Bon Group is a fast-growing beverage, entertainment and restaurant group operating in growth centres. Located close to key tourist flows, the sites include accommodation, restaurants, nightclubs and pubs. During the high season, the Bon Group’s workforce grows to well over 100 and the number of receipts per year to tens of thousands.
As Bon Group has grown through the acquisition of businesses, the sites have had different systems and different operating models under previous owners, which would have made it challenging to manage the whole. From the outset, Bon Group wanted to focus on knowledge management and ensure that management always had a real-time view of the business.
“It was clear to us from day one that we wanted to lead with data – and for that we needed a real-time view from all units,” says CEO Ville Puustinen.
The diversity of the industries brought its own challenges to the system selection: accommodation, entertainment and restaurants required a different approach from both a business and data perspective. At the same time, the aim was to build a manageable package that would support group-level management, reporting and development.
“We have very different departments with different information needs. We have tried to simplify management and use partners that integrate smoothly into the system. For example, shifts are transferred directly from the HR system to reporting and the finance department reconciles sales via Resto,” says Ville.
Centralised management decided the choice
For Bon Group, it was important to find a system that allows for centralised management, a clear data structure and reliable usability in demanding and busy environments. Several options were considered, but in the end, Restolution’s package best met the group’s needs.
“We had other systems in place due to our history, but we chose Restolution because it allows centralised management and is a very functional solution for everyday use. In addition, the hardware supports our modern restaurant operations,” says Ville.
Deployments are planned in advance so that the new sites are quickly integrated into the overall system. Bon Group has its own cash desk guidelines, a clear process and internal systems experts to support the roll-out of new units.
“We have invested in operational deployment. We have in-house gurus to support the units in the initial phase and the cashier’s manuals are made to suit our needs. We have a consistent way of working and lean thinking is reflected in how resource-wise the deployments are carried out,” says Ville.
The system scales to different concepts
Bon Group uses Restolution’s POS system, payment terminals, and extensive integrations with systems such as HR, Power BI, and Kesko’s ordering platform. Different restaurant concepts utilize tablet-based POS systems, while nightclubs and larger venues rely on more traditional checkout solutions.
“The tablet works well in food restaurants where the list is narrow but the flavours are deep. In evening venues, on the other hand, you need a solution that can handle speed and pressure. Restolution’s system scales perfectly to different needs,” says Ville.
In particular, the management of the whole is supported by reporting and ready-made interfaces that allow data to be combined easily and without additional code work.
“The reporting side is important for us. Restolution is easy to use and all the integrations work. There is no need to code anything yourself, as the data flows smoothly from one system to another,” says Ville.
Ease of use is also an important part of the staff experience. For Bon Group, employees are an important competitive advantage, and the clarity of the user interface helps to keep the tools comfortable and efficient.
“Workers are a competitive resource. It is important to us that they have tools that work and are comfortable to work with. Restolution is a really popular system among our staff and we get nothing but positive feedback,” says Ville.
Reliability under pressure
Restolution has brought clarity, efficiency and comparability to Bon Group. In our largest unit, the system supports the simultaneous use of dozens of cash registers, which requires operational reliability. With accurate cash register data, the performance of the units can be compared and improved.
“With nearly a hundred people using the systems at the same time, reliability is critical. Accurate data helps us react quickly and improve our business. We can immediately see where performance is worse or better in any given unit,” says Ville.
Reporting supports the Group’s management and decision-making. Through Restolution, Bon Group quickly provides the Board and shareholders with up-to-date information on the business, which supports transparency and development.
Restolution meets the needs of the Group
“Cooperation with Restolution has been smooth and straightforward. We have a single point of contact through whom everything is handled. He has also been available in the evenings and weekends when unexpected situations have arisen. It’s a valuable service”, Ville says.
In Bon Group’s experience, when choosing a system, it is worth looking at the big picture – cost, integration and user-friendliness. Restolution has met the group’s needs very well.
“When weighing up the benefits and costs, user-friendliness and wide usability bring clear savings. In our case, Resto has been a very effective and industry-appropriate solution. With many departments and a desire to lead with knowledge, the possibilities offered by Restolution’s interfaces are a significant competitive advantage.” Ville recommends.
