Technology
Technology is at the core of hospitality. Foodservice operators should be totally tuned in to how digital will live on for their brands. Particularly over the last year, businesses have grown much more confident with digital solutions. A recent CGA survey found that a staggering 95% of leaders thought technology would be important in their operations after lockdown. This is set to continue.
Going forward, we should expect a greater focus on order and pay technology, contactless payments and even robot technology as operators explore different ways to improve customer confidence again. The use of robots could be used for cleaning purposes to help make the environment more COVID-secure, or even order taking, delivery service and in production kitchens making pizzas and flipping burgers. Virtual reality technology has also been successful, giving customers a real sense of what they are booking. This will certainly continue and could give you a real edge on your rivals. Make sure the platform you use is simple to use and easily accessible.
Allow technology to make your life easier. Use it to manage staff costs, for example or even labour scheduling. Be prepared to invest in the best technology-based services. Particularly within workplace catering, smart tills and smart vending machines should be introduced. Whatever system you go with, make sure it doesn’t impact customer satisfaction.