Barron McCann and Retail Assist report completion of UK wide project for Papa Johns across its stores

Papa Johns has partnered with Retail Assist and Barron McCann to review its UK wide IT support across more than 400 stores.

The technology overhaul was prompted by feedback from franchisees concerned about system reliability and the operational disruption caused by technical failures.

Retail Assist provides the helpdesk, operating seven days a week from 9am to midnight, while Barron McCann brings on the ground support with a four-hour turnaround for critical incidents to keep systems running and tills ticking.

Rob Beattie, Vice President of International Technology and Digital at Papa Johns, says: “Bringing Retail Assist and Barron McCann onboard has completely revolutionised the way we support our restaurants and our franchisees.”

“If our restaurants aren’t trading, nothing else matters. We’re trying to grow loyalty and we know that we’re going to do that by having great pizzas delivered on time and delivered hot and in the background making sure that our tech is innovative and reliable. I don’t think you can have one without the other.”

“Having Retail Assist and Barron McCann as part of our team, means that I've got confidence in scale that goes beyond just the team I've got in-house.”

The partnership has also unlocked new insights through data, giving Papa Johns a clearer view of how its stores consume support and where improvements can be made. This is enabling it to be more strategic in its operations, targeting investments where they’re most needed and identifying patterns that may indicate emerging issues before they escalate.

By tracking trends in-store performance and support calls, the company says it can better allocate resources, streamline maintenance schedules and enhance overall efficiency.

Scott Watson, Managing Director at Barron McCann, says: “Our engineers understand the importance of minimising disruption for high pressure retail and hospitality environments. With Papa Johns, we’ve focused on delivering smart, scalable support that keeps stores running smoothly and customers happy.”

Meanwhile, Kieran Bowden, Chief Commercial Officer at Retail Assist, says: “This has been about more than just fixing problems, it’s been about working hand-in-hand with Papa Johns to anticipate needs and proactively improve the support model. That’s how we’re delivering real value.”

Barron McCann acquired Retail Assist In 2024, bringing it into the Barron McCann group of companies and building on a 15-year long partnership.

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

IT support will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.