Restaurant Back Office Management and Vendor Partnerships with Cristal Craven

00:05 – Audrey Hogan:
Tell me a little about yourself and then we’ll see what happens.

00:07 – Cristal Craven:
Sure! Cristal Craven, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Synergy Suite. We’re a back office platform — we handle labor management, inventory, purchasing, workflow management, HACCP, analytics, and BI. Basically, everything for running the business once you walk through the back door. I’ve been with Synergy Suite for three years, in hospitality tech for 18. I worked in restaurants through college, had kids, and realized I couldn’t close stores at 2 AM anymore — so I started selling Aloha and never looked back.

I’m also the co-founder of WORTH — Women of Restaurants, Technology, and Hospitality. It’s an ally pledge: if you see someone wearing the pin at a show, they’re a safe harbor if you feel uncomfortable. So I’m trying to elevate women in this industry too.

01:29 – Audrey Hogan:
I don’t know a single woman in this industry who doesn’t have a story.

01:33 – Cristal Craven:
Exactly. At the Women in Leadership conference last year, we started a panel asking everyone to stand, then said, “Sit if this has never happened to you.” No one sat down — we all knew the answer. But there are good people too — your team included! I know Anthony wears a pin.

02:01 – Audrey Hogan:
I saw Eric wearing one too. Love that. It shows your heart’s really in it. That’s what I love about restaurant tech — hospitality is at the core. Many solution providers started in restaurants and bring that heart into the vendor side.

02:54 – Cristal Craven:
Exactly. Some vendors forgot they came from hospitality. During the pandemic, the ones who stayed true to their roots, showed empathy, and helped operators — they’re the ones still here and succeeding. Vendors should treat brands like guests, not cash cows. The essence of hospitality carried us through, and it’s still what keeps brands and vendors strong.

04:33 – Audrey Hogan:
I see that too. At FSTech, many operators have wrapped up big projects and now want to see what’s next. Are you seeing the same?

05:27 – Cristal Craven:
Very much. Brands are planning further ahead, but they need breathing room. Many projects dragged on because corporate teams were stretched thin. Now there’s a big increase in service-based vendors offering help with menu management, ERP conversion, hardware support, and more. It’s healthy for the industry. These resources help brands complete projects and look ahead without burning out internal teams.

06:52 – Cristal Craven:
This helps us too — we can help brands finish faster and manage daily duties. It’s a good space to be in.

07:10 – Audrey Hogan:
Great point. It reminds me of the book Multipliers. Good vendor partners multiply your impact — they don’t add stress.

08:08 – Cristal Craven:
Exactly. I value my partners. Sometimes, even if it’s not in my wheelhouse, I’ll connect people with someone who can help. It’s all about trust and collaboration.

08:21 – Audrey Hogan:
Agreed! So, what’s next for the industry?

08:37 – Cristal Craven:
I hate to be predictable, but… AI. It’s overused, but done right, it’s powerful. Restaurants move too fast for manual decision-making. Good AI means real-time insights — like forecasting based on local events without managers needing to scour Facebook or the news. Suggested ordering is a good example. Not everyone claiming AI will survive, but precise, truly useful AI is the next frontier.

12:25 – Audrey Hogan:
Love that. Couldn’t agree more. If you were a restaurant brand going to FSTech for the first time, how would you make it successful?

12:49 – Cristal Craven:
Do your research! About 75% of a decision is made before you ever talk to a vendor — know who you want to meet, have specific questions, and be honest about where you’re at. Also, prepare physically — this show can throw off your sleep and eating habits. Bring aspirin and water!

14:08 – Audrey Hogan:
In your day-to-day, what problem do brands come to you to solve, and what problem do you end up solving that surprises them?

14:22 – Cristal Craven:
Most brands come because they’re unhappy with their current provider — usually due to lack of support for complex products like inventory. They want help running, adopting, and retaining these tools. We excel at customer service and won Best Customer Service at the Bridge Bricks conference — we’re proud of that.

What surprises them? Bad recipe management. Many brands think they have clean recipes until we start mapping them. Then we find out they’re outdated or incomplete, which can mean going back to redesign menus or POS structures. It happens nearly every time — and that’s okay because we expect it.

17:20 – Audrey Hogan:
What else should people know about Synergy Suite and your work?

17:31 – Cristal Craven:
As Director of Strategic Partnerships, I make sure there are no silos. Restaurants have lots of vendors — they should work together seamlessly. Our partnerships team works with integration partners, customer success, and implementation so customers don’t have to manage vendor problems themselves. We solve it together. That’s what makes us proud.

19:09 – Audrey Hogan:
Perfect. If someone wants to partner with Synergy Suite, how should they reach out?

19:22 – Cristal Craven:
I’m always available for partners: cristal.craven@synergysuite.com. For new prospects, visit our website or reach out to Brett Berger, our EVP of Sales — brett.berger@synergysuite.com. We’re easy to find!

19:55 – Audrey Hogan:
Thank you — I appreciate it!

20:02 – Cristal Craven:
This was great — can I hug you?