WOWorks Undergoes Biggest Technology Update Since Inception and Creates New CIO Role

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WOWorks, the parent company of better-for-you restaurant brands Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh and The Simple Greek, announced their biggest technology upgrade since the company was created and welcomes Kyle Mark to their newly created role of Chief Information Officer. The technology updates are set to be completed by April 2022 and will help the holding company streamline business operations for its franchisees and improve guest service. With all four brands using the same technology partners, WOWorks anticipates a more synchronized relationship between its restaurants and an ease of day-to-day operations.

Kyle Mark joins WOWorks after acting as Director of Operations for QU POS Inc. He spent most of his restaurant industry career in Director of Technology roles at Ciccio Restaurant Group, Gecko's Hospitality and Datum Technologies. He has also spent over five years at Apple as part of the "Genius" group providing assistance to users by quickly diagnosing product issues on the spot. Kyle also spent six months supporting WOWorks when he worked at FTR Hospitality Group as a Technology Consultant. "I am excited to join the team at WOWorks, implement the new WOW tech stack, and create a truly WOW experience for all our guests," said Kyle Mark.

"Kyle understands that while dealing with complex technology implementation and issues and working on long term strategy for our group, he has the responsibility to serve our franchisees and our team. Elevating our service and support level will be one of his highest priorities and we know he is prepared and highly qualified to do so," said Kelly Roddy, CEO of WOWorks.

Along with creating a new CIO role for the organization, WOWorks is streamlining their restaurants operations, processes and boosting their guest loyalty program through their technology partnerships with QU, OLO, PUNCHH and WorldPay. With all four brands using the same technology partners, restaurant owners and managers will find daily processes more efficient and consistent between the brands. Having uniform technology partnerships across all four fast casual restaurant brands will allow franchisees to open their businesses to additional channels of revenue, such as ghost kitchens and virtual brands. It will also allow franchisees who are multi-unit owners to consider co-branding their restaurants and set them up for an easy transition.

Some notable technology updates to the WOWorks brands include:

Point-Of-Sale (POS) Systems:

• QU is a cloud-based Point-of-Sale (POS) system with a fully integrated loyalty and online ordering platform. Its unified order and menu management will ensure consistency between the four WOWorks brands.

Loyalty and Online Ordering:

• OLO Rails will allow the management of a single, centralized menu that is automatically pushed to all third-party marketplaces, such as DoorDash and Uber Eats. It provides a single interface to manage all third-party orders, a direct to POS integration and real-time menu and price changes. OLO also allows the ability to manage multiple menus for a single location. This enables WOWorks to add unlimited, integrated virtual brands.
• OLO Dispatch offers branded delivery directly through each WOWorks restaurant brand's sites and apps, allowing for the ownership of the relationship between brand and guest. Orders are managed via OLO's make-time logic to ensure food is fresh and ready to hand off when couriers arrive.
• PUNCHH allows for direct messaging to a guest's phone and email, allowing for the guest to stay informed about the brands. It also provides a loyalty program along with stored value and the ability to run campaigns and restaurant promotions seamlessly with QU and OLO.

Processing and PCI Compliance:

• World Pay is a merchant services and payment processing provider that offers a payment gateway for online transactions. This processing technology, built right into the POS, offers fast, secure and reliable card machines that make it easy to accept payments in restaurants or online.

"As the holding company of four fast-growing better-for-you restaurants, our goal is to make the lives of our franchisees easier. These new updates are easy to use and make restaurant operations simpler. Instead of juggling between multiple systems, we are paring down to the best technology systems," said Kelly Roddy, CEO and President of WOWorks. "By reducing the number of technology systems and upgrading the quality, this tech reboot will allow for stronger synergies between WOWorks brands in the form of co-branding, ghost kitchens and virtual brands."

WOWorks franchise owners come from different backgrounds, including existing franchise owners of different brands; varied business ownership backgrounds, such as construction, hotels, and fitness; former professional athletes; and military veterans. The company has franchising opportunities available in 49 states (all states excluding Hawaii) and offers 25 percent off franchise fees for veterans and first responders.

If you are interested in owning a WOWorks restaurant brand franchise, visit https://franchise.saladworks.com/, https://franchise.fruttabowls.com/, and https://franchise.eatgarbanzo.com to learn more. 

ABOUT WOWORKS:

WOWorks was formed in 2020 with a mission to help guests pursue their passions and live their best lives by serving healthy, nutritious and flavorful meals along with its Vow to "WOW!" guest hospitality. Fully owned by Centre Lane Partners, LLC, WOWorks' portfolio consists of: Saladworks, the nation's leading fast-casual salad brand; Frutta Bowls, a unique restaurant franchise serving a variety of superfood bowls, fresh fruit smoothies, protein bites and more; Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, a popular Mediterranean restaurant concept; and most recently, The Simple Greek, which offers a fresh and healthy take on traditional Greek recipes in a fast-casual setting. WOWorks seeks to drive explosive growth across all of its brands through a variety of channels, both traditional and non-traditional, including ghost kitchens, food trucks, grocery retail and more.

SOURCE WOWorks