In today’s day and age, most of us have smartphones, bluetooth devices, computers, and more. We have smart TVs that can guess what we want to watch, smart thermostats that know what temperature to keep our houses, and speakers that remember how loud we want to listen to our music. Apple recently announced their users unlock their phones 80 times each day (according to Business Insider), which, if you subtract time for sleeping, is 5 times an hour. With all of that around us, why wouldn’t we be adding the same level of technological advancements to our restaurants?
Running a restaurant is time-consuming and involved. It’s very rewarding, but it can be hard and stressful. Technology can help reduce stress and give you back some of the time you’ve lost. Here are 7 facts about restaurant technology that no one told you (or if they did, you didn’t believe them!):
- Not all restaurant software is expensive.
Many people think technology and software are so costly they aren’t worth the price. In fact, the time and money they save usually far outweigh the costs incurred. And while many options do have commissions or high fees, there are also plenty of options that are less expensive.
- It’s good for any type or size of food business.
We know you might assume you need to have a large restaurant with multiple locations to benefit from most technology, but the truth is that these things are just as good for smaller businesses – sometimes better, even, because in smaller businesses, you’re often relegated to doing everything on your own, which makes everyday work even harder. Let technology take some of that burden off your shoulders.
- It’s not a “weakness” to need help.
For some reason, many of us feel like any time we can’t do everything 100% on our own, we’re failures. That’s not the case. Running a restaurant is hard enough when you have a full staff. Even if you do, it’s not a sign of weakness to need – or even want – assistance.
- It doesn’t ruin the person-to-person interaction in the restaurant.
Technology actually frees you up so you can focus on those interactions, which makes them better, not worse. Anything you can do to reduce the job responsibilities you have gives you extra time and availability to work with your customers directly, which is an improvement for both you and them.
- It’s usually pretty easy to set up.
Some people assume it’s easier to just find another solution, or keep dealing with issues, rather than take the time to set up a complicated system. These systems are generally much easier to set up than you think. Some of them only take a few minutes, and even if some do take a few hours or days, the benefits from the technologies are usually worth the time they’ll save you in the long-run.
- It’s not too complicated for you or your staff to pick up.
Most restaurant-based technologies are specifically designed to make your life easier, not harder. There will be a learning curve, obviously, but it usually isn’t bad and doesn’t take nearly as long as you think it will. Your employees will thank you once you’ve given them a way to make their jobs easier!
- You’re going to breathe a sigh of relief once it’s in place.
Okay, maybe someone did tell you this. Whether it’s a food inventory management system, an automated phone system like Reachify, or a point-of-sale system, any of these technologies will make things easier for you. With things running smoothly, you’ll feel less stressed and have more time to devote to improving other areas of your restaurant.
One other thing to remember is that as time goes on, the problems that you’re having at your restaurant are not likely to fix themselves. You will always be short on time, but it will only be worse if you don’t tackle current issues before new ones pop up. Software presents a solution to a very real problem you’ve identified for your restaurant. Why wait?
People often seem to delegate adding software or technology to their restaurant as a last resort, but there is absolutely no reason for that. Technology is here to stay, and there’s no reason to put off using it until you’re burned out already. Get started now! If you want to learn more about Reachify’s automated phone service, which can save you 37 hours and nearly $600 in labor costs every month, get our attention here.
