Impact Of Technology – Running a successful restaurant business is about the elimination of errors and better customer experience. Preparing and serving good food is one thing but meeting the expectations of today?s fast-paced world is another. Any gap between the two can bring a business to its knees within weeks. This requirement breeds the ground for technological innovations that are rapidly becoming the backbone of all successful restaurants.
Restaurant technology isn?t a novel concept but it is a constantly evolving one and plays a key role in optimizing operations, controlling costs, and narrowing the time gap between order placement and serving. There is no end to what can be achieved through the implementation of new technology in restaurants. This blog highlights some of the best technologies used in restaurant industry along with their impact and our personal recommendations:
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Software:
CRM tools bridge the gap between restaurant owners and customers. The software monitors customer data, loyalty, and preferences and allows its users to make personalized offers through SMS or emails. The software is also equipped with a customer feedback system that allows the owner to collect customer feedback.
Impact: Helps in effective management of relationships and keeping track of customer interactions. Also, improves customer experience and loyalty.
Recommended Restaurant CRMs: Ovation, Thanx, Punchh, etc.
Restaurant Staffing and Scheduling Tools:
Employee scheduling systems help manage shifts, schedules, and employee records in an organized manner. There are several features to leverage like employee messaging, shift swapping, time-clock tracking, and so on.
Impact: This restaurant tech can be used to manage peak hours, track the working hours of employees and get alerts when the staff are reaching their capacity. It runs smoothly with both laptops and mobiles, so keeping a tab is not tiresome. And if your needs are constantly evolving, you can always use HR management software to hire new employees, take care of the paperwork, create payrolls, and track performance.
Our Recommendation: Push Operations, Planday, HotSchedules, 7Shifts, Homebase, and Coast.
Also Read : How to Scan QR code for Menu?
Marketing And Social Media Management:
Digital tools like social media and search engines play a key role in promotion and image building. There is a complete set of social media tools available to monitor incoming traffic, manage customer relationships, and get target customers? attention in the right way. Several other technologies like restaurant marketing software, loyalty program apps, home delivery apps, etc are in this category. Software like these is used to strengthen connections with consumers, collect feedback, interact, and promote new offerings.?
Impact: Staying in touch with customers is an evergreen move. Digital tools like search engines and social media platforms further personalize the process and help deal with customers on a one-to-one basis.
Our Recommendation: Social media tools like Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter are a must for every restaurant. As for restaurant marketing tools, you can use 7Rooms, Targetable, ZeroStorefront, Incentivio.
Payment Processing Systems & On-Premise Ordering:
On-premise ordering is now a technological process. One can sit in a restaurant and order using a tablet or a smartphone. Even waiters can use handheld devices to take orders. Similarly, payment processing systems accept online payments through eWallets, credit cards, and third-party payment apps. Some of these tools also offer business performance reports to the owners. Most customers now prefer to make online payments instead of carrying cash around, so, it is rational to install one in your restaurant rather than lose customers.
Impact: Contactless ordering and payment systems have reduced human errors in food ordering and payment processes. Most owners noted improvements in efficiency, processing, and reducing waiting time for customers.
Our Recommendation: OneDine, Rooam, TableSafe, GoFrugal, Tookan, etc.
Digital Menu Design Tools:
Digital menu design tools help owners customize and design their own menus and release them online. The tools support both print and digital versions of menus that can be accessed by scanning a QR code through tablets or smartphones. Digital menus are sophisticated replacements for traditional signage and printed menus. They are more personalized and convenient for most customers.
Impact: Digital menus are essential for improving conversions and sales. They allow customers to take a look and order from anywhere. Whether your restaurant is part of a big hotel chain or a quick-serve restaurant just around the corner, a bright and clear menu on a personalized screen will be more engaging for customers.
Our Recommendation: Pickcel, Bbot, Grubbrr, etc.
Online Restaurant Ordering System & Delivery Platforms:
Food delivery software extend the reach of restaurants beyond their premises. It works at both ends as it allows the customers to enjoy food from the comfort of their homes and allows restaurants to make sales despite low footfall in their shops. Online ordering apps also help restaurants to keep track of their delivery partners and ensure that the food reaches the customer within a given time limit.
Impact: Online food ordering apps have revolutionized the food delivery process. It is a win-win situation for both providers and consumers and keeps things in motion irrespective of weather, time, and conditions on the external front.
Our Recommendations: Waitr, Snackpass, MealPal, Olo, Lunchbox, etc.
Restaurant Automation and Robotics Technology:
Out of all the new technology used in restaurants, robotics and automation systems top the list due to obvious reasons. Such innovations reduce the effort involved in labor-intensive tasks like food preparation, dishwashing, cleaning, etc. Several new automated tools like condiment dispensers, beverage dispensers, high-tech trash cans, robotic arms for dishwashing, etc have successfully eliminated the operational limitations imposed by limited human capability.
Impact: Automation tools and robots have strengthened the relationship between technology and restaurants. They reduce the chances of human error and speed up the management process by x times. Also, restaurant techs like these streamline the operations in a more effective way and help maintain the standards with great ease.
Our Recommendations: Restaurant365, NCR Aloha POS, Upserve, TouchBistro, and UrbanPiper.
Restaurant POS (Point of Sale) Systems:
It is the basic part of restaurant technology that smoothens process transactions, sales data tracking, and inventory management. Apart from that, a restaurant POS system can help you make changes in the menu, offers, table reservations, online ordering and take a peek into sales data to understand the major factors influencing the performance of a business.
Impact: POS is part of the most essential technologies in the restaurant industry. It creases out all issues pertaining to efficient management of restaurant operations be it payment processings or offer customization. All other techs discussed above can easily be integrated into POS systems and used to get desired outcomes.
Our Recommendation: Shoocal, TouchBistro. Toast POS< Square for Restaurant POS, etc.
About Shoocal
Shoocal is a mobile POS system that helps with restaurant online ordering, customer engagement, and acts as a reliable retention platform. Restaurants looking for new customer loyalty programs, digital menus and customer feedback systems can find reliable options with Shoocal. For more, you can check out the product segment at restaurant ordering system.?
