Owning a restaurant can be daunting and filled with many challenges. Besides good food, guests also expect exceptional customer service, a comfortable and pleasing atmosphere, as well as added conveniences such as the ability to book reservations online.
It can be hard to keep up with the demands of customers, and even more difficult to know where to begin making improvements to the way you do business so that you can provide better services. Here are five ways that you can streamline your restaurant operations and see more success.
1. Invest in a Quality Point of Sale (POS) System
There have been a number of advancements when it comes to POS technology. These days, POS systems are more like retail management systems in that they help you manage a number of aspects of your business. Merchant service providers like SwiftPayments.ca offer a POS system that lets you:
– Facilitate orders while automatically keeping track of inventory.
– Offer convenience to customers with handheld credit and debit card machines.
– Accept gift cards, split cheques, transfer tabs, and apply tips, all with a mobile POS solution that works on iPad, iPhone, Android devices, and all tablets.
– Meet Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) to protect your guests’ information.
– Analyze and collect data with real-time reporting on business performance.
– These features allow you to streamline a number of your restaurant operations all in one place.
2. Use Scheduling Software
Taking the time to write up a schedule every couple of weeks is extremely time-consuming and open to human error. There are programs out there that allow for easy timesheet management by automating a number of processes including timesheet creation and shift change notifications. They also allow your employees to clock in and out and it even saves payroll information.
All-in-one touchscreen cash registers and POS systems also have the ability to manage timesheets, as well as a number of other features. So if you have a large operation and need an all-in-one solution, consider getting your restaurant a touchscreen terminal.
3. Take Advantage of Accounting Software
Accounting can be a headache even for the most financially savvy business owners. When it comes to running a restaurant, there a number of other things you need to worry about instead of punching the numbers. While POS systems make this easier, you can see even more time saved by integrating accounting software into your POS solution.
Many POS systems integrate seamlessly with accounting software like QuickBooks. Sales data gets automatically transferred to your software which can save you loads of time from having to do it manually, as well as reduce human-introduced inaccuracies.
Do Your Research
When looking for software solutions that can improve your business, make sure you are getting the ones that will work perfectly for you. Look around online for reviews and read customer testimonials to make sure that you are getting a good deal on the product you are interested in buying. At the end of the day it will be well worth it.