Having to adapt to life during the pandemic meant that restaurants really had to up their game when it came to using innovative technology – something that in the past they had not been so quick to do.
As restaurant marketing strategy evolves, here are 5 restaurant systems you should be considering in 2021 to help boost profitability.
Stock Management Application
POS firms have designed and developed stock management applications to make stock data entry, search and visualisation possible from any location and at any time using smartphones.
Managing stock management virtually enables businesses to keep track of their stock levels, prepare worklists, create purchase orders, and overlook delivery control with ease. With the ability to manage stock remotely and automate orders as soon as they go below safety levels, it helps to reduce waste, thus saving money and improving profit margins.
Stock Management also helps to eliminate the tedious manual task of maintaining complex spreadsheets, which will reduce any costly human error that occurs with tracking inventory manually.
Seamless Online Ordering
As the world continues to adapt to the “new normal,” there will still be times when restrictions apply, until the pandemic is completely under control. While online ordering was previously just a desirable convenience, this has grown to be a must-have tool for restaurant survival. On top of helping businesses stay afloat, an online ordering system yields many advantages to boost profit for restaurant owners.
One of the most obvious benefits of a restaurant online ordering system is how the process can be done seamlessly via an app or web page. Customers can place an order online conveniently from the comfort of their work or home, and with POS integration, these orders are sent to the kitchen within seconds. With the integration of this convenient technology, businesses can enjoy improved order accuracy. Accurate orders produce customer satisfaction, which leads to an increase in repeated sales.
Some online ordering platforms also allow businesses to add customer details to their marketing database, allowing them to send out emails and notifications to inform them of any upcoming promotions. As businesses are able to build a targeted customer database with little to no cost, this leaves room in the marketing budget for other activities to increase revenue.
Contactless Ordering
As customers want to be able to order in a safe and contactless way, restaurants that have contactless ordering systems are in the best position to boost their profits.
Restaurants can now have contactless table ordering through QR code scanning, where a customer can simply scan the QR code located on the table, have the digital menu load on their phone and place their orders with minimal human contact.
Another safe option is the self-ordering kiosk. Self-ordering kiosks, though requiring the customer to place their order by touching a screen, are easy to sanitise and provide an alternative to face-to-face ordering for customers who wish to socially distance.
Smart and Easy Integration: Cloud POS
In recent years, POS software has been hyper connected thanks to cloud technology. Cloud POS offers all the tools needed to run a business in one place and has been the ultimate driver of growth and efficiency.
The key benefit of Cloud POS is that it seamlessly integrates with other business tools such as mobile reporting apps, self-ordering kiosks, online delivery apps, and more. That means that business owners can select the specialised technology add-ons that they need, and those will operate seamlessly with their POS.
This cloud integration gives business owners the time and space to focus on strategies that will drive profit. Rather than spending their time trying to streamline processes, business owners can trust that the cloud system is running seamlessly in the background.
Kitchen Display Screens
When orders are misplaced or forgotten, costly ingredients can be wasted, and customers can demand refunds, putting a dent in profits.
Restaurants can improve profits by sending orders straight from the POS to the kitchen display screen. Instead of using handwritten docket books that can be lost or placed in the wrong order, kitchen staff can view orders in real-time and stay on top of the queue, even during the busiest periods.
That means there is less risk of missing orders, hence less risk of costly mistakes.
Technology is offering greater opportunities than ever before to maximise profit. Stock Management Applications, Online Ordering, Contactless Ordering, Cloud POS, and Kitchen Display Screens all provide opportunities to cut costs and to generate more revenue.
Consider choosing one or more of these technologies for your restaurant, and you might be surprised with the result!
Set up your online store with Abacus
If you would like to open up your business to online sales, and takeaway and delivery functionality, speak to our friendly and experienced team at Abacus. We are currently providing our Online Ordering platform with NO upfront cost and $0 ongoing monthly fees on top of your regular Abacus POS subscription. The only additional cost to you is a small transaction fee.
Submit your interest here or email us at sales@abacus.co and our product specialists will reach out to you to discuss how we can help your business during this period. Alternatively, give us a call on (03) 9017 2792.