3 Technology Trends for Restaurants in 2016
In 2015, there was a continued change in how restaurants viewed and used technology to improve every field of their businesses. Basically, there was an increased use of mobile apps for EMV liability shift, loyalty programs, and consumer ordering.
The year 2016 also comes with its own challenges. Of course, there is a lot to anticipate for. Well, you can expect more secure payment processing, labor optimization, mobile commerce, and omnichannel engagement. But for now, here are the 3 current technology restaurant trends:
Payments
In 2016, Data security still continues to be a more present danger. Payment-related infringes will continue regardless of the EMV liability shift. EMV payment myths are becoming confusing and still affect customers. Attacks on large-chain cyber will continue to control the headlines, and infringes to small businesses will consequently result into most damage. Every business has the responsibility to consider its consumers’ familiarity in any payment process change and should put in place security measures to protect customers’ card data, as well as their payment networks.
Mobile wallets are currently the most feasible, secure, and best alternative for payments. However, its main challenge is merchant and consumer adoption. Other payment options such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay have had difficulties in trying to change their customer behavior and increase demand. In short, most payment platforms continue to battle to contain and gain more customers. Therefore, all you need to do is know your customers and try to find out the best mobile payment platform that will add some value to the consumers. Be sure to invest in a platform that consistently lets you respond to customers’ demand, starting from now to the next 3 years or so.
Mobile consumer engagement
Businesses are creating mobile apps so that consumers can make their group orders or simply add toppings to their orders through the mobile app. But, creating an app alone is not the automatic solution to increase customer engagement. All will basically depend on the familiarity and experience on the device. Therefore, it is very important that you provide real value for your customers by simplifying the steps for them to create an account, log in, place orders, add and redeem loyalty points. The consumers may not use your mobile app another time unless you make it easy and memorable for them.
Developing a mobile engagement strategy is very essential as it offers a great opportunity to increase the sales. This strategy however has its own challenges. You need to plan carefully and in advance. Failure to do so, your ordering program could have a huge impact on the restaurant’s operations. Also, you need to keep in mind that the key to delivering a faultless understanding that doesn’t affect your employees’ productivity is System integration. If you want to develop an app for your business, ensure that you also develop and implement staff training, making it part of your strategy.
Employee productivity
Managing the cost of labour is the biggest challenge to many restaurant operators. Fortunately, the advances in consumer-focused technology also have a positive and direct impact on employee level of productivity. A good example, the main benefit of customer self-ordering, whether by mobile device or kiosk, is basically the aptitude to minimize the labor costs incurred by reorganizing the ordering process. This way, more focus will be given to serving guests or kitchen production. When you give customers the authority to choose for themselves how to interact with you, your employee staff will be more flexible to increase their face-to-face interactions with the guests.
The access to real-time data makes it very easy to evaluate your employee productivity. Certainly, it is very helpful in reviewing speed of service offered after every shift, instead of waiting till the next day. Keep your employee motivated by letting them know how close they’re to accomplishing an incentive goal. For instance, servers will beyond no doubt work harder so as to increase the sales of desserts on Saturday night when they know they’re very close to the success line.
It is really important that you have a committed IT department. You also need professional help to build a strong customer engagement strategy, and most importantly assist you to future-proof your restaurant key operations, ensuring that your technology investment continues growing with you.
