Are you working with a flexible POS solution? Is your business running your technology, or is your technology running your business? Your restaurant should not have to change the way you operate to accommodate your POS software.
If your restaurant doesn’t have a tech stack designed for your specific needs, you are experiencing more frustration than you need to.
A software system that supports your business, rather than the other way around, can make every single shift easier in four easy-to-spot ways.
1. Smooth Processing
Any software system worth its salt smooths out your processes. Not just your front-of-house process, but a good POS software solution will also help your kitchen run more smoothly as well.
Incorporating a good Kitchen Display System (KDS) solution can avoid human errors in the transmission of orders from customers, through servers, and eventually to the kitchen. Or allowing customers to send their orders directly to the kitchen with a table top solution can also provide your restaurant with less risk of mis-ordering and faster table turn times.
In the back of the house your kitchen staff can utilize the KDS to properly organize their cooking times so the entire meal hits the table at the same time. Your KDS solution can offer insights on when to start prepping specific parts of the order based on cook time, properly space our courses, and help give clear instructions to orders instead of trying to decipher handwritten tickets.
2. Manage Staffing Capabilities
The number one constraint most businesses are experiencing right now is a general lack of skilled and motivated labor. Many forward-thinking restaurateurs are turning to a self-service model to allow them to continue operating at a high level, even with low staffing.
A good self-service system like @table, allows guests to take their dining experience into their own hands. Customers will love having the capability to take more control of their ordering, peruse your specials, and see dietary and nutrition information.
No longer will your customers need to flag down one of your already busy and overworked servers to ask for a drink refill. They will be able to place their orders and pay for their meals at their own pace when they are ready.
With customers handling these items you can reposition your staff to help with other elements of the restaurant, like running orders, seating guests, and cleaning newly emptied tables.
3. Payments
Just as different guests want to eat different items on your menu, so do guests have different methods of payment that they prefer. You should be able to offer the payment options that both you and your customer want.
Some POS software providers place restrictions on what you can offer. Ensure you have a flexible partner to integrate the solutions you want. Your customers may want a contactless way to pay. Perhaps you want to try offering your customers the ability to pay via a QR code. If a significant portion of your customers is younger, you may want to consider accepting e-Wallet payment options. The point is, your provider needs to offer the flexibility you need to accommodate both your wants and your customers.
4. Scalability
Is it your dream to scale up your business into more than one location or maybe even a franchise? This can feel totally out of reach if you do not have the funding for it.
If your business is strapped for cash, or if you want to save some funds towards opening another location, Software as a Service (SaaS) may be exactly what you need.
SaaS brings you the software you need as a subscription. This way, you don’t have to pay a massive upfront fee. In fact, you may not incur any upfront costs at all. But you can still build out the perfect POS software solution for your restaurant.
As your business grows, you can simply scale up your subscription with every new location you add, significantly decreasing the investment you need to expand your business.
Work with your software provider to design the perfect monthly plan that supports you, your finances, and your end goals as a business owner.
The right POS software system for your restaurant is out there, you just haven’t found it yet.
Make sure your solution is working for you, not the other way around. Your POS system should make your restaurant more efficient in its processes and more proficient in its revenue.
If your current software isn’t making your staff’s shifts run smoothly and helping your customers have an experience they won’t soon forget, it’s probably time you reach out for help in finding a provider that can help make your business run more efficiently.
