Choosing Sakonnet River Grille as my Capstone sponsor has really been beneficial. Working with my boss and his family business has given me a greater appreciation for the services they provide in the restaurant industry. I am fortunate that the Initiation, Planning, Execution, and Closing of the Square project has been successful and relatively issue free.
1. The Value of a Good Sponsor:
When I began my Capstone preparation, I was a bit apprehensive to ask my boss, Dave, to be my Capstone sponsor, primarily because my boss is also the owner of the restaurant and deals with everything under the sun for this restaurant and their other restaurant (Four Corners Grille), so Dave always has his plate (very) full. But he was very willing to help me with this project, so for that I’m very thankful. When I needed to determine what problem would be addressed and executed, Dave went out of his way and helped out. Thank you so much, D!
2. Field Research:
I have always been sold on the benefits of using the Internet for research, but the Internet was especially beneficial to this project because it provided me with all the research I needed to know about the Square without actually purchasing one first. This was crucial to know beforehand because it made the decision on whether to invest time and money into this or not.
3. Knowledge of the Business:
Luckily, I’ve been working at Sakonnet River Grille for almost 3 years now, so I knew a good amount about the client and their business before diving into this project. Yes, I did learn a some new things about the business along the way. I also recognized that the more I learned about my client’s business, the better I became at satisfying the needs of the business.
4. Public & Industry Perception:
When I mentioned switching over to the Square, I mostly got a positive reaction. My boss had heard of it beforehand and was all for it. Overall, there were just more positives than negatives as to why the restaurant should switch over to the Square.
5. Chief Information Officer Needed:
In order for Sakonnet River Grille to keep up with the competition, SRG would greatly benefit from the knowledge of aChief Information Officer, CIO. This position should be someone internal and should be a trusted advisor who is extremely familiar with the restaurant industry, can validate the importance of integrating technology based solutions throughout the business, and is available and ready to help with the program on the busiest nights (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday nights).