Managing a restaurant from multiple locations is a challenging job. Still, with the help of restaurant POS (point of sales) software and related solutions, the challenge has now become less complex to manage for restaurant owners. What would encourage a restaurateur to go on for expansion in their business? The reasons can be different as it can go both ways, maybe the business is doing well, and the owner would want another place to serve the same purpose.
Otherwise, there would be an apparent reason for relocation. The owners may want to explore the market in the newly recognized place to analyze the market trends and how their business will get benefits concerning the dynamics of the particular area.
In all these situations, we will see how restaurant software can help in managing a multi-location restaurant.
1. Inventory Management
One of the essential factors in the restaurant business is inventory and stock management. It is necessary to keep a record of things being used from the inventory. Along with the usage details, the total inventory position after day to day sales is also needed for swift operations.
Software can offer concurrent details for the handlers about the inventory flow, stock distribution, and material usage in a multi-location restaurant. Moreover, such solutions also provide complete details about the stock overflow so the access materials can be channeled to the nearest location. It goes without saying that historical data analysis is also good if one wants to understand consumption trends and prepare accordingly.
2. Smart use of technology
Growing businesses would need innovations in their operations to standout in the market as the torchbearer for others. In this digital age, the customers need quick responses and swift operations as they are praised. For instance, if someone owns a chain of multiple restaurants and wants the inventory setup & other business affairs to be dealt with on the same platform online, then a restaurant POS software and hardware combination is the most suitable solution.
They provide essential support to the restaurateurs in managing inventory, sales, day-to-day reports, and restaurants’ financial aspects. Restaurant software solutions are a good approach when the manager doesn’t have enough time to check every single entry in the sales and inventory.
Just a single tap, and all the entries come upon the screen. This solution is not only time saving but also smart and effective. Especially in the time of COVID-19, there is a trend towards using contact-less means of paying, such as with your smartphone over NFC or even with biometry like facial recognition or fingerprint scanners.
3. Smart menu shuffling
Restaurants are known for their tastes and services, how good it can be if people can have a different taste every time they visit. Using restaurant-focused software with an interface to digital signage has been an easy task to customize the menu. The use of menu customization makes it easy to shuffle menus and offerings between the multi-channel restaurants.
Moreover, it is easy to promote a product from one outlet and can have its price increased or decreased in the other. The handlers can also switch the menu from one location to another, so the people visiting different locations can enjoy different menus every time.
4. Customized data flow
Multi-layered businesses require accurate data flow between the channels, so there may be no ambiguity in their businesses’ operations and management. When picking your solution, you’ll best make sure that it will also provide a unified database for inventory, stock positions, and sales between the restaurants.
Such applications and implementations can strengthen the restaurant business. Not only the data flow and data accusation, but such software is also prominent in providing smart payment solutions to the customer.
5. Keeping up with customer feedback
Have you ever checked Yelp or Google Maps for reviews before you went to a restaurant or a bar? Customers and their voices are the real assets of any business, and this is not only true for marketing. Through the effective use of technology, the handlers can have their customers satisfied. If you’re going for a technological solution to help you with more than just sales and inventory and marketing and sales, it would be wise to consider such integrations.
Restaurateurs should keep a close eye towards how the customers are responding to the services provided to them. It is always necessary to keep a good look at how people are responding to your work. It gives the owner a boost to do well. Sometimes the reviews may go the other way. There is a possibility that people might not be happy or satisfied with the type of food and services you are offering, don’t take it negatively as failure brings another opportunity to lead the way in the future.
6. Keeping eyes on the competition
Competitors in the market are always an opportunity and a threat altogether. You can take advantage of their shortcomings, and with improved services, they can take your business away. To compete and succeed, especially in multiple-restaurant business and chain franchises, try to keep up with the pace and be a step ahead of the people who are competing with you.
To analyze what the competitors are planning, devise a strategy to survey. Prepare a timeline to survey the market to observe the common understanding of how the competitors are trying new things to engage more and more customers. After such observations, plan a strategy and win the customers to have a holistic and peaceful experience.
Summary
Like in many aspects of running a business, there is no single right choice for all situations. You will need to carefully assess your requirements from an operational point of view and keep your local laws and regulations in mind. For instance, what can be in the cloud, and what can’t. In this aspect, it is often useful to work with a local company to provide these solutions, as they are familiar with compliance and might even know better what to do and what not to do.
This guest article has been provided by Kamil Riaz Kara. Thanks a lot for your contribution!
Photo credit: The feature image has been done by Tarran Goodwin. The picture “table and chairs inside of a bricked walled lounge-type area” was taken by Carlos Pedro de Carvalho Pinto. The photo “people sitting at tables eating food” has been prepared by Wadih Nader. The image “young brunette woman sitting in restaurant” was shot by Ke-Chiang (Ariel) Liu. The author’s image is owned by himself and was provided with permission to be used by TechAcute.
