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While the restaurant industry continues to benefit from advancements in technology, non-restaurant brands are also gaining steam. Brands like<a href="https://simpleorder.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=technology-trends-that-are-helping-non-restaurant-brands-win-2706654" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> SimpleOrder</a>,<a href="https://omnivore.io/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=technology-trends-that-are-helping-non-restaurant-brands-win-2706654" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> Omnivore</a> and<a href="http://www.kallpod.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=technology-trends-that-are-helping-non-restaurant-brands-win-2706654" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> Kallpod</a> are helping restaurants streamline efficiencies and improve both the back-of-house intricacies and the consumer experience. But technology is making waves in other businesses in ways you might not expect.

That&rsquo;s why 1851 Franchise is breaking down how two brands in the educational franchise segment are using technology to foster growth and differentiate their brands.

<a href="https://lightbridgeacademy.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=technology-trends-that-are-helping-non-restaurant-brands-win-2706654" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Lightbridge Academy*</a>, for example, provides early education and childcare to children ages six weeks through kindergarten, as well as special programming for children up to 10 years old during school holidays, breaks and summer camp. Gigi Schweikert, President and COO of Lightbridge Academy, says that one of the ways in which the brand uses technology to win is its ParentView&reg; and the eCommunication app. She said, &ldquo;With ParentView&reg;, parents are able to log into our system and see what is happening with their children throughout the day. We place cameras in all classrooms, the multi-purpose room, playground and foyer area to ensure that we are being held accountable and also ease the stresses parents might have when their kids are away. This is the true solution for working parents. We encourage grandparents to check in as well because we believe that this technology helps bring people together.&rdquo;

Lightbridge Academy&rsquo;s ability to integrate technology with its franchise system allows the brand to better its business model. Schweikert added, &ldquo;I think we were first to market with ParentView&reg; and the eCommunication app. In the market, there is a fragmented use of the technology mentioned. I don&rsquo;t know any other brand that requires all of those pieces to be implemented by their franchisees. These technologies are a staple of our brand, and I think it helped grow the franchise quickly and parents really like it. A mom recently commented on a mom blog saying that they&rsquo;d love to go to Lightbridge Academy because of the cameras, and that&rsquo;s the reason she ultimately chose to move forward. The virtual open-door policy is very reassuring to parents.&rdquo;

Lightbridge Academy also uses a biometric finger scanner to track who is coming into its centers. According to Schweikert, this step is essential in an industry in which child safety is always top of mind. 

She said, &ldquo;We use a biometric finger scanner so we&rsquo;re able to know exactly who is coming in and leaving the building. It&rsquo;s used by both parents and staff and shows how we emphasize safety at Lightbridge Academy. Parents love it because it adds an added safety factor for their kids, and we love it because it ensures that we are on top of who is around the kids.&rdquo;

Other advantages that non-restaurant brands are tapping into when it comes to technology are FranConnect and BoeFly. Lightbridge Academy, for example, leverages the platforms to better their business.

Said Schweikert, &ldquo;We use FranConnect as the backbone of our business. It houses our policies and procedures and keeps documents for franchisees as they&rsquo;re getting ready to open. It&rsquo;s the virtual cloud room. We use BoeFly to vet our franchisees to make sure they&rsquo;re aligned financially, not only for us as franchisor, but for them to get an SBA loan and guarantee a lease. These systems help us get the best quality franchisees on board, which consequently helps improve the consumer experience.&rdquo;

<a href="http://sylvanfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=technology-trends-that-are-helping-non-restaurant-brands-win-2706654" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Sylvan Learning*</a> is also tapping into the competitive advantages that come with being ahead of the latest technology trends. Through its unique integration of technology into its curriculum and individualized learning paths, Sylvan Learning builds academic confidence for its students and inspires them to grow their own educational ambitions beyond what their parents have for them.

Alan Catlett, Vice President of Product Management for the<a href="https://sylvanlearning.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=technology-trends-that-are-helping-non-restaurant-brands-win-2706654" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> Sylvan Learning</a>, told 1851 that technology has helped the brand grow, including the use of iPads. Catlett said, &ldquo;The mere presence of technology in Sylvan Learning&rsquo;s model also helps many students gain confidence in academics. Since these students grew up with technology, the transition to its classroom integration is seamless. They are able to get comfortable with material more quickly.&rdquo;

For Catlett, technology&rsquo;s primary role in the Sylvan Learning classroom is collecting data to decide what curriculum and activities should come next for a student, which greatly benefits the teachers and thus, the students.

He said, &ldquo;We are solving a potential burden through technology because we use the info from our iPads to help teachers stay informed on what task should come next for students. Our teachers can focus more on the individuals and learning experience instead of spending a great portion of their time planning out worksheets and other materials. Our technology simply enhances the performance level of both the student and the teacher. We definitely see the payoff of our technology in the results. We use the data collected by our iPads to help teacher performance, identifying areas where they could improve. We help teachers stay informed so they can deliver the right content at the right time to our students.&rdquo;

While these are just a few examples of the technologies that Lightbridge Academy and Sylvan Learning use to foster growth and differentiate their brands, it is clear that non-restaurant brands are just as interested in the advancement of technology

Technology Trends that Are Helping Non-Restaurant Brands Win

1851 Franchise

1851 highlights the biggest trends impacting franchisors operating outside of foodservice.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

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