Digital innovations, such as ordering apps, reservation apps, payroll technology, and inventory systems, are changing the way restaurants operate and enhancing the customer experience.
1. Ordering Apps
It wasn't long ago that if a restaurant wanted to take a to-go order someone would need to manage incoming phone calls, making the host position a direct line to the kitchen. Also millennials and older will remember a time when the only food that could be delivered was Pizza or Chinese cuisine.
According to a survey, 60% of U.S. consumers order takeout or delivery once a week or more, and 31% use a restaurant's app or website to place the order.
Ordering apps can increase order accuracy by up to 95% and reduce wait times by up to 20%.
Restaurants that offer online ordering see a 30% increase in takeout orders and a 20% increase in revenue.
2. Reservation Apps
These have been the latest improvement in our industry, with competitors coming out of every corner. They all function with relatively the same technology but the key difference is the pricing model, some will guarantee the party shows up by taking a deposit. All of a sudden “no-shows” become your most profitable item.
Reservation apps have seen a surge in popularity, with a 66% increase in reservations made through mobile devices in 2020.
Restaurants that use reservation systems report an average increase of 25% in table turnover and a 20% increase in revenue.
Reservation apps allow restaurants to collect customer data, which can be used to create personalized promotions and offers.
3. Payroll Technology
HR is the industry's strong suit, but with new more efficient systems even small businesses can avoid spreadsheets and run payroll with a few clicks. The challenge comes from that middle ground, where a business is too big for the owner to manage the payroll alone, but not big enough that they can hire a dedicated accredited HR professional. Maybe these businesses can look to Clock’d.
The use of payroll technology can reduce payroll processing time by up to 80%.
Payroll technology can help restaurants to comply with labor laws and avoid costly penalties for noncompliance.
Payroll technology can help restaurants to manage employee schedules, reducing the risk of understaffing or overstaffing and optimizing labor costs.
4. Inventory Systems
Aka the lifeblood of the kitchen. Ditching the pen and paper can be the most satisfying innovation for any chef or KM, however, when it comes to training rookie staff be prepared to spend an extra few hours reviewing the system. For inventory systems to be effective, they need to integrate with the restaurant's POS and accounting systems. This can be challenging if the restaurant is using outdated technology or if the systems are not compatible with one another.
Implementing inventory systems can reduce food waste by up to 20% and save up to 5% in food costs.
Inventory systems can help restaurants to reduce overstocking and understocking, leading to more efficient use of storage space and reduced spoilage.
By automating inventory management, restaurants can save up to 50 hours per week on manual inventory tracking.
5. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
The essential system for tracking every job description, applicant, and stage in the hiring process, along with the paper trail that goes along with it. Clock’d designed SEEN for this purpose so our own clients could have the latest and greatest ATS that was designed specifically for the hospitality industry. Our SEEN applicant tracking system (ATS) is a game-changer for the hiring process.
Hospitality industry specific design
Customized per client
Streamlines everything
posting job listings
screening resumes
scheduling interviews
Designed for mobile users
One click hiring
Automatic new hire document delivery
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Are you still manually publishing each individual job post to Craigslist and sorting through physical piles of resumes? Are you interested in automating and centralizing all of your hiring in one central dashboard? Schedule a consultation today and we can create a customized hiring plan to meet your needs!
Sources
Ordering Apps
Reservation Apps
Payroll Technology
Inventory Systems
Marc LaPierre is a 10-year veteran of the food and hospitality industry, Certified Staffing Professional, and CEO/Founder of Clock’d + SEEN. From cooking in James Beard award-winning kitchens to opening and managing a nightclub in Mexico, he worked every job in the industry. Today he connects professionals looking to advance their careers with clients eager to find an all-star team.