Taking Cash Management to New Heights: How Florida Wingmen Soared with Brink’s Complete
April, 2025
Introduction
Florida Wingmen
Florida Wingmen, one of Florida’s fast-growing quick-serve restaurant operators, manages 30 thriving restaurants across the state, with exciting plans for expansion. Their portfolio includes a popular chicken wing-focused quick-serve chain and a renowned burger and fast-food franchise, solidifying their position as a key player in the quick-service industry. While their growth has been impressive, Florida Wingmen faced cash management challenges that slowed operations, increased costs, and put employee safety at risk. Yet with Brink’s secure, customized solutions, Florida Wingmen reclaimed valuable time, enhanced safety, and cleared the runway for sustained success. Keep reading to discover how Brink’s empowered Florida Wingmen to soar to new heights.
Challenges
Florida Wingmen’s manual cash-handling processes presented multiple obstacles that impacted operations and profitability. Here’s a closer look at the key pain points: Time inefficiency Managers were spending up to three hours a day handling cash-related tasks, including commuting to the bank to drop off deposits. This frequent time away from the store disrupted operations and required additional staffing to cover their absence. "Instead of having one or two people opening in the morning, I had to schedule a third person so that they could handle bank runs," said Francisco Rizo, Director of Operations at Florida Wingmen. Safety risks Transporting large amounts of cash created serious security risks for managers, leaving them potentially vulnerable to theft or robbery. In the past, incidents occurred where employees were targeted during cash transport, highlighting the dangers of traditional bank runs. These risks not only threatened financial losses but also jeopardized employee safety and morale. Operational costs The inefficiency of frequent bank runs not only strained staffing resources but also increased labor costs. With managers offsite during peak hours, stores had to allocate extra staff to maintain productivity, cutting into overall profitability.
Solutions
Determined to simplify and secure their cash operations, Florida Wingmen partnered with Brink’s and implemented Brink’s Complete, an all-in-one cash management solution. This solution offered a combination of secure smart safes, cash tracking, and detailed reporting to streamline their processes. Key features of Brink’s Complete Smart safes Brink’s introduced smart safes across all Florida Wingmen locations, transforming the way cash was handled. These safes allowed managers to securely store cash on-site, reducing risky and time-consuming trips to the bank. The smart safes accurately tracked and accounted for store cash after being secured inside. Brink’s messengers periodically picked up the cash as needed, adding another layer of convenience and security. Daily reports Managers received automated reports each day, providing visibility into cash flow across locations. These reports allowed management to track cash activity by location and which employees made drops into the smart safes, providing compliance with cash-handling procedures and enabling quick resolution of discrepancies. This transparency gave the team peace of mind and better control over their cash management operations. Enhanced security By eliminating the need for daily bank runs to drop off deposits, the risks of potential theft and robbery lessened. Bill validators built into the Brink’s safes used at the locations helped to verify that legitimate cash entered the system, helping to protect the franchisee’s financial integrity. These upgrades created a safer work environment and increased employee confidence. Implementation process The deployment of Brink’s solutions was seamless, allowing Florida Wingmen to continue their daily operations uninterrupted. The Brink’s team worked closely with the franchisee to tailor the solution to its needs, enabling immediate benefits. Ease of integration Brink’s cash management solution was quickly adopted across all Florida Wingmen locations. Managers and staff found the new processes intuitive, allowing them to continue focusing on daily operations without unnecessary interruptions. Technology upgrades The introduction of Brink’s smart safes modernized Florida Wingmen’s cash management process by replacing their outdated card-based access system, which was previously used to track cash deposits. In the old system, managers were issued physical access cards to record who made each deposit. However, these cards could be easily shared or misplaced, resulting in tracking inconsistencies and a lack of accountability. With the adoption of the Brink’s 24SEVEN app, the new solution securely identified and recorded which employees made each cash drop. This upgrade made tracking more accurate and reliable while simplifying cash management, creating a smoother and more secure operation. Ongoing support The Brink’s team provided hands-on support throughout the rollout and beyond, addressing questions so that the new processes operated seamlessly. This ongoing assistance reinforced the value of the partnership.
Results
Time saved
Brink’s Complete gave managers back approximately 15 hours each week; time they once lost to cash prep, bank deposits, and battling traffic on daily bank runs. These tasks consumed one to three hours per day, pulling managers away from their core responsibilities. Now, with Brink’s Complete, managers stay on-site, fully present to lead their teams, improve customer service, and drive operational success. Manual cash counting was another major bottleneck. With Brink’s Complete, Florida Wingmen chose from one of several smart safe options that automatically counts and verifies cash. Now, instead of spending 15–20 minutes per shift counting cash, or up to 90 minutes per day total, employees simply place the cash into the device, where it is authenticated, counted, and recorded.
Money saved
Bank runs didn’t just waste time; they drained profits. Every time a manager left the store to handle cash tasks, the company had to pay for shift coverage at $20 to $25 per hour. With managers now staying on site with Brink’s Complete, Florida Wingmen saves approximately $200 per week per location, adding up to about $10,000 in annual labor savings per store.
Improved cash flow visibility
Before partnering with Brink’s, Florida Wingmen often waited three to four days for weekend cash to become available, delaying access to critical funds. With Brink’s Complete, they now receive credit the very next business day. This shift has significantly improved their cash flow, unlocking an additional $75,000 to $100,000 in accessible funds at any given time. With better visibility into their cash position, Florida Wingmen can manage operations more effectively and make smarter financial decisions.
Improved safety
Prior to Brink’s Complete, managers had to leave the store with cash in hand, often during busy hours or at the end of shifts, when the threat of theft was higher. Now, with secure smart safes installed on-site, cash is counted, verified, and protected without ever leaving the restaurants. This eliminates unnecessary exposure, reduces security risks, and gives staff the confidence to focus on customers instead of worrying about transporting cash.
Scalability
Brink’s Complete gave Florida Wingmen the tools to scale efficiently and support their growth. Across 30 locations, managers now save approximately 23,400 hours annually; time once wasted on cash handling and bank runs. Employees save about another 16,380 hours each year, thanks to cash verification that eliminates manual counting. These time savings translate into measurable results, reducing labor costs by approximately $300,000 per year. Plus, with next-business-day credit, the company now has fast access to available working capital, giving them the financial flexibility to grow with confidence.
Overall benefits
All figures and estimates mentioned in this case study were provided by Florida Wingmen based on their operational experience and internal reporting. Actual results may vary depending on individual business operations and external factors.
By the numbers: Florida Wingmen’s estimated savings with Brink’s Complete
- Time saved
- 15 hours saved per store each week
- 90 minutes saved daily per location with automated cash counting
- Nearly 40,000 total hours saved annually across managers and employees
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