Running a successful restaurant means always being on the move, checking on customers and addressing issues to ensure a well-run operation and a quality guest experience. Desktop-based restaurant management tools have long made this difficult for managers, tying them to their desks when they need to be on the floor.
That’s why many restaurant operators are embracing mobile restaurant management tools, which enable on-the-go access to everything from employee management to kitchen operations to reorder status — right from a manager’s mobile device.
Mobility Increases Management Efficiency
Restaurants require a dedicated staff of employees who, like restaurant managers, are always on the move. Managers and staff alike welcome tools that make it easier to manage schedules, compliance and payroll.
Mobile has already had a big impact on hospitality, with tablets and smartphones bringing much needed efficiencies to restaurant operations and customer experience. It promises to make an even bigger impact in the wake of announcements such as the alliance between Homebase, a provider of employee management tools, and Square, a payment and commerce solutions developer. According to Fast Casual, Homebase’s free tools are now available in the Square App Marketplace. The tool integrates seamlessly into existing point-of-sale systems like Square, Clover and Revel. Similar alliances have been forged between HotSchedules and PeopleMatter and Toast and 7shifts. Such integrations are key to making these tools useful across the enterprise by providing real-time access to key data to fuel instant decisions.
Managers can use Homebase’s free scheduling, time sheet and communication tools to seamlessly track hours, overtime and tips via their mobile devices, ensuring they meet labor plans and changing business demands while preventing payroll errors. Managers can see who is clocked in and track labor dollars in real time. They can also access Homebase’s free scheduling tools to publish a schedule online and send it directly to their employees via text and email.
Smartphones boost efficiency across industries.
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Serving Millennials via Mobile
Restaurant workers benefit from mobility as well, as employees, particularly millennials, are increasingly reliant on mobile devices. The restaurant industry’s ability to leverage mobile tools to make jobs easier and more efficient is critical to attract and retain employees. Research by CompTIA found that an employer’s tech savvy is important to potential employees: 74 percent of millennials and 61 percent of Gen Xers say it’s a consideration for employment, according to Hospitality Technology.
With a mobile restaurant management tool like Homebase, restaurant employees can view schedules, manage time-off requests and trade shifts directly from a free mobile app. Because the tool is tightly integrated with backend systems, workers are assured they’re seeing real-time data.
One restaurant taking advantage of mobile employee management tools is Aharon Coffee & Roasting Co., based in Beverly Hills, California. “Homebase helps me organize [employees’] availability and time-off requests quickly and efficiently,” says BatSheva Vaknin, co-owner. “As a business owner, I love that Homebase can text me every time an employee is late or hitting overtime. Our employees tell us over and over what a great program Homebase is for them, too.”
Serving guests demands that managers and staff alike be on the move at all times. Mobile restaurant management tools bring the power and convenience of technology to the job, helping restaurateurs better satisfy workers, guests and the bottom line.
Looking for more ways to increase efficiency at your restaurant? Tableside tablets can boost upsells and eliminate costs.
