The Shift Change · 2026-06-05 · 4 min
Key moments - from our scoring
Substance score
21 / 100
Five dimensions, 20 points each
Bryan Gorman examines why QSR operators purchase comprehensive HR software platforms but only utilize roughly half of their capabilities - a problem affecting three out of four organizations across industries. Gartner research shows only 24% of companies achieve maximum value from HR technology, while Xylo's study documents actual license utilization at 47%. In the quick-service restaurant sector, the gap widens because most operators lack dedicated HR departments to manage enterprise-built systems. Implementation typically rushes training, leaving managers unaware of powerful features like ACA tracking, AWOL credits, tip reporting, and multi-entity payroll - functionality that directly impacts franchise profitability. The real cost extends beyond wasted subscription dollars to lost automation opportunities and organizational knowledge that walks out the door with high turnover. Gorman recommends conducting usage audits before renewal, right-sizing technology stacks to match actual operational needs, and selecting vendors committed to post-implementation engagement rather than one-time sales support.
According to Xylo research cited in the episode, actual license utilization is at 47%, meaning more than half of what companies purchase goes unused. Gartner found that only 24% of organizations say they're getting maximum value from their HR technology.
Most QSR operators don't have dedicated HR departments to manage enterprise-designed systems. Implementation is often rushed with minimal training, leaving managers unaware of available features, and high turnover means institutional knowledge constantly leaves the organization.
Key underutilized features that actually impact QSR profitability include ACA tracking, AWOL credits, tip reporting, and multi-entity payroll - capabilities that sit unused if no one sets them up or trains staff to use them.
Pull a usage report from your current platform to identify which modules are actually being used versus which you're paying for. Ask your vendor what your highest-utilized modules are; if they can't answer, that signals a need to reevaluate your solution.
According to Gorman, the best HR software isn't the one with the most features, but rather the one your managers will actually use, that your payroll team understands, and that runs reliably in the background without requiring constant attention.
Our reviewer’s read on each dimension, with quotes from the episode.
The episode is a 4-minute solo monologue that cycles through a few statistics and generic advice points with minimal depth. The QSR-specific observations about turnover destroying institutional system knowledge are the only mildly non-obvious moments; the rest is familiar 'you're not using your software' territory.
Turnover in the industry means institutional knowledge of the system walks out the door constantly. New managers don't know what the system can do.
ACA tracking, WATSI credits, tip reporting, multi-EN payroll. These are features that actually move the needle for franchise operators, but they sit unused if no one sets them up
The core argument - 'you're paying for software you don't use' - is a widely circulated tech industry talking point with no contrarian angle or first-principles reasoning added. The QSR framing is thin and the closing sentiment is a cliché.
the best HR software for your franchise isn't the one with the most features. It's the one your managers will Actually use
One platform, everything you need, seamlessly integrated. But Gartner found that only 24% of organizations say they're getting maximum value
There is no guest; this is a solo monologue by the host who is a vendor rep at Alliance HCM, making this effectively a marketing asset rather than a practitioner interview. No external practitioner perspective is present at all.
reach out to me directly on LinkedIn, Brian Gorman, email bgorman at alliance hcm.com. Right now is a great time to evaluate your current solution. Love to be part of that for you.
The episode cites three data points with named sources (Gartner, 'Xylo research,' ISG) and names specific underused features relevant to QSR operators, which is better than pure abstraction; however, no named operator cases, dollar costs, or timelines are provided and the 'Xylo' source is unverifiable.
Gartner found that only 24% of organizations say they're getting maximum value from their HR technology
Xylo research study puts actual license utilization at 47%. Meaning more than half of what companies buy goes untouched
This is an entirely scripted solo monologue with no interview, no questions directed at a guest, no pushback, and no genuine dialogue. The rhetorical questions posed to the audience substitute for craft and go entirely unanswered.
So who's responsible for that gap? The vendor, the buyer, or both?
what would it mean if you're to your business if you actually used everything you're already paying for?
Computed from the transcript - who did the talking, and the words that came up most.
You signed the contract. You sat through the demo. You went live. And now, months later, your team is doing exactly what they did before - running payroll and punching timecards - while a dozen other modules collect dust. Sound familiar? In this solo episode, I breakdown one of the most expensive and overlooked problems in franchise operations: the gap between what you buy from your HR and payroll vendor and what you actually use. Research from Gartner shows that only 24% of organizations say they're getting maximum value from their HR technology. A Zylo study puts actual license utilization at just 47%. That means most operators are paying for the whole menu and only eating the fries. I unpack why this happens in the QSR and franchise world specifically - rushed implementations, minimal training, high turnover, and vendors who disappear after go-live - and what it's actually costing you beyond the monthly subscription fee. ACA compliance, WOTC credits, multi-EIN payroll, tip reporting - these are the features that move the needle, and they're sitting untouched on platforms operators are already paying for.
Transcribed and scored by The B2B Podcast Index.
Bryan Gorman: Welcome back to the Shift Change Podcast. I'm your host, Brian Gorman, and ⁓ jumping back on today for another episode. this one's gonna be titled The Gap Between What You Buy and What You Actually Need Out of an HR Software. ⁓ I a a stat that's floating around the HR tech world that stopped me in my tracks today that the average organization is only using about half the software ⁓ they're actually for.
Half. So today we're talking about why that happens, what it costs you, and what to do about it. The HR payroll software market is enormous and growing. Vendors are competing aggressively for your business.
And the pitch is always the same. One platform, everything you need, seamlessly integrated. But Gartner found that only 24% of organizations say they're getting maximum value from their HR technology. That means three out of four are paying for more than they're using.
Xylo research study puts actual license utilization at 47%. Meaning more than half of what companies buy goes untouched. So who's responsible for that gap? The vendor, the buyer, or both?
And in the QSR world, why is this happening specifically? are buying platforms designed for enterprises with dedicated HR departments, but most QSR operators don't have a full HR team running the system. The demo looks great, implementation is rushed, training is minimal. Then you're live and using three of the 12 modules you've paid for.
The shiny features problem, you bought ATS, performance management, advanced analytics, all that you wanted to solve, but you're really just running payroll and punching time cards. Turnover in the industry means institutional knowledge of the system walks out the door constantly. New managers don't know what the system can do. You know, what features do operators actually need versus what they get sold?
What's the real cost? It's not just wasted subscription dollars. It's the opportunity cost of automation you're not using. ACA tracking, WATSI credits, tip reporting, multi-EN payroll.
These are features that actually move the needle for franchise operators, but they sit unused if no one sets them up and no one uses them. study from ISG found that only 46% of organizations have achieved clear business value. From their HR software as a service, down from 64% just two years earlier. The gap isn't always the software.
Sometimes it's support or lack of it after the go live. You know, what would it mean if you're to your business if you actually used everything you're already paying for? You know, what can you do about it? Audit before you renew.
Pull a usage report from your current platform. Most systems have those. your current vendor: what are your highest utilized modules? versus what you're currently using, what we're currently using.
If they can't answer, that's a telling that's telling right there. You know, right size your stack. You may not need the enterprise platform, or you may need a different one that's built for how you actually operate. Choose vendors who stay engaged post implementation, not just post sale.
And in closing, the best HR software for your franchise isn't the one with the most features. It's the one your managers will Actually use that your payroll team understands and that runs in the background without you having to think about it. if you want to learn more, reach out to me directly on LinkedIn, Brian Gorman, email bgorman at alliance hcm.com.
Right now is a great time to evaluate your current solution. Love to be part of that for you. until next time, this is a shift change podcast, and we'll talk to you soon.
Other episodes covering the same guests and topics, from across The B2B Podcast Index.
Find Your Fire, Fan Your Flame: Leadership Lessons for Restaurant Operators51 / 100What Breaks When Your GM Takes Two Weeks Off?58 / 100Bridging the Gap: Earned Wage Access, Financial Wellness, and the Future of QSR Work50 / 100Is Your Tech Stack Actually Costing You Money?61 / 100Tips, Taxes & the Fine Print: Breaking Down the OBBBA85 / 100
