In the hustle and the bustle of the average restaurant, it can be a significant challenge to think creatively about what your employees need to do their job better. This is especially true when it comes to operations technology. When there is an initial investment needed, along with the time investment that is required to learn a new system and implement it, it can just feel easier to keep going with what you have. Still, if you’re thinking about the next steps for your business, here are three avenues that practically any restaurant can benefit from going down.
For higher-cost orders, people tend to overwhelmingly prefer to pay with a card. That’s because it’s inconvenient, and risky, to lug around a lot of cash. People demand convenience when they pay, but as technology progresses, just accepting credit cards as a small business probably won’t get you all the way for long. With novel payment methods becoming standard, consumers are increasingly comfortable paying through apps, QR codes, NFC payments, and possibly more in the future.
Whether ordering is going on in your restaurant, or online, getting the order right is essential for customer satisfaction. Next generation hardware makes it possible to add an incredible amount of convenience to the process of getting an order right. Any tablet can be co-opted to assist the wait staff in getting the order placed quickly, and with another tablet in the kitchen displaying the orders as they come in, it can mean that the whole operation runs more smoothly.
The same goes for online ordering, which has come into vogue with restaurants in the grey area between fast food and nice sit-down restaurants. With any business, it’s all about giving your customers options, especially when those options are becoming the norm. With a digital infrastructure that allows your customers to order from their mobile and pick up at the store, you’re promoting yet another way for your customers to interact with you conveniently.
Some restaurants are late in the game to getting a social media presence, possibly because they are wary of the time commitment they think it might be. The thing is, it’s not just a way to put pictures of your steaks online. Social media has become far more integral in the marketing sphere, with the myriad tools that Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter use to advertise. If you’ve been dragging your feet, it may be time to take the plunge and see what you can realistically do. There are services designed just for small businesses, such as SproutSocial, which can take some of the effort out of getting it going.
If you’ve already started accepting credit cards as a small business, you’re doing well! But be sure to stay on top of all the useful technologies that have become available to restaurants, and get on board with the ones that can save you time and money.