Eight tips to make the best use of time for busy restaurant operators
Written by Kevin Greene, International Product Manager, CBE Software.
Restaurant operators have 101 things to manage every day, so electronic point-of-sale (EPoS) software may not always be front-of-mind. However, these handy tips will help operators stay right on top of things, and make sure they get the best return on technology investments.
Here are eight top tips operators can take to maximise profitability:
1. Be in charge of the technology
EPoS software is designed to work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it is important that Restaurant operators ensure that any software is fully configured to automatically deliver everything that it can possibly do on an ongoing basis to ensure they are getting the best out of the software.
2. Make more use of time to tackle non-automated tasks
Whether it’s creating an order or managing margins in the back office, EPoS software was designed to gobble up time-sapping tasks and automat them allowing more time for staff to do other things. Better still, it does so without human error and without duplication. Once technology is sorting these automatable jobs, staff are free to address the more important, non-automated tasks – everything from greeting a customer to planning the next quarterly budget.
3. Remember that integration is king
By having as much technology as possible operating on a single platform, operators can seamlessly mesh a multitude of functions, from managing deliveries to stock control, and from mobile payment to follow-up marketing. By integrating and consolidating your technology it provides greater control and a more holistic overview of your entire operations.
4. Take the hassle out of sudden sales spikes
The Restaurant business is subject to frequent and sudden sales spikes, and automated technology is a sure-fire way to address the issue. Pay-at-table apps, for example, can make sure that a busy restaurant doesn’t need to ramp up staff levels at a busy lunchtime or on holiday weekends.
5. Value everybody’s time
It’s tempting to say that “the staff were there anyway”, but allocating menial and automatable tasks fails to put a value on their time. Surely they could be doing something far more important for the business – perhaps helping a customer when deciding what to order – creating a relationship with the brand and a ‘customer for life’ in the process. By putting a value on everyone’s time, operators can focus on important KPIs, such as margins and profitability.
6. Don’t confuse data with insight
Software is capable of providing myriad data and management reports, but time needs to be spent on it to reveal where the insight lies. Knowing that fish isn’t selling much is one thing – knowing that it sold twice as fast when it was promoted with chips is another. Operators should leverage data in real terms to spot the useful information that lies behind it.
7. Speed of service is king these days
More and more consumers are under huge time pressure, so ensuring that they can get in, get served and get out as quickly as possible can be instrumental in keeping them coming back. Make sure technology is geared towards facilitating speed of service, whether it’s automated ordering platforms or fast payment options. And did you know that if you can speed up each transaction by as little as five seconds, you can deliver an additional eighteen transactions per hour. That corresponds to 18 happy customers who might otherwise have gone elsewhere due to the length of your queue.
8. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice
Operators should spend time talking to the vendor, asking them questions such as “what would you do if you were in my shoes?” There’s also a wealth of information to be had via online forums, where like-minded operators share their learnings with each other.
