Parogon Group is an independent restaurant group with multiple venues across Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Shropshire, with plans to expand across the UK.
The Challenge
The challenge: keeping pace with a fast moving hospitality business
Parogon Group has been operating since 2007 and has grown steadily over the years. Like many hospitality businesses, technology was not the original focus. Early systems were manual, disconnected and added over time as new needs emerged.
As the group expanded, this approach began to create real challenges. Critical systems such as reservations, EPOS and phones became essential to daily operations. When technology failed, it directly affected service, revenue and guest experience.
“When things went wrong, finding root causes was a nightmare. Things could just stop working and we would have no idea why or how to resolve”
Ben Allison, Parogon Group
The EBS approach: partnership, not just technology
From the outset, EBS worked alongside Parogon as a long term partner rather than a one off supplier.
The first step was understanding the business from the ground up. EBS carried out site surveys across venues, identifying risks, inconsistencies and priorities. Rather than replacing everything at once, EBS recommended a phased, practical approach.
A new venue was used as a test site to introduce a properly designed IT foundation. Once the results were proven, the same standard was rolled out across existing venues.
It felt like a partnership. There was a lot of patience from EBS because our approach was to work towards the end goal over a more extended period of time than may have been best practice.
This approach helped build confidence and ensured investment was focused where it delivered real operational value.
The solution: IT foundations designed for hospitality
Reliable infrastructure at every site
EBS created a consistent IT baseline across venues, including:
- Organised comms cabinets and structured cabling
- Managed network switches for performance and visibility
- Business grade Wi Fi supporting both guests and staff
Now, things don’t fail anymore. That’s the power of having real, secure systems in place.
Secure by default, without complexity
As technology became more critical to operations, cyber security moved higher up the agenda. EBS helped Parogon transition from unmanaged equipment to a fully managed security model, including:
- Enterprise firewalls kept up to date with the latest protection
- Managed anti virus, patching and backup solutions
- A phased security roadmap aligned to business risk and budget
We can’t just implement everything overnight. It’s something we’ve had to build out properly.
EBS Cloud services that support operations
EBS provided EBS Cloud as a secure environment for Parogon’s business critical applications. EBS Cloud is hosted in a secure UK based data centre, with both physical and technical security controls protecting data. This gives Parogon confidence that sensitive business and guest information remains protected and within the UK.
Hosting applications within EBS Cloud supports integrations between EPOS, reservations and reporting, while improving resilience, performance and control over data.
Connectivity that matches trading demands
EBS ensured each site had reliable connectivity, including leased line services where appropriate. This supports always on EPOS, reservations and reporting, and reduces the risk of disruption during peak trading periods.
Smarter telephony for better guest experience
High call volumes were placing pressure on front of house teams. EBS supported a move to modern VoIP telephony, introducing features such as call queuing and flexible call handling.
Everything links together now, from reservations to reporting. We’re a completely different business to what we were eight years ago.
The Results: confidence, consistency and room to grow
Technology that just works
Systems are now dependable, downtime has reduced and issues are far easier to resolve when they do occur.
Faster and smoother new site openings
What began as a test site has become a repeatable blueprint. New venues can now be opened quickly and consistently, with clear requirements and predictable timescales.
Reduced operational and financial risk
Parogon now has stronger protection in the areas that matter most:
- Guest data security
- Availability of EPOS and payment systems
Reservation systems that maximise covers on key trading days
The reliance on our systems is greater than ever, but the confidence we have in them is greater too.
What other restaurant and pub groups can expect by partnering with EBS
Parogon Group’s journey reflects the challenges faced by many growing hospitality businesses. By working with a dedicated technology partner like EBS, operators can expect more than just IT support.
A stable platform that supports service
EBS designs IT foundations that perform reliably during the busiest service periods, reducing disruption and allowing teams to focus on guests.
Consistency across every site
Standardised infrastructure, security and connectivity make venues easier to support and reduce complexity as groups scale.
Technology decisions based on business impact
EBS recommendations are driven by operational risk, guest experience and budget, not by technology for its own sake.
Built in security that protects guests and revenue
Layered security and EBS Cloud, hosted in a secure UK based data centre, help protect guest data and keep businesses trading.
IT that scales with growth
Repeatable site designs and scalable EBS Cloud services mean technology grows alongside the business.
A long term partner, not just a supplier
EBS works as a trusted partner, collaborating at the right pace and supporting hospitality businesses through each stage of growth.
It’s always been about working together and deciding what’s most important to us as a business.
Looking ahead
Parogon Group has ambitious growth plans and continues to explore new concepts. With strong IT foundations in place, supported by EBS and EBS Cloud, the business is well positioned to scale while maintaining high standards, community values and great guest experiences.
We’ve always had ambition to be the best. Having the right technology partner makes that possible.
