A Small Food Services Tech Company’s Journey Through Modernisation in the Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic reshapes the landscape of the restaurant industry, a small food services software and hardware provider stands at a crucial crossroads. This company, heavily reliant on a legacy system, faces the daunting task of modernisation while navigating the uncharted waters of a global health crisis.

The Legacy System: A Cornerstone and a Constraint

At the heart of this company’s operations is a legacy system, maintained by a solitary developer. Its flexibility has been a key driver of growth, allowing the company to cater to niche customer demands with remarkable agility. However, this very flexibility also presents a significant challenge. The system, entailing multiple hardware components and at least seven different software systems, represents a complex network that must be cautiously untangled and modernised.

Talent Acquisition: A Struggle for Visibility

Despite the success in revenue generation, the company grapples with a low profile in the tech community. This lack of visibility hinders its ability to attract new IT talent, a predicament faced by many small enterprises striving to expand their technological capabilities.

Strategising the Modernisation Process

The journey of modernisation is approached in a multi-step manner, beginning with the client-facing POS system. This initial phase poses a crucial requirement: it must remain backward compatible with the existing data architecture, ensuring a seamless transition for current users. This strategy reflects a thoughtful balancing act between innovation and continuity.

New Features Under Pressure

Simultaneously, the company faces the pressure of delivering new features to fulfil large partnership contracts. This scenario underscores a common challenge in the tech world: rapidly evolving to meet market demands while maintaining the integrity of existing systems.

Innovating with New Technologies

The company’s approach to integrating new core technologies is a strategic move towards establishing a scalable and robust foundation. This decision reflects an understanding that in the rapidly evolving tech landscape, stagnation is not an option.

Integrating New Talent

The integration of new hires into the technology landscape is handled with care. A senior engineer plays a crucial role in this transition, helping to bridge the gap between existing systems and new technologies. This approach is reflective of the need for experienced guidance in the often turbulent waters of technological transition. The challenge here was to apply that theory in practice while adhering to social distancing guidelines and remote working. The most effective method? One on one checkin sessions with each individual team member.

Client Involvement: A Key to Refined Development

The involvement of clients in alpha testing provides invaluable feedback, essential for refining the modernised system. An instance where the system failed to align receipts for a client due to a simple error — two missing characters “id” — highlights the importance of meticulous attention to detail in software development.

Phased Onboarding: A Calculated Expansion

The gradual onboarding of new clients to the updated system is a calculated and strategic approach. It ensures that each client’s transition is tailored, minimising disruption and maximising satisfaction. This method demonstrates a keen understanding of customer-centric service in the tech industry.

Conclusion: Navigating Through Change

This company’s journey through the pandemic is a compelling tale of resilience and adaptive innovation. It serves as an insightful case study for small tech businesses facing the challenges of modernisation, talent acquisition, and customer satisfaction in a rapidly changing environment. This narrative emphasises that in the realm of technology, evolution is essential for survival and success.

Responsible use of AI:
This article has been styled and organised by ChatGPT 4, with original input from the author and has been reviewed by a human. Read More