At this year’s FSTEC conference, the “build versus buy” debate was a hot topic. Should restaurants build proprietary technology solutions or buy off-the-shelf platforms? Well, industry leaders from Papa John’s, Kura Sushi, Potbelly, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, and Dine Brands weighed in on the pros and cons of both approaches.
Here’s a look at the top takeaways from the panel and why a hybrid approach might offer the best of both worlds.
Building Your Own Technology
For brands like Papa John’s and Kura Sushi, building proprietary technology offers full control over the customer experience and direct access to critical customer data. Custom-built solutions can be tailored to fit the specific needs of the business, providing unique product characteristics focused on the brand.
Plus, complete ownership of the tech stack ensures flexibility as the brand grows, making the solution scalable and adaptable for long-term success.
Buying Off-the-Shelf Solutions
On the flip side, building proprietary technology is often a slow, resource-heavy process. That’s where the “buy” side comes into play. Partnering with third-party vendors allows brands to launch quickly, without the high costs associated with a full development team.
It also allows the brand to tap into expert insight from third-party vendors with experience in the restaurant industry and established best practices. As Shaina Himelstein of Brooklyn Dumpling Shop pointed out, “It makes sense to partner with vendors who are experts in their field.”
Off-the-shelf solutions can lighten the load on internal IT teams, speed up time-to-market, and free up brands to focus on what they do best—serving customers.
Best of Both Worlds: Building a Best-In-Class Ecosystem
However, many brands are finding success with a third option: to blend the two approaches and build a best-in-class ecosystem. Dine Brands, for example, opts for a combination of proprietary technology and vendor-supplied solutions that offer both flexibility and control.
Creating a customizable tech stack from best-in-class partners leverages the advantages of both strategies. By integrating with a range of third-party platforms and tools, brands can tailor their customer engagement ecosystem to meet their unique needs—without the heavy lift of starting from scratch. Platforms like Sparkfly help streamline these operations, eliminating system silos, and reducing IT burdens, while allowing brands to innovate quickly and efficiently.
A hybrid approach offers control and customization with speed, savings, and the added benefit of industry expertise. Why reinvent the wheel when scalable, affordable, and agile solutions already exist? Focus on what sets your brand apart, and leverage the right partnerships to deliver results and drive growth.