The Challenge

Modernizing an outdated point-of-sale system for 50,000-plus servers

The restaurant chain's legacy team-member handheld (TMH) technology presented significant usability obstacles for staff. The antiquated interface lacked contemporary smartphone functionality, frustrating employees who were accustomed to consumer-grade mobile applications.

Management recognized transformation was essential but was having a hard time identifying the specific enhancements that would genuinely address frontline worker requirements. Historical technology rollouts had failed to gain traction, creating organizational skepticism. Leadership demanded risk mitigation through comprehensive validation prior to substantial investment.

The primary objective centered on enabling wait staff to transmit accurate, streamlined guest requests rapidly while maintaining quality hospitality interactions. Success required balancing speed, accuracy, and interpersonal engagement—three competing priorities within high-pressure dining environments where every second impacts revenue and satisfaction.

The Solution

A research-driven, user-centric redesign approach

Credera initiated discovery through cross-departmental stakeholder conversations and in-restaurant ethnographic observation, documenting employee workflows during actual service periods. Analysis revealed numerous friction points, organized into behavioral personas and emotional experience maps.

Collaborative prioritization sessions ranked improvement opportunities against business value and implementation complexity. Digital mockups evolved into clickable demonstrations, evaluated by dozens of frontline workers spanning multiple geographic markets. Rigorous feedback loops drove continuous refinement—every element underwent multiple revision rounds with direct employee input before technical construction commenced.

The final design featured simplified workflows that made servers' jobs meaningfully simpler and allowed them to execute common tasks faster. Streamlined typography, logical information architecture, and contextual assistance elements supported these efficient workflows. Strategic workflow redesign reduced required touches by half for frequently performed tasks, enabling servers to complete routine operations with unprecedented speed and ease.

The Results

Enhanced server experience and operational efficiency

The national restaurant chain now uses contemporary mobile technology that meets consumer application standards, accelerating adoption across its workforce. The platform transformation enables employees to confidently demonstrate menu expertise, strengthening patron relationships and potentially increasing gratuities and retention metrics.

Measurable improvements include:

• Simplified functionality: Single-touch item-entry replaced multi-step processes, reducing taps by 52% and resulting in hundreds of millions of fewer taps for servers each year.

• Accelerated onboarding: Training duration was substantially decreased, per management assessment.

• Improved communication: Streamlined transmission improved order accuracy.

• Enhanced engagement: Staff reclaimed time for meaningful hospitality moments.

• Error prevention: Thoughtful spacing and visual hierarchy minimized mistakes.

• Improved retention: User-friendly technology reduced frustration, with employee satisfaction and retention expected to increase.