FORTUNE -- If you've ever worked in a bar or restaurant, you know that there are certain shifts and ...

1. Objective Logistics raises VC to gamify
restaurant waitstaffs
FORTUNE -- If you've ever worked in a bar or restaurant, you know that there are certain shifts and
sections that are more desirable than others. And you also know that getting a good schedule is
capricious at best, and at worst based on how much managerial butt you can kiss.
But Philip Beauregard is working to upend that dynamic through Objective Logistics, a
Massachusetts-based provider of "talent optimization" software that helps better manage and
reward workers.
The company today is announcing that it has raised $5.3 million in its second round of venture
capital funding. Atlas Venture led the deal, and was joined by Google Ventures (GOOG) and
NextView Ventures. It previously raised $2.3 million from the same firms.
Objective Logistics currently is operating in nine mid-sized restaurant chains, including Not Your
Average Joe's and Five Napkin Burger. Beauregard said that he first wanted to roll out the system
to chains with fewer than 40 locations before trying to get large client wins like a Darden
Restaurants DRI .
"That's obviously where we want to ultimately be, and we've had a lot of inbound interest from
larger players, but we've really wanted to improve the system and expand its capabilities first."
The company claims that its clients are seeing between 2% and 8% increases in top-line sales, in
large part because it improves self-motivation within a high-turnover workforce. It also helps
managers better weed out poor performers.
Objective Logistics also is working to adapt the platform for related sectors, like fast-casual and
retail, although worker rewards there may be more about things like gift cards than prime shifts.
Beauregard declined to provide a valuation for the new round. He says that Objective Logistics did
hold preliminary conversations with some Silicon Valley venture firms, but that they indicated an
interest in investing more money than Beauregard felt the company requires at this point in time.
"Maybe we'll come back to them for the big Series C round," he says.
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http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2013/07/18/objective-logistics-raises-vc-to-gamify-restaurant-waitstaff
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