Scaling with Efficiency Across Multiple Locations

Heidi emphasized that their digital transformation was driven by the need to optimize workflows, reduce inefficiencies, and leverage technology to create a seamless experience for customers, franchisees, their employees, and head office alike.

Maintaining strong relationships with franchisees is a crucial part of Kotipizza’s success. Kotipizza’s franchisees are true entrepreneurs, yet they rely on Kotipizza for operational support, technology, and brand consistency. Kotipizza places great importance on open and frequent communication, training, and structured rollouts of new processes to ensure franchisees feel engaged and supported.

How Kotipizza Aims to Achieve Operational Efficiency:

1. Turning Kitchens Digital

Kotipizza transitioned from working with receipts and manual processes to a fully digital kitchen display system. This shift reduced errors and improved speed and efficiency, particularly during peak hours. One of the features that ensures that all our orders are complete is the Don’t Forget Notification from S4D’s Dispatching Display.

2. Real-Time ETA Communication

Before S4D, Kotipizza lacked real-time tracking for pickup orders, leaving customers in the dark about when their food would be ready. Now, with S4D’s system, customers receive precise updates. Furthermore, the ETA can be manually adjusted from the Order Intake. This allows Kotipizza employee’s to communicate with their customers the right ETA at any moment.

3. Data-Driven Decision Making

With most of Kotipizza’s sales coming in online, structured and accessible data is critical.

Having data isn’t enough—it needs to be accessible and actionable. We’ve invested heavily in our own data warehouse, and with S4D, we now have even more data points to optimize our processes. — says Heidi.

When it comes to collecting data, Kotipizza’s focus is on:

• Tracking order flow from placement to pickup/delivery
• Monitoring kitchen efficiency: how long each stage of the process takes
• Benchmarking performance across locations to identify best practices

The Future: Innovation & Scalability

Heidi also shared the next steps for Kotipizza’s digital journey, these include:

• Launching S4D’s Self-Order Kiosk – automating the ordering process and increasing order values with smart upselling.
• Launching S4D’s Driver App – optimizing driver efficiency with real-time data.

Key Takeaways

If you’re managing a restaurant chain, Kotipizza’s journey offers valuable lessons:

• Find the right tech partner: Find a partner that has the willingness to understand your business as each restaurant chain has its unique way of working.
• Invest in structured data: Make data-driven decisions based on actionable data.
• Optimize labor efficiency:  Automating manual processes saves time, reduces errors, and lowers operational costs.
• Focus on customer experience: Tailor your digital setup to the preferences of your customer. Make it as easy as possible for them to order and enjoy their favorite products, whether pick-up or delivery.

Final Thoughts: The Power of Partnership

Finding the right partner requires a deep understanding of your business, a structured onboarding process, and continuous improvements while rolling out new solutions. For restaurant brands looking to optimize operations, improve efficiency, and scale effectively, S4D provides the technology and expertise to make it happen at scale.