Prioritizing Community Outreach with Avery Ward of Little Italy Ristorante

Avery Ward, the CEO of Little Italy, stands at the forefront of innovation, leveraging cutting-edge solutions to enhance hospitality in the restaurant industry. Recognizing a critical pain point for his customers, Ward partnered with Shipday to address challenges related to communication and transparency. In this interview with host Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media and Shipday cofounder Moin Islam, Shipday has proven to be a game-changer, unlocking hidden potentials in operational efficiency and customer communication. The platform's impact extends beyond the initial goal of dispatch optimization, offering heightened visibility for both owners and customers. 

Ward's commitment to excellence is further exemplified in his strategic decision to switch to Toast, a point-of-sale system that has become the central hub of Little Italy's operations. Faced with frustration from his previous system's underperformance, Ward embraced Toast's comprehensive integration, leading to a transformative shift in the restaurant's operational dynamics. 

"It's the hub of our operations, and there's so many different softwares that we use that are so key in what we do, but it all flows through Toast." says Ward.

Beyond adopting advanced technologies, Ward has a keen understanding of the power of social media engagement. Recognizing the need to connect with the audience, he conceptualized the Groveport Greats video series, a popular Instagram initiative highlighting local businesses and their owners. Ward's creative approach not only fosters community engagement but also aligns with his broader goal of supporting local businesses.

"I had this idea of dropping off just a bunch of gift cards at a location and there would be ten available that day. And every day of the week they could go to that location and get them. And that day I would post a little video like, hey, I'm here, the gifts are here, come get them, whatever. And then that evolved” says Ward. “I want to relate with businesses while we do this and how we can get people into the local businesses. So what we ended up doing is a video series called Groveport Greats.”

Ward’s strategic choices and innovative initiatives underscore a commitment to delivering exceptional experiences to both customers and the local community.

“So moving with that series, we're going to be featuring other local, important people in our community. I think I'm going to do some stuff with the school system, some coaches and stuff like that just to do something really funny and highlight them, their organization, what they're doing, and pizza will just be a small part of it.”