One of the best things about my job is being able to see many parts of the world. Europe is one of my favorite regions to visit, which I was reminded of on a business trip there a few weeks ago.
I spent time in London, Munich and Salzburg. It was probably the best business trip of my career. One of the main reasons for the trip was to gain a first-hand understanding of exactly why restaurants buy our Orderman products. I was also interested in spending time with Orderman partners and employees to learn how Radiant can best serve them and their end customers.
I’ve found it strange that 20,000 European restaurants use Orderman and less than 1,000 use mobile ordering devices in the United States. People at Radiant talk a lot about why restaurants in the US continue to use traditional ordering methods. It was evident to me during my visit to Europe that the Orderman business drove demand in Europe through exceptional products and a passionate salesforce. It was not a case of 20,000 restaurants demanding a solution. Our employees in Europe working for Orderman believe every restaurant should take orders using a mobile device. That passionate belief leads to perseverance that can overcome many obstacles and naysayers.
As Radiant people in the US consider the mobile device opportunity, I am confident they will apply a healthy amount of skepticism to it. I also believe Radiant won’t sell many devices unless this effort is complemented by passionate people who believe most restaurants should have Orderman devices. Skeptics play a great role in testing technology solutions and ensuring companies don’t tell themselves make-believe stories. But skeptical attitudes won’t drive high adoption.
