How to Manage IT Across Multiple Pub Sites

Technology plays an increasingly important role in running a pub. EPOS, card payments, stock management, staff devices, WiFi, CCTV, digital screens and business applications all need to work without getting in the way of the customer experience. For a pub chain, the challenge is multiplied across every site.

Different buildings, different networks and different generations of technology can make IT difficult to manage consistently. Yet your teams need straightforward access to the systems they rely on every day.

Start with a clear picture of your IT estate

The first step in managing IT across multiple pubs is knowing exactly what you have. This means documenting the technology at each site, including:

• Internet connections
• Routers, switches and firewalls
• WiFi equipment
• EPOS and payment systems
• Computers, tablets and other devices
• CCTV
• Telephony
• Printers and other connected equipment

You can then identify where systems differ between sites and where older equipment may need attention. Without this visibility, IT investment can easily become reactive.

Standardise your core technology

Your pubs may differ considerably. A city-centre pub, village pub and large food-led venue will all have different requirements. However, there are benefits to establishing common standards for the technology behind them. Standardising network equipment, cybersecurity, device management and support processes can make problems easier to diagnose and reduce the complexity of managing multiple locations. It also makes it easier to bring a new pub into the group.

Rather than creating an entirely new IT environment, you have an established framework that can be adapted to the property.

Make sure your EPOS and payments can keep operating

For most pubs, EPOS and payment systems are essential to daily trading. If the technology stops working during a busy period, staff can quickly find themselves dealing with frustrated customers and queues.

Your IT strategy should therefore consider what happens if connectivity fails. This could include backup internet connectivity and appropriate contingency arrangements for payment systems. The right solution depends on your EPOS and payment provider, your location and the way your pubs operate.

What matters is having a plan before the connection goes down.

Give customers good WiFi without compromising security

Customers increasingly expect WiFi when they visit a pub, particularly in pubs where people work, meet friends or stay for longer periods. At the same time, your customer network should be kept separate from systems used to run the pub.

A properly designed network can provide customer connectivity while helping protect EPOS, staff devices and other business systems. For a pub chain, applying the same principles across every site can make network management considerably simpler. This is what can happen if you have poor WiFi.

Don't forget the pub's other connected technology

IT in a modern pub extends well beyond computers. Your network may support CCTV, digital signage, music systems, kitchen equipment, EPOS terminals, ordering devices and other connected technology. When something stops working, the problem may not immediately appear to be an IT issue.

Having a clear understanding of how your systems connect can make troubleshooting much quicker. It can also highlight where one network failure could affect several different parts of the pub.

Manage cybersecurity across the group

Each pub represents another location that needs to be protected. Centralised management can help you apply consistent security measures across your estate, including firewall protection, endpoint security, software updates and user access.

It is also important to consider staff changes. Pubs can have relatively high staff turnover, so user accounts and access permissions need to be managed carefully when people join, change roles or leave.

Good IT security is not simply about installing software. It is about making sure the right processes are followed across every site.

Monitor your pubs remotely

With multiple locations, it is impractical to rely entirely on individual pub managers to report technology problems. Remote monitoring can give you visibility across the estate and identify issues such as failed equipment, connectivity problems or devices going offline. This can help your support team investigate problems before they have a significant impact on trading.

Where an onsite visit is required, remote information can also help an engineer understand the problem before arriving.

Consider the physical environment

Pubs can present some unusual challenges for IT infrastructure. Buildings may be old, have thick walls or multiple floors, and may include gardens, terraces or other outdoor customer areas. WiFi coverage, network cabling and equipment positioning therefore need to be considered as part of the physical environment. A solution that works well in one pub may not be appropriate for another.

This is why a site-specific assessment is often important when upgrading infrastructure.

Plan technology before refurbishments

If you are refurbishing or extending a pub, IT should be considered alongside the rest of the project. It is much easier to install network cabling, WiFi access points and other infrastructure while building work is taking place than after the pub has reopened.

Planning ahead can also help you identify opportunities to improve connectivity, replace ageing equipment and introduce new technology with less disruption.

Give your pub managers the support they need

Your pub managers have enough to deal with without becoming IT specialists. When something goes wrong, they need to know who to contact and how quickly they can get help. A combination of remote support and onsite engineering can provide assistance across the estate while keeping local teams focused on running their pubs.

For a growing pub group, a single IT support partner can also provide a consistent point of contact across multiple locations.

Manage your pub IT as a group

The objective of multi-site IT management is not to make every pub identical. It is to create a consistent and secure technology foundation that supports each individual venue. By understanding your infrastructure, standardising where appropriate, monitoring your systems and planning upgrades, you can reduce avoidable IT problems and give your teams the support they need.

Clarity IT Services provides IT support, infrastructure, cybersecurity and onsite services for hospitality businesses.

If you operate multiple pubs, reviewing your IT across the estate can help you understand where your technology is supporting the business and where improvements may be needed. Get in touch to talk more.

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