TravelCenters of America’s Roadmap to Operational Excellence with Zenput

At TravelCenters of America (TA), operational complexity isn’t a problem to solve—it’s the daily reality of running a large, diverse business built through multiple acquisitions. With no two locations exactly alike, the team often says, “If you’ve seen one of our locations, you’ve only seen one.”

But even in a landscape defined by variation, one thing remains non-negotiable: operational consistency. 

That’s why TA turned to Zenput - Crunchtime’s Operations Execution solution, over a year ago, as their platform of choice for task management and operational execution. The results? A 54% increase in compliance on critical tasks, along with measurable gains in visibility, communication, and efficiency across the board.

At Crunchtime’s Ops Summit 2024, Debbie Shelton, VP of Hospitality Operations Support at TravelCenters of America, shared how her team leveraged Zenput to achieve their organizational goals.

Turning a Diverse Operation Into a Unified Force

With multiple business units and a wide range of location formats, TA needed a solution that could bring consistency without sacrificing flexibility. Zenput delivered just that - providing tools to roll out and manage core programs while giving teams the autonomy to adapt execution at the local level.

From food safety protocols to merchandising compliance, Zenput has helped TA streamline execution and boost accuracy. For instance, a manual, time-consuming process for counting a non-retail item was replaced by entering the count twice a month directly into Zenput. This change not only saved time for the field teams but also eliminated the need for journal entries at the support center.

“Since rolling out Zenput for task management, we have been able to improve our execution on core programs, have visibility from a distance to food safety practices, send communication & announcements to our teams, and gather needed survey information in a quick and easy-to-digest way. ” Debbie Shelton, VP of Hospitality Operations Support at TravelCenters of America

Measurable Gains Across Key Business Metrics

The impact of Zenput goes far beyond one metric:

• Task accuracy & efficiency: A once-manual process for non-retail inventory counts is now streamlined through Zenput, significantly reducing time spent and administrative overhead and leading to an increase of 54% increase in critical task compliance.
  
  
• Promotional effectiveness: TA saw a 28% increase in promotional sell-through at sites that completed merchandising and signage within the first two days of a campaign rollout.
  
  
• Safety & food compliance: Previously reliant on pen-and-paper temperature logs with no real-time oversight, TA now uses Zenput to monitor food safety compliance proactively. Automated tools allow for faster response times to any issues and greater assurance that protocols are followed.
  
  

Streamlined Communication from HQ to the Field

With hundreds of locations to manage, TA needed a way to ensure fast, clear, and reliable communication. Zenput’s announcements and surveys have become a vital part of how they align the organization.

Now, HQ can instantly roll out new initiatives or collect feedback from the field, all within the same platform used to track execution.

“We have been able to provide clear communication and instruction for installing equipment on the same platform that we monitor the execution - this gives us two-way communication to be able to see any opportunities.” -Debbie Shelton, VP of Hospitality Operations Support at TravelCenters of America

Surveys have driven meaningful business outcomes as well. TA has:

• Used equipment surveys to guide capital investment decisions and prevent lost sales
• Ensured compliance with manufacturer food recalls, with no more uncertainty about whether a task was completed
• Provided detailed equipment installation instructions while tracking execution and addressing issues in real time

Visibility That Enables Proactive Leadership

Before Zenput, leadership relied on audits and manual check-ins to identify gaps. Today, Zenput provides real-time visibility into daily execution, allowing teams to identify trends, spot non-compliance, and act before small issues become major ones.

From monitoring safety initiatives to food compliance, TA leadership can now guide the business proactively, with the right data in hand.

A True Partnership with Zenput

Behind the scenes, TA credits much of its success to a strong relationship with their Zenput Customer Success Manager, Austin James. More than just a point of contact, Austin has been instrumental in delivering hands-on training, responsive support, and strategic insight.

“The support that we have received from our Customer Service Manager, Austin James, has set the bar for others to follow. He has provided ongoing training and communication that has been invaluable in building our skillset by utilizing the tool to its fullest capability.”  - Debbie Shelton, VP of Hospitality Operations Support at TravelCenters of America

Building for the Future

As TA continues to expand, Zenput remains a cornerstone of their operational strategy, powering consistency, enhancing visibility, and enabling smarter decisions across a complex and varied business.

With Zenput by their side, TA isn’t just managing operational complexity, they’re mastering it.

Check out this blog for more insights from Ops Summit 2024.