3 Technologies to Streamline Restaurant Operations
Technology is reshaping the ways in which almost every major industry does business. It’s reshaping how customers interact with businesses. It’s reshaping how employees get their work done. And the restaurant industry is not immune.
For instance, technology can help make a restaurant a better workplace for employees. With more than 14 million employees, the restaurant industry affects many people. With more than half of all adults having worked in a restaurant at some point in their lives, the industry is an invaluable employer in America. Technology allows for improved processes, reduced stress, and better communication which benefits all of those people involved. With the industry hurting from a 60% employee turnover rate, any solution that can simplify lives and engage employees are well worth exploring while improving the bottom line. Plus, new technology can also help restaurants engage with their customers and improve diner loyalty.
It is imperative that managers do their due diligence and spend significant time on understanding what technology is available and what it can do for their restaurant. In this article, Sling will discuss three new technologies that are making restaurants better for both their customers and their employees.
1. Resy
Built by a former restaurant owner, Resy is a complete reservation and wait list system. At its heart, it is an integrated CRM/table management/waiting list platform all in one. But it also includes 2-way SMS confirmation and reminder services as well as ticketing with PCI compliant credit card handling.
Tap the screen and Resy helps restaurants focus on guest experience. Inventory, dining room, and CRM data are always live and accessible anywhere, anytime. And with Resy, restaurants have complete control of their data. Customer data is networked across all restaurants so the restaurant can access guest notes and preferences from any location. Restaurants can also keep track of customer information like birthdays, allergies, and dietary restrictions. That information is then available to all employees — most importantly, the servers and host staff — who will interact with the customer. The information that Resy provides makes the dining experience smoother and more enjoyable for customer and server alike.
2. ChowNow
ChowNow is a technology developed especially for restaurants that allows for web-based, to-go ordering. It provides custom-built iPhone and Android ordering apps that showcase the restaurant's logo, food, and brand. And with Apple Pay and Android Pay built in, restaurant customers and employees enjoy frictionless order fulfillment.
ChowNow also provides an easy-to-use tablet that frees employees from the phones and allows restaurants to take unlimited orders at the same time. That makes for a less hectic environment and makes the employee’s job better.
ChowNow makes it possible for a restaurant to receive orders directly from its own website. No more routing orders to a third-party site. No more listing food alongside a competitor or commission paid on all orders. Just a straightforward ordering process that goes directly to the restaurant.
To extend the brand's reach and exposure, ChowNow gives it access to its order network. That network allows customers to place orders directly from the restaurant's Google Search Listing, Facebook page, Yelp, Bing, Zagat, and other high-traffic sites.
At the end of the day, it allows restaurants to analyze all the data for the brand's to-go orders. The brand can create reports, view top spenders, and customize the user experience. ChowNow even collects information on every order placed and provides re-marketing tools to help the restaurant gain repeat orders.
3. Sling
Sling is a scheduling platform that reduces the difficulty of organizing shifts, assigning tasks, and communicating with employees. Sling allows restaurants to create templates, copy schedules, and reuse old schedules so they don’t always have to create everything from scratch every time. And its messaging system allows restaurant managers to share files, photos, videos, and links directly through the Sling app to employees.
Sling helps to make the employee work experience better by helping managers avoid scheduling conflicts. The software stays abreast of employee availability and time-off requests. It allows employees to submit time-off requests directly in the app so that restaurant managers can see them while creating the schedule. To reduce conflict when creating a schedule, Sling will notify the manager of overlapping shifts or double bookings. Sling can even help managers find replacements by sending announcements to eligible employees when a shift becomes available.
Sling also allows restaurant managers to create tasks for their employees so they know what needs to be done. Tasks can be assigned by name, group, location, or position and Sling offers the option of setting due dates so that the task is completed on-time.
For instance, technology can help make a restaurant a better workplace for employees. With more than 14 million employees, the restaurant industry affects many people. With more than half of all adults having worked in a restaurant at some point in their lives, the industry is an invaluable employer in America. Technology allows for improved processes, reduced stress, and better communication which benefits all of those people involved. With the industry hurting from a 60% employee turnover rate, any solution that can simplify lives and engage employees are well worth exploring while improving the bottom line. Plus, new technology can also help restaurants engage with their customers and improve diner loyalty.
It is imperative that managers do their due diligence and spend significant time on understanding what technology is available and what it can do for their restaurant. In this article, Sling will discuss three new technologies that are making restaurants better for both their customers and their employees.
1. Resy
Built by a former restaurant owner, Resy is a complete reservation and wait list system. At its heart, it is an integrated CRM/table management/waiting list platform all in one. But it also includes 2-way SMS confirmation and reminder services as well as ticketing with PCI compliant credit card handling.
Tap the screen and Resy helps restaurants focus on guest experience. Inventory, dining room, and CRM data are always live and accessible anywhere, anytime. And with Resy, restaurants have complete control of their data. Customer data is networked across all restaurants so the restaurant can access guest notes and preferences from any location. Restaurants can also keep track of customer information like birthdays, allergies, and dietary restrictions. That information is then available to all employees — most importantly, the servers and host staff — who will interact with the customer. The information that Resy provides makes the dining experience smoother and more enjoyable for customer and server alike.
2. ChowNow
ChowNow is a technology developed especially for restaurants that allows for web-based, to-go ordering. It provides custom-built iPhone and Android ordering apps that showcase the restaurant's logo, food, and brand. And with Apple Pay and Android Pay built in, restaurant customers and employees enjoy frictionless order fulfillment.
ChowNow also provides an easy-to-use tablet that frees employees from the phones and allows restaurants to take unlimited orders at the same time. That makes for a less hectic environment and makes the employee’s job better.
ChowNow makes it possible for a restaurant to receive orders directly from its own website. No more routing orders to a third-party site. No more listing food alongside a competitor or commission paid on all orders. Just a straightforward ordering process that goes directly to the restaurant.
To extend the brand's reach and exposure, ChowNow gives it access to its order network. That network allows customers to place orders directly from the restaurant's Google Search Listing, Facebook page, Yelp, Bing, Zagat, and other high-traffic sites.
At the end of the day, it allows restaurants to analyze all the data for the brand's to-go orders. The brand can create reports, view top spenders, and customize the user experience. ChowNow even collects information on every order placed and provides re-marketing tools to help the restaurant gain repeat orders.
3. Sling
Sling is a scheduling platform that reduces the difficulty of organizing shifts, assigning tasks, and communicating with employees. Sling allows restaurants to create templates, copy schedules, and reuse old schedules so they don’t always have to create everything from scratch every time. And its messaging system allows restaurant managers to share files, photos, videos, and links directly through the Sling app to employees.
Sling helps to make the employee work experience better by helping managers avoid scheduling conflicts. The software stays abreast of employee availability and time-off requests. It allows employees to submit time-off requests directly in the app so that restaurant managers can see them while creating the schedule. To reduce conflict when creating a schedule, Sling will notify the manager of overlapping shifts or double bookings. Sling can even help managers find replacements by sending announcements to eligible employees when a shift becomes available.
Sling also allows restaurant managers to create tasks for their employees so they know what needs to be done. Tasks can be assigned by name, group, location, or position and Sling offers the option of setting due dates so that the task is completed on-time.