As district supervisor for 10 fast-food burger restaurants and owner/operator of another, Mike Sanders is responsible for countless daily details that keep his locations running smoothly, from financials and food costs to training and team accountability.
After using other video management solutions common in the QSR space, Golden B Enterprises / Big Bran Corporation brought Solink’s video intelligence platform into several of their restaurants to improve visibility and receive stronger ongoing support. With timely alerts and video tied to store activity, Sanders and his team have been able to investigate issues faster, coach with clearer evidence, and address small problems before they grow.
In fast-moving quick-service restaurants, small issues rarely stay small for long. One-off incidents like a missing drink or a questionable void can quickly become part of a larger pattern if managers don’t have the tools to spot them right away.
Sanders knew there were likely several of these seemingly small issues affecting his restaurants. In some locations, inventory was off. In others, there was limited insight into POS usage, including how crew meals were being rung up and whether cash drawers were being shared between employees. There were also operational concerns that needed better oversight: Were employees opening the back door after dark? Were team members following uniform policies? Were managers in position when incidents occurred?
He recognized that video could (and should) play a key role in answering these types of day-to-day questions, rather than just being used for major investigations.
Before adopting Solink, Sanders had tried other video management solutions commonly used in the QSR space. While the initial support from those providers was strong, he found that the communication, reporting, and follow-through eventually became less consistent than what his team wanted.
Solink stood out because the technology was backed by a stronger working relationship. Sanders pointed to the team’s responsiveness, camaraderie, and willingness to support his managers as they ramped up as key differentiators.
With Solink, Sanders and his store leaders can easily access video from their phones and quickly navigate to key moments. Instead of relying on broad assumptions or time-consuming manual review, they can zero in on the places where issues are likely to arise, such as the cooler, register, drive-thru, or back door.
One of the first clear wins came from a store with a known inventory issue. Bottled drinks like water and orange juice were going missing, but the team didn’t have a clear view of what was happening. Once they started reviewing footage in Solink, they realized employees were drinking beverages in the cooler and discarding the bottles.
That improved visibility helped them get to the root cause of the shrinkage and address it directly.
Beyond inventory oversight, Sanders’ team uses Solink to keep tabs on daily operations, from investigating voids and refunds to checking crew meal activity to validating cash drawer usage. Several managers have made the platform a part of their routine, using flagged activity as a starting point for closer review of specific transactions or shifts.
“They don’t just look at an alert and stop there,” Sanders said. “They go in and investigate.”
For Sanders, the value of Solink is twofold: not only does it help them catch small problems that may have otherwise gone unnoticed, it also gives managers a powerful tool for coaching and reinforcing expectations across the restaurants.
Looking ahead, Sanders anticipates bringing Solink into more of his locations. The value comes down to more than the technology itself: it’s the combination of day-to-day usability and ongoing support that has made the platform an integral part of their daily operations.
For other operators evaluating video intelligence solutions, Sanders recommends looking at the full scope of what each provider can offer – not just the “bells and whistles” that are on full display.
“Be open-minded,” Sanders said. “You might already have a provider, but do you have the support you need? Is there strong communication?”
For Golden B Enterprises / Big Bran Corporation, they’re confident that they’ve chosen a solution that will continue to grow with them.
