.
For example, on our call with Nory, I invited the following people:
- Head of Operations
- Learning and Development Manager
- Area/Franchise Manager
- Store Manager
- Store Trainer
Each person also plays a different role in the company, meaning they’re looking for different things in new technology. For example, a Head of Operations might focus efficiency and integration, while Trainers look for ease of use and onboarding support.
Having everyone’s input and feedback ensures you choose the right restaurant tech for the business as a whole — not just what you think is the right choice.
3. Choose user-friendly tech
If new systems are hard to use, it’s unlikely people will use them effectively. And it can be pretty frustrating for restaurant workers to try and use a complicated system during busy shifts.
Not to mention, complex tech requires time, training, and resources needed to set it up and use it properly. For a lot of restaurant operators and employees, they simply don’t have the time to learn how to use these systems. They see it as more hassle than it’s worth.
This means you’ve spent time and money trying to implement this system, but people on the ground are resistant to actually using it.
Simplicity is key with restaurant technology. You want to find systems that are easy to set up and simple to use — and I know this from experience.
Within two weeks of using Nory, the attitude across the business completely changed.
Why?
Because once teams could see how user-friendly Nory was, it was game-changing for them. By the time we got to week four, the results were speaking for themselves. Our stockholding was better, our gross profits (GP) were good, and our food waste was decreasing.
And not only does usability encourage people to use the software, it also empowers them to make correct decisions.
With Nory’s labour management, for example, our managers can see how much they spend on labour in real-time. If they’re overspending on labour costs, they can make informed decisions to decrease spending. For example, by updating schedules or sending people home early.
Another word of advice: Use software with a good onboarding process. Even if the system is intuitive and easy to use, effective onboarding is still essential. It sets you up for success from the get-go.
Good onboarding with restaurant tech includes:
- Personalised training sessions. One-on-one or team training tailored to your business’s workflows.
- Sandbox mode. A test environment where staff can practice before going live. Mistakes make for some of the best training, in my opinion.
- On-demand learning resources. Help centers, FAQs, and video tutorials for ongoing training.
- An Account Manager. A go-to contact for questions, troubleshooting, and best practices.
A dedicated Account Manager also helps put people at ease during tech implementation. They create an open and honest environment for people to ask questions and fully understand the software.
Think about someone who’s hesitant to ask a question because they think it’s a silly question to ask. In this situation, they might never ask the question and never get the answer.
A good Account Manager tackles this challenge. They create a space where anyone can ask anything without fear of judgement. At least, that’s been my experience with Nory. And as a result, employees can use the system more effectively because they understand it better.
Find out how Nory’s customer support drives restaurant success.
4. Implement dedicated trainers
One of the biggest barriers to adoption is inadequate training. Employees may feel lost and frustrated if they aren’t properly trained on the new system, leading to low engagement and resistance to change.
So what advice would I give to ensure training success?
Use dedicated Trainers.
Instead of relying solely on managers to train their teams, we assigned our store Trainers to lead the process.
Why?
Because putting the full responsibility on a manager isn’t always fair. They have a lot on their plate, and adding the responsibility of training an entire team is unrealistic and ineffective.
In my experience, using dedicated Trainers has been one of the best ways to ensure training success. They show employees how to do everything correctly, including how to use new systems.
And because training is their sole focus, they can be really dedicated in this area. Managers are focused on other things, like hitting key performance indicators (KPIs) and so on. Trainers don’t have that responsibility, so they can really prioritise effective training and success of implementation.
Trainers also play a critical role in reinforcing best practices daily. If something isn’t being followed, Trainers can explore the reasons behind this, make adjustments, and deliver new training accordingly.
Another tip: It’s also crucial that training isn’t limited to just one person. Gatekeeping knowledge slows adoption. So even if you have dedicated Trainers, it’s still worth involving yourself and managers to some degree.
Even if it’s just a light-touch approach, try to understand the basics of the software so you can support employees when they need it.
5. Create incentives for adoption
When employees have a reason to engage with the new system — whether through rewards, recognition, or competition — they’re more likely to approach it with a positive mindset.
Instead of seeing the technology as an inconvenience, they see it as an opportunity to earn something in return.
There are a few different ways to approach incentivisation. The typical approach involves providing some kind of reward for using the system effectively.
At CUPP, for example, we implemented a reward system based on stock accuracy. When teams were hitting all the goals and metrics we needed them to reach, we organised staff socials. Teams were given money to go out and celebrate.
But this isn’t the only way to incentivise tech adoption. An approach that I really like is this:
The better you use the system, the less often you have to use it.
Think about stock reconciliation as an example, which can be a tedious process. You start adding stock counts to the system weekly. If you’re using the system well (you’re putting all your waste in, your variances are low, and everything’s correct), you then move to fortnightly. If that continues again, you then move to monthly.
This is a great incentive for people to use the system. Essentially, the more effectively they use it, the less time they’ll spend on it in the long run. This means they can spend time in other areas of restaurant operations, like improving profitability.
I’ve also found that healthy competition can be a good incentive. For example, sharing performance data between locations to encourage employees to improve. We share a lot of data between the stores to try and inspire other locations to do something similar.
If one of our stores significantly reduces order wait times by using the new system efficiently, we showcase this success to other sites. Before you know it, managers are thinking, “Wow, how did they achieve that? And more importantly, how can I do the same?”
From here, stores can speak to each other about how they achieved those results (which also boosts morale and collaboration). It’s not always about us helping from a top level — they can also help each other too.
Final thoughts
Overcoming resistance to new technology in a restaurant takes patience, clear communication, and a structured approach. By involving employees early, providing strong training, and reinforcing positive outcomes, restaurant owners can make technology adoption a seamless and beneficial process for everyone.
By following these steps, you’ll not only improve efficiency but also create a more engaged and motivated team ready to embrace innovation.
For more advice on how improve change management and enhance restaurant operations, read through the other blogs in Nory’s Operator to Operator series:
