Restaurant customers today expect a lot from their dining experiences: online ordering, delivery, and payment; menu choices that suit their dietary preferences; and consistently high-quality food which is also affordable, sustainable, and served quickly.
This type of mindset is pushing the restaurant industry to integrate more technology into their business operations. What makes innovation even more necessary for restaurants is that their customers avidly use technology when ordering food, and believe it creates a better experience overall.
An essential tool
Those that fall short on delivering the experiences their shoppers crave risk losing revenue to competitors keeping pace with the trends. In this dynamic scenario, point of sale (POS) systems play a crucial role. Since their introduction at the end of the 1970s, these systems became an essential tool for successful restaurant management.
Over the years, the impact of POS systems has expanded from handling cash transactions to include other mission-critical areas, such as managing inventory, optimizing staff shifts and menus, accepting orders from multiple channels, and processing different payment methods.
Then came COVID-19, which accelerated the need for a modern POS system that is a foundational part of enhancing customer experience, improving business operations, and maximizing revenue. As the expectations of a POS have changed, restaurants are in the process of migrating from legacy systems to modern, cloud-based solutions.
Cloud technology is better suited to business management in a rapidly changing marketplace. This article looks at why restaurant owners should consider making the switch to a cloud-based POS.
Flexibility is the key
Today’s trends and challenges are consistently evolving and creating a dynamic environment for restaurant owners, whether centered on improving day-to-day operations or enhancing the customer experience. Examples of current priorities are:
● Providing mobile tablets to both guests and personnel, increasing ordering speed, enhancing guests’ experiences, and improving accuracy.
● Having an omnichannel approach that includes third-party apps to assist in ordering, booking, delivery, and payment.
● Understanding customer preferences to personalize menus, marketing activities, and loyalty programs.
● Using sales data to better manage inventory and personnel, and improve business operations across the board.
● Accepting different payment options and maintaining EMV compliance.
● Having a centralized view for multi-unit operations, to manage employees in multiple stores, and make immediate menu or pricing changes across the entire chain.
Given these dynamics, there’s the one critical reason to consider a switch – restaurants need a solution that is flexible and fast in order to add new capabilities. A cloud platform is the answer to meeting the rapidly-growing demands of consumers.
The cost of switching – it’s less than you think
As with any system change, moving your POS from legacy to the cloud requires hardware cost, data migration, and training. However, like any business decision, operators should consider the long-term benefits of the investment. The good news is that the cost of a new cloud POS rollout will literally be a fraction of what it cost to rollout a POS ten to fifteen years ago.
Many restaurants are rapidly implementing modern, cloud-based solutions to keep pace with ever-changing consumer requirements.v However, some restaurants are stuck on dated point of sale (POS) platforms, and are often reluctant to make the switch due to concerns over the implementation process.
Fortunately, making the switch is not like it used to be. Newer solutions can be implemented quickly and are incredibly user-friendly for employees. These solutions will provide a technology foundation that future-proofs your business and helps you provide a superlative customer experience.
Further details:
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