Woods compares the process to adding and updating addresses in the computer. Woods and Johnson agree there's less error in data entry and say the new software makes it easier to forecast needs. The user knows what vendors are selling and their stock. Not everyone is buying into the new technology. Vendors unfamiliar with EFR are threatened, according to Brian Harron, a Phoenix-based restaurant and management consultant.
Some vendors resist because they want to protect the allegiance to their customer.
But such loyalty doesn't necessarily deliver savings. This creates revenue for them, but it's still more economical for us than paying the importer's profit margin. No small change, this. The gloves are used by employees in all 1,100-plus restaurants in the Darden chain, including Red Lobster, The Olive Garden and Bahama Breeze. Another is in consolidating orders from various manufacturers into single large shipments.