Maxwell Harding, CEO and founder of Dynamify

Taking consumers to the next level of understanding to streamline processes for the catering industry.

Maxwell Harding has always believed in making the system work smoothly. Creating Dynamify has done just that for the catering industry to reduce forecasting, inventory and business waste.

The AI ​​capabilities of Dynamify software use machine learning to capture and store useful insights into customer behavior, including predicting each customer’s lifetime value. This allows for well-thought-out, yet easily implemented targeted marketing campaigns. Maxwell shares the secrets of his success with business.

How does Dynamify work?

Dynamify provides a complete digital ordering platform, whitewashed by communication caterers who use software in their ‘off-the-high-street’ restaurants. Our technology makes it easy for customers to browse menus, customize food options, view allergens, order, pre-pay, and schedule contactless collection. It is a plug-and-play solution suitable for every client, white labeled, unique client-branded app allows users to earn loyalty points, receive exclusive offers and claim discounts.

What kind of business do you work with?

We work with world-renowned caterers including Sodexo, Elior, Atalian, Gather & Gather, Bartlett Mitchell, Vacherin, The Good Eating Company, Foodee, Baxter Storey and Fooditude. Our clients serve hundreds of ‘off-the-high-street’ restaurants in eight countries.

They have brought Dynamify’s technology offices and manufacturing sites, schools and universities, venues and stadiums, airport lounges and hospitals, as well as some large pharma companies involved in making the Covid-19 vaccine. This summer, we launched our QR code technology at Heathrow Airport’s Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Lounge.

Dynamify solves any problem?

For users, it saves time; With pre-order and pay solutions, the Dynamify app typically reduces wait times for checkouts by 95 percent, allowing employees to reclaim their lunch break.

For clients, Dynamify captures and analyzes data in a way that operators cannot; The software’s dashboard caters to the challenges faced by both the catering operations team and back-office users, who can use the huge consumer data available for business intelligence.

The software is helping to make catering activities safer for everyone by reducing touchpoints, eliminating queues and encouraging social distance. We have heard from customers That app has made a more confident return to the office and onsite catering facilities.

What is your USP?

Dynamify is at the forefront of digitizing the £ 220bn catering industry – where less than one percent of transactions are currently online. Our seamless, communication-free ordering and payment platform is convenient, secure and cost-effective. Plug-and-play setup means businesses can digitize within 24 hours; Operators simply switch on, connect to Wi-Fi, and start taking orders. It also requires zero training – it’s user friendly.

What is the value of your company? Have you ever challenged them and if so how did you deal with it?

We are customer-obsessed and relentlessly hardworking, agile and innovative. We always put the customer journey first, which means adapting to the changing industry and developing faster consumer demand.

We are dealing with an industry that has adapted more slowly to the high road, due to misconceptions about costs, difficulties or consumer expectations. But the global epidemic has accelerated change, and we are seeing more and more catering companies opening up new ways to serve their customers. We have a dedicated team of pioneers to help our clients jump into things that may be unknown and digitized to them.

How do you ensure that you are hiring a team that reflects your company’s values?

We are always looking for smart, hardworking, success-hungry people.

Are you happy to offer a hybrid work model for the next home / office?

Yes, absolutely. We are a digital-minded start-up and anyone on the team just needs a laptop and a good connection to do their job. Before the epidemic hit we had the tools to work remotely, so fortunately it wasn’t a cultural push for us. And in that case, we’re lucky that Kovid made a small impact on our business. Of course, it’s good for people to socialize once a week or so, but it doesn’t have to be in the office. And as far as our clients are concerned, we are always on hand no matter where we are working.

Do you have any tips to effectively manage suppliers and customers?

Our client relationship is built on successful, long-term win-win partnership. You just have to be more discriminating with the help you render toward other people. You need more than luck to succeed in affiliate business. We value our client’s customers, streamline our client’s services and run more business for them, and for us.

Any money or cash-flow tips for starting a new business?

Really check your costs – ask yourself what’s essential, and you can see the return that any money goes out. It’s a good idea to start small and invest your time and money for something that people will really want. A fancy office is not essential.

What if you could change the government one thing for business?

Entrepreneurship in school is the only way to prepare our children for the future uncertainty. Skills like problem solving, teamwork and empathy are as important as math or English, if we want future business leaders to solve the most important problems we face today. Technology, and especially AI, will make many jobs redundant, and we will need more entrepreneurs to encourage innovation.

What is your attitude towards your competitors?

We keep notes of our competitors, but our focus is always on our customers and how we can make things easier or better for them.

Any thoughts on your company and the future of your dreams?

Our goal is clear and simple – to maximize the impact of our technology on human hands as much as possible. The global epidemic has forced caterers to embrace the digital trend and in just one year, we have witnessed an adoption and implementation of digital ordering technology that we wanted to take five years ago.

Dynamify now serves more than 500 restaurants in eight countries around the world, and the value of total transactions processed through the platform during the epidemic has increased twenty-fold. But we know there are many more opportunities to digitize the contract catering industry.

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