Asking Savvy Tech Questions Without Being a Tech Wizard
You don’t need to be a tech expert to ask smart questions about technology innovation.
IFDA’s 2025 Solutions Conference expo will feature more than 170 exhibitors and 40,000 square feet of solutions to help drive the future of the foodservice distribution business. The conference is set for September 28 to October 1 in Columbus, Ohio.
Solutions on display will include those powered by cutting-edge technology like AI and robotics. Applications showcased by exhibitors will include those focused on fleet management, training/talent and warehouses. Attendees also can take advantage of educational presentations and expert-led expo tours.
In preparation for walking the expo floor, attendees are well-served to start thinking about what conversations to have with exhibiting companies. A recent IFDA whitepaper on AI solutions presented a short list of questions to ask technology solution providers, developed by executives in this industry. While the list was intended to focus on AI solutions, it can be adapted more broadly to any high-tech solution that has the potential to innovate your business. Here are the questions.
Key Questions for Solution Providers
- What are you projecting as the ROI?
- What are the key metrics? For example, is it about how much money will I make? Or about expense reduction?
- How successful have your other customers been with the solution?
- What are your security qualifications?
- What kind of employee training will be needed to use the system?
- Do I need to hire people, such as AI specialists?
- What are the protections for the customer data being used in the solutions?
