Demystifying
data: Profitability,
people and the
power of
analytics Kelly MacPherson
Chief Technology & Supply
Chain Officer
Union Square Hospitality Group
Morgan Wiley
Director, Digital Innovation
Union Square Hospitality Group
Cam Avent
Director of Analytics
Union Square Hospitality Group

The Wide World
of Data
Data Collection
Data Engineering
and
Transformation
Storage
Analysis
Presentation &
Reporting
Storytelling
Data
Governance
Infrastructure
Applications
AI & ML

The Wide World
of Data… and
our Focus Today
Data Collection
Data Engineering
and
Transformation
Storage
Analysis
Presentation &
Reporting
Storytelling
Data
Governance
Infrastructure
Applications
AI & ML

Our Point of View
Data is more than information; data requires
storytelling and context to be valuable.
Robust forecasting is translating analytics into the
people and product at the right place at the right
Reporting serves a purpose, but analytics get to
the “why” behind the what.
Break the barriers of stereotypical data scientists.

Ask a
question
about “what
happened”
Create a metric
to answer
Analyze data and
uncover “why it
happened”
Use data to
hypothesize
“what will happen”
Adjust business
strategy based
on insights
Foundation:
Exploring Metrics
that Matter
The Flywheel of
Analysis, Action,
and Adaptation
Adapt metrics
and targets as
business evolves

Metrics
Sales vs.
Forecast
Variance:
-5%
Avg. Spend Per
Cover:
$51 Covers Per Day:
300
Wine Capture
Rate: 21%
Wine COGS:
24%

Metrics… with a Story
Sales vs.
Forecast
Variance:
-5%
Avg. Spend Per
Cover:
$51
Covers Per Day:
300
Wine Capture
Rate: 21%
Wine COGS:
24%

Guest Journeys with…
and without Data
“Welcome back, Ms.
Wiley! How was your
holiday in Charleston?”
“Welcome! May I have the
name for the reservation?”
“Ms. Wiley, I’ve brought out
the Barbaresco you enjoyed
last time, as well as a bottle
of Aglianico I think you
might like. Or, we have the
full wine list – Italian reds on
page 3!”
“Here is our full wine list –
take a look and let me know
if you have any questions.”
We know you’re a
truffle lover – join
us at our pop-up
truffle dinner next
Monday!
Come dine at any
of our
restaurants!
“Next time you
order an entrée for
delivery, enjoy
your favorite
margherita pizza –
on us!”
“Try ordering
pickup or delivery;
here’s $10 off your
next order.”

The Business Impact
of Data
Increased check size
Increased digital frequency
Improved guest satisfaction
Reduced time between visits
Increased covers
Improved marketing engagement
Optimized turn times
Enhanced employee satisfaction