Case Studies

Rebuilding Trust Through Business-Led Technology Evaluation

3 minute read

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: A leading food service management company faced mounting inefficiencies and food waste after a failed back-of-house (BoH) technology rollout. Catena Solutions was brought in to reset the strategy, bridging operations and IT, leading a business-first technology evaluation, and restoring trust in digital tools. The result: engaged users, aligned systems, and a renewed belief in the power of the right technology.

Project at a Glance

• Technology Evaluation & Selection: Led a business-first evaluation of back-of-house technology solutions
• Requirements & RFP Development: Defined operational requirements, vendor criteria, and a structured RFP
• Vendor Evaluation: Developed demo scripts, scorecards, and a shortlist to support objective selection
• Operations & IT Alignment: Unified business users and IT around requirements, governance, and decision-making
• Implementation Planning: Created a phased roadmap to support adoption and long-term success

The Challenge: Why Did the Back-of-House Technology Implementation Fail?

The company had previously implemented a BoH technology solution to manage recipes, menus, procurement, and inventory. However, the system did not deliver a return on investment due to low adoption, limited alignment with day-to-day operations, and insufficient implementation planning.

As a result, staff reverted to manual processes, which led to operational inefficiencies and increased food waste. Key pain points included:

• Disconnected processes between menu planning, procurement, and inventory
• Limited visibility leading to excess waste and poor planning
• Low user satisfaction and engagement
• Gaps in business-led technology selection experience

The organization recognized the need for a more strategic and collaborative approach to technology evaluation, especially one that prioritized operational realities and end-user needs.

The Solution: A Business-Led Technology Evaluation & Selection Process

Catena Solutions was engaged to lead a comprehensive technology evaluation and selection process that aligned operations and IT around a shared vision. The engagement focused on ensuring the selected solution addressed business requirements, improved usability, and enabled long-term success.

Key activities and deliverables included:

• Requirements Gathering: Conducted site visits and SME interviews to capture critical operational needs
• Scoping & Requirements Document: Prioritized functional requirements across multiple business areas
• RFP Development: Created a robust RFP framework and finalized vendor selection criteria
• Vendor Shortlist: Identified top candidates based on initial evaluations
• Demo Script & Scorecards: Developed standardized demo scenarios and blind scoring templates
• Evaluation Process: Facilitated evaluation demos, collected scores, and consolidated feedback
• Implementation Planning: Outlined a phased, waterfall-style plan with resource needs and timelines
• Process Design: Drafted and refined process maps for recipe management
• Governance & Communication: Led weekly updates, stakeholder workshops, and steering committee reviews
• Strategic Contributions: Identified opportunities for process improvement and data cleanup

Our team’s experience with large-scale food service and logistics organizations ensured the evaluation balanced strategic planning with operational realities.

“I could not be more pleased with the value you’ve added on this front; I wish we had talked to you two years ago.” – Senior Operations Executive

The Benefit: What Did the Technology Evaluation & Selection Process Achieve?

The engagement resulted in clear alignment between business users and IT, stronger governance, and renewed confidence in technology as an enabler of operational efficiency. Benefits included:

• Stronger collaboration and alignment between business users and IT
• Renewed confidence in technology and user adoption across all sites
• Streamlined procurement, menu planning, and inventory workflows
• Clear governance model for future technology initiatives
• Reduced food waste and improved operational efficiency

Does your organization need help getting the most our of your systems? Contact us to discuss how Catena Solutions can help.