Corporativo GES has selected and deployed an intriguing combination of Oracle solutions. It operates more than 30 fast-food restaurants. It has just opened its third Church’s Chicken franchise restaurant in Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico, the 100th in Mexico. The company already has nearly 30 Burger King franchise operations in the country.
The rapidly growing company found the pandemic introduced new challenges, and it realised it needed to modernise its systems. Crucial to this was viewing information from every business within the group on a single platform. It also wanted to gain a better understanding of trends and improve efficiency at the retail outlets. Corporativo GES selected the solution in Q3 2021 of the Oracle financial year (between Nov 2020 and Feb 2021).
The company chose a combination of Oracle MICROS Simphony Point-of-Sale (POS) and Oracle NetSuite as a core ERP solution. Erik Moreno, manager, franchise operations, Corporativo GES, commented, “We were making decisions in the dark; we needed better visibility into our business. A robust and scalable restaurant technology platform, like Oracle MICROS Simphony, that allows me to see and manage all my businesses from either my cellphone or computer was critical.”
MICROS provides answers to the known and unknown questions
Oracle Simphony has provided Corporativo GES with a versatile, secure restaurant POS system across its restaurants. The solution supports online ordering, curbside pickup, and delivery. Importantly it connects the front-of-house, the kitchen and the back office with a modern cloud-based solution.
The key advantage this provides is the built-in restaurant data and analytics that is now available to Corporativo GES. The leadership can make data-driven decisions to improve customer satisfaction across the franchises or even at a single location. For example, improve the order and payment process, speed up counter and drive-thru service, and better manage its menu and customer promotions.
The analytics can surface information such as product mix, the popularity of menu items, average sales time, and the busiest times of day at each restaurant. This information is helping to drive promotions that will help drive customer loyalty.
Moreno added, “We felt that Oracle’s MICROS Simphony POS cloud solution was the best for our needs. To be able to complete all the upgrades remotely during a time when no one could travel was incredibly important to us and really shows the power of the cloud. Since then, we’ve further realized the value of Oracle as a strategic partner, and for me, they are the best partner we have.”
Oracle NetSuite
In many cases, Oracle has paired Simphony with Oracle ERP solutions such as Fusion ERP. However, Corporativo GES selected NetSuite ERP. These solutions create a powerful combination that demonstrates that Oracle understands that Fusion is not always the answer for every corporation.
NetSuite will enable the company to streamline its accounting and inventory process and unify information from MICROS Simphony. As a cloud-based solution, the finance team will have the ability to work with and use NetSuite from anywhere. It will have greater visibility over the sales operations, enabling it to improve forecasting and provide insights for strategic decision-making. The inventory analysis should also help drive better procurement decisions as it understands historic purchasing trends.
Simon de Montfort Walker, senior vice president and general manager, Oracle Food and Beverage, commented, “During the pandemic, Corporativo GES realized the critical need for a technological change to help keep its restaurants at the forefront of the fast food industry in Mexico. It’s no longer just about understanding the end sales number, but how you got there, what locations and items are most profitable, and how to best serve an evolving customer base.
“The Corporativo GES team bet on Oracle to stay ahead of the curve and continue to grow, and best serve customers in-store, in the drive-thru, and via online ordering. This new technology platform positions them well for continued success and to be able to navigate whatever comes next.”
Enterprise Times: What does this mean
At first glance, this is another retail win for Oracle Simphony. However, it is the combination of NetSuite and Simphony that makes this more interesting. This is not a sale by NetSuite that has drawn in Simphony but the other way around. If this is the case, it bodes well for NetSuite growth. It means that Oracle sales teams are selling NetSuite as an alternative to Fusion where appropriate. Ideally, this should not hit the sales of Fusion but will mean that mid-based corporations are provided with a solution that is better suited to their needs. It will become harder for the competition.
What isn’t clear from this announcement is whether Corporativo GES will also roll out Simphony to its other operations, including Pemex, La Gas and Gulf service stations and GES convenience stores. Nor whether Oracle Hospitality solutions are used at its luxury resort, the Campeche Country Club.
