3 Tips to Solve Staffing Issues in Restaurants
Currently, restaurants are trying to juggle several different issues at once. On one end, they struggle to keep customers amid safety concerns, and on the other end, they face difficulties trying to attract enough workers to meet customer demands. As a result, between appeasing customers and staff, restaurants are beginning to feel desperate and overwhelmed.
So, as circumstances continue to shift and change, how can you ensure as a restaurant owner that you’re providing excellent customer service, even amid staffing shortages and concerns? Fortunately, there are ways of combating staffing issues in restaurants, especially with recent advances in technology. Here are 3 tips for learning how you can solve staffing concerns without jeopardizing customer service.
1. Implement Online Ordering—And Run With It
You can address staffing issues in restaurants by integrating an online ordering solution into your business operations. It’s crucial that you offer online ordering to customers so you can remain operational no matter what external circumstances may arise.
However, simply having an online ordering platform isn’t good enough for your restaurant. You must ask yourself the following questions: is it a reliable online ordering option? Do people know that you have it? Can customers find it and have access to it quickly? So, if you’re going to invest in an online ordering system, you must be willing to invest in it one-hundred percent.
Ensure that you keep up on maintenance for your online ordering system and that you’re promoting it well so you can maximize the benefits of having one in your arsenal. Additionally, you want to ensure that customers already know about your online/mobile options before they actually need them. That way, when they do decide to order a meal online, they’ll choose you over a competitor.
2. Add Kiosks to Boost Customer Satisfaction
In addition to online ordering platforms, implementing kiosks is another viable option to solve staffing issues in restaurants. Not only do kiosks provide customers with a more customizable experience, but they also minimize the human errors that occur from verbal orders to servers to kitchen staff. Instead of playing an awkward game of telephone, kiosks allow your team to focus on the essential aspect of your restaurant operation: providing excellent food.
Plus, kiosks can increase your customer base, with you demanding that new servers be available. Kiosks can also make the process from ordering to receiving food more efficient for the customer. For example, customers can serve themselves without relying on the assistance of one of your staff members, giving your guests more control over their dining experience and your staff more freedom to ensure that the restaurant is running smoothly.
3. Supplement Serving Staff with Order and Pay at Table Technology
There’s no doubt that online ordering and kiosks have irrefutably altered the traditional experience of a sit-down restaurant. Now, customers want to take more time, savoring their dining experience and the restaurant atmosphere. You can give customers exactly what they want, regardless of staffing issues in your restaurant, with order and pay at the table technology.
Customers can soak up their night out when you offer order and pay at the table by enjoying table service, all with the convenience and safety of ordering and spending from their device. This solution is even more beneficial to restaurant owners, as order and pay at the table technology can lead to higher average ticket sizes without a more extensive staff. Plus, customers can continue to order more food as they sit at the table, so you can keep their stomachs full and boost your bottom line.
How Focus POS Can Solve Your Staffing Issues in Restaurants
As you can see, technology solutions can help ease your staffing burdens, as well as delighting your customers with a memorable dining experience. Luckily for you, Focus POS has everything you need to fight back against staff shortages.
Our Online Ordering system can help your workers expedite food prep and also seamlessly integrates with third-party apps, such as Uber Eats and DoorDash, so that you can manage everything from one system. Also, with Focus Order and Pay at Table, customers can scan a QR code display and pull up your menu on their mobile device. From there, they only need to submit contact information once, and they can begin ordering food for as long as they want. Plus, you can manage kiosks with our Mobile POS solution, so you can keep lines moving and manage your restaurant on the go.
So, are you ready to solve staffing issues in your restaurant? Contact us today, and see how Focus POS is your one-stop-shop for all your restaurant technology needs.
