Restaurant technology is always changing, and to stay at the forefront of the industry, restaurants must change with it.
Are you ready for a change?
In our brand-new report, we walk through four key restaurant technology systems that can make or break your profit — and what to look for when making a buying decision — including:
- Restaurant POS systems
- Online reservation programs
- Shift scheduling tools
- Restaurant inventory management systems
Download this free eBook today to get a step-by-step guide for choosing restaurant technology that can boost your efficiency and drive better results for your bottom line.
Excerpt from the Introduction:
Technology is always changing, and to stay at the forefront of the industry, restaurants must change with it.
While it can be nerve-wracking striving to keep up with modern restaurant technology, the main takeaway is that tech should be a benefit to you in the long run. It’s not really about getting the newest and trendiest tech in the business just because it’s new and trendy. It’s about driving more efficiency for your staff and a better overall experience for your guests — ultimately building more profit opportunities for your business.
There’s always going to be something new on the horizon, and no business can jump onto every tech trend as it presents itself. It’s neither financially nor operationally feasible.
When you have identified a business need in your restaurant, that’s when you need to research carefully and find the restaurant technology trend that has the best shot at solving your specific problems — but is not a distractor to your business in terms of customer experience. It really is about finding a balance.
First and foremost, you need to be true to your brand. If you have a brand where service is your differentiation, be certain any technology you choose is a reflection of your brand values. The quality of your food and service need to remain the main focus for your employees, not your technology.
Second, you have to understand the impact. Are your employees tech savvy? How much training will they need before they feel comfortable using a new system? Is the system you’re thinking about implementing going to cut down on labor hours in some way? Will that change trickle down to the customer experience?
While the bulk of technology options we’ll be discussing in this book are not customer-facing, one key tenet is worth remembering: in any restaurant, you should never completely eliminate a face to face interaction with the customer. Even if a customer pays at a kiosk, make sure they get to see a smiling face when their food is brought out. Technology in restaurants can really help cut down on labor costs, but consumers come to a restaurant not just for food. They come to you for a customer service experience.
Ready to explore? In the following four chapters, we walk through four key restaurant technology systems that can make or break your profit — and what to look for when making a buying decision.
First up: finding a point-of-sale (POS) system that can improve operations in your front and back of house.
When it comes to technology in your restaurant, nothing directly impacts the experience of your customers themselves like your point-of-sale system. The system tech itself is a major investment, which often means restaurants hold on to their current restaurant POS system even when it’s far out-of-date — and often even causing issues for staff and customers alike.
The good news is that technology innovations over the past 10 years have really revolutionized the restaurant POS system, and now is a very good time to update or completely upgrade yours.
As you’re planning your POS upgrade, researching online will be key. Look for testimonials from independent parties who have tried the systems you’re looking at.
Checking out a good range of points of view will help you make good decisions on the investment. While one single business owner saying a restaurant POS system was hard to learn might not be a deal breaker, if a lot of testimonials consistently have the same complaint, that could be a sign you should look somewhere else.
And it’s always better to see the systems for yourself. If you have the opportunity to go to trade shows like the National Restaurant Association show, you have the chance to see and possibly have hands-on experience with lots of different restaurant POS system options. Write down questions before you go — that way, you’ll be able to make the most out of your time talking to the company reps there to sell you on their system.
If you can’t make it to trade shows, you can still use your experiences as a consumer!
Next time you go out to eat, keep an eye out for that restaurant’s POS system. Is it a newer style? Was it easy to use as a customer? Did the restaurant staff seem comfortable using it? Also ask the manager how it works for them. You can use that dining experience to hone in on the POS system style you want for your own restaurant.