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Multi-brand franchisee Joe Sample is always looking for innovative ways to “pull labor out of the box” across his expanding Taco Bell and Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay portfolio.
Facing rising costs and persistent labor shortages, challenges he describes as painful in his home state of Montana, Sample has embraced technology to streamline operations and empower teams.
“One of the most important things in running these businesses is the employee experience,” Sample says. “To the degree to which you can maintain a connected workforce and build this relationship between employees and their peers and managers makes a difference.”
Sample’s approach reflects a trend among multi-unit franchisees, who recognize technology’s power to enhance the culture and stability of their workforces.
Key technologies include:
Cloud-based software solutions, now mainstays in franchising to streamline operations, are working to break down communication barriers. Real-time messaging, video conferencing, and centralized communication systems keep employees informed and engaged regardless of location.
Adopting leading-edge innovations requires substantial investment, a strong support system, and the ability to adapt, which is a challenging prospect for many multi-unit operators trying to navigate the rapid speed of change.
Yet, as Sample puts it, “It’s the way of the future, so I think if you’re not playing, you’re falling behind.”
Below, Sample and three fellow multi-unit franchisees share how they use technology to transform their operations and motivate their teams.
As one of Taco Bell’s pilot testers of AI-powered voice ordering for drive-thru, Sample has been on the frontlines of parent Yum! Brands’ push to scale next-gen restaurant tech through AI-fueled advanced analytics and proprietary front and back-of-the-house management platforms.
Implementing the conversational voice-automated AI agents presented challenges. Sample first had to upgrade the hardware at select locations. Once in place, the results have been promising: higher customer satisfaction scores, larger average checks, and AI handling roughly 70% of drive-thru transactions, freeing up crew members to focus on more complex tasks.
Sample says that far from viewing this technology as a threat, his employees welcomed it enthusiastically.
“None of them viewed it that way partly because we weren’t cutting any positions; we were just reallocating the people we had because we needed more of them anyway,” Sample notes.
While Sample continues to evaluate the cost of the technology, which is set to roll out in 500 Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Habit Burger locations, his management team is bullish on the strategy.
“We just had a quarterly meeting, and our management team was pretty emphatic,” Sample says. “They told me: ‘Don’t take that away. Everybody loves it.’”
Sample’s wide-ranging tech arsenal includes performance management systems that provide Taco Bell and Bobby’s Burgers employees with clear pictures of what’s expected of them and how their work fits into the strategy and goals of the overall business.
Breakroom, a team communication and scheduling tool, ensures store-level employees stay informed and connected. The platform makes transferring shifts, sharing updates, asking questions, and recognizing employee achievements easy.
For management-level employees and above in Sample’s support center, he turns to 15Five. The AI-powered performance management system works as a weekly planning tool to promote engagement, productivity, and organizational success. Features, like structured check-ins, one-on-one meeting agendas, and performance reviews, help gather insights and track progress on both short and long-term targets. Aligning broader company objectives with individual goals keeps everyone on the same page.
“I call it connecting the near with the far,” he says.
Sample is happy to implement fully integrated tech tools that simplify jobs for his employees and improve the guest experience, but each application must move the needle.
“It’s so many platforms managing different parts of your business,” Sample says. “We are careful and hesitant about changing technology. That thing had better really improve the experience, outcome, quality, or speed in order to get us to change.”
When Bill Mathis opened his first Subway in Crosslake, Minnesota, in 2001, running a restaurant was a different experience: Cash was king, inventory was tallied by hand, and franchisees phoned in weekly sales.
Today, Mathis is a multi-unit franchisee of three Subway and three Caribou Coffee locations with another in development. His approach is both high tech and high touch. Digital tools fuel operations and deliver the data he needs to focus on strategic growth with happy employees.
Gone are the days of paper schedules and frantic phone calls to fill shifts. Employees now access and manage schedules via mobile apps, request changes instantly, and receive real-time updates. AI recruitment tools and digital training platforms simplify hiring and help new employees learn the ropes of their roles before their first shifts.
Mathis says taking advantage of the tech stack your franchisor provides is vital. He relies on real-time labor metrics, including cost percentages, sales per labor hour, and productivity, to make informed staffing decisions.
“These are tools you must use on a daily basis, especially in the restaurant business,” Mathis advises. “Find out what your fellow franchisees with similar market conditions are running for costs and use that as a baseline of where to start if you haven’t done forecasts.”
One of Mathis’ most valuable investments is Glimpse, an AI-driven platform he evaluated for Subway. The restaurant and bar management system analyzes video footage alongside sales and inventory data to detect theft.
“After three months of testing, I couldn’t let it go,” Mathis says. “It
was going to add to my costs, but at the end of the day, it’s a net cost savings.”
Glimpse does more than prevent losses; it recognizes employees who follow best practices. The system tracks whether team members properly ring up items and maximize add-ons, awarding points toward employee of the week or employee of the month.
“When the team sees the report and they’ve done well, it makes them feel like somebody is noticing,” Mathis says. “It reinforces that doing what’s right pays off.”
To further boost morale, Mathis uses the web-based platform Reward Builder to send digital bonuses directly to employees that they can redeem for thousands of gift cards, adding a personal touch to recognition.
Mathis keeps engagement high by running friendly competitions around metrics, like highest ticket averages, guest service speed, and upsell rates.
“Keeping employees engaged is essential,” Mathis says. “Changing up the contests or what goals you want to focus on now and again is important. The rewards don’t have to be large; even $10 for an employee of the week or $50 for the month means something.”
For Mathis, chairman of the North American Association of Subway Franchisees board, creating a workplace where employees feel valued and set up for success is crucial.
“Aside from contests, the best technology we have at our disposal for engagement is ourselves and our managers,” Mathis adds. “Use the technology of ‘thank you,’ ‘I appreciate you,’ and show them you care about them as a person. My wife, Michelle, is a champion at this, and I learn a great deal from her. That technology is free!”
Elizabeth Whitby is a multi-unit franchisee of six Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa locations with a seventh underway. She deploys a suite of cutting-edge solutions provided or recommended by her brand.
“We are in a relationship-based business, so caring for our team both directly and indirectly is critical, so they can care for our guests,” Whitby says.
At the core of Whitby’s tech stack are four advanced platforms, each incorporating AI-driven features over the past 18 months. These tools work to streamline operations and foster a supportive environment for her employees:
While integrating AI into her operations is in its early stages, it’s already paying off, saving time and money and empowering employees.
“To date, the most transformational use of AI at Hand & Stone has involved the integration of our operations and training manuals into a searchable Q&A-based platform,” Whitby says. “This not only drives efficiency and accuracy, but also provides the information that our millennial and Gen Z workforce have come to expect.”
Whitby aims to expand her use of advanced analytics in 2025, focusing on quantifying the often-overlooked costs associated with operational inconsistencies and employee turnover.
With a corporate marketing and brand management background, new Bloomin’ Blinds franchisee Rob White knows firsthand how data and analytics drive smart business decisions.
The innovative mindset of the window coverings franchise was a critical factor in White’s 2024 decision to partner with Bloomin’ Blinds, where he has hit the ground running with three territories in North Carolina’s Triad region of Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and High Point.
White is leaning into the brand’s AI-powered tech stack to build an efficient, scalable business for the future. He was among the first franchisees to adopt BloomScale, the home services brand’s new vertically integrated, AI-powered tech stack, now rolling out system wide. The proprietary platform goes beyond a traditional CRM, automating everything from sales and marketing to KPI tracking and customer support.
For White, BloomScale has been a game changer for growth, accelerating his industry knowledge with instant access to national sales trends, margin analytics, and customer preferences. He can quickly identify opportunities and fine-tune his local marketing efforts and product offerings.
“It’s shortened the learning curve, so I can make better decisions,” White says. “Anytime you have a single source of truth, it’s just a lot better and easier to make decisions from.”
The system also connects him with Bloomin’ Blinds’ network of 80 franchisees to collaborate and problem solve. If he encounters a tricky installation or needs product advice, he can snap a photo, post a question, and get feedback.
“It’s like having a 20-year window covering veteran to ask questions in real-time and really minimize those mistakes,” White says. “So, you remain more profitable and more confident when you’re going and talking to customers.”
With more innovation on the way, including an AI-powered call center, White is ready to leverage tech-forward strategies to support the onboarding and continuing learning opportunities for installers, sales team members, and other support staff he plans to hire as he grows.
For franchise owners, selecting and scaling technology across multiple locations comes with a host of hurdles.
Implementing advanced systems can be cost prohibitive. Software licenses, hardware upgrades, and ongoing maintenance and updates can quickly add up, eating into tight profit margins. Franchisors are moving toward developing proprietary technologies to control costs and ensure consistency. However, many lag behind, requiring franchisees to rely on a patchwork of third-party vendors and a fragmented tech ecosystem.
The question of who bears these costs and whether existing fees cover them or represent additional expenses can create tension between franchisors and franchisees.
“You’re coming into a new era, a new conflict, and that is, to what extent should franchisees have to pay for this tech that is now somewhat being mandated on them, where they won’t necessarily have a choice?” Sample says. “Is that the franchisor’s job? Or is the technology they’re providing charged back to the franchisee, and how do you balance that? It is coming to a head, and it’s interesting.”
The pace of innovation, accelerated with the introduction of AI, can also overwhelm team members. Whitby recommends leveraging the recommendations of your franchisor and fellow franchisees and using that collective knowledge to drive innovation within your organization.
“When you find a tool or system that’s transformative, invest the time to research its full potential,” Whitby says. “When you discover limitations, use those as a launching point for researching what you could accomplish by integrating other technology solutions that were not previously available or considered.”
As tech-enabled franchising continues to evolve, so will the opportunities for operators to innovate with a connected and motivated workforce ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow.