We hear a nationwide sigh of relief as Scotland is set for its biggest bout of lockdown easing entering into April with further plans to roll out the ‘back to normal’ initiative for the coming months. And as we see the light at the end of the tunnel, restaurants are looking for alternative solutions, many discovering that their old business model simply doesn’t work when faced with challenges brought about by lockdowns restrictions and social distancing guidelines.
If the last year has given us any indication, the compulsory mask-wear, social distancing and hygiene guidelines will still be a standard for many months to come, if not years. So how realistic is it for hospitality businesses to go back to fulfilling orders like they did 12 months ago? It’s reasonable to say if precautions are taken; fairly likely and soon with a few added amendments to the traditional runnings of businesses. This includes the adopting of sophisticated point of sale (POS) solutions and mobile ordering services to address covid-related concerns.
Leveraging POS systems will be a crucial first step when the time comes in creating seamless contactless transactions through a range of solutions. This seemingly simple act of digital transformation and automation opens up a plethora of opportunities for hotels, bars, pubs and restaurants which traditionally rely on dated cash-based till systems. On top of considerably faster transaction speeds, allowing venues to fire through more orders than ever before, POS facilitates data collection to monitor transactions, sales and track stock levels in real-time.
Convenient, yes, but this also gives businesses insights unavailable with simple cash-based systems. The difference is that where venues would have previously guessed customer tendencies, POS offers certainty. Venues can change prices and offers depending on what will sell the best, which can make a huge difference to revenue streams – particularly as venues look to recuperate their 2020 losses.
Speeding up service has always been a priority for hospitality businesses for convenience’s sake but in today’s lockdown era, this also addresses safety concerns to allow for more effective social distancing. This can seem a difficult feat to achieve during peak travel season when demand is high but it doesn’t have to be. Mobile ordering has been adopted by venues up and down the country to create safer and more convenient ways to order food and process payments by minimising touchpoints between customers and staff alike. Solutions provided by Goodtill by SumUp, an industry-leading POS provider champions Goodeats; a mobile ordering platform that is also able to accept table ordering as well as in-room ordering to cater to more diverse crowds in more diverse ways and most importantly – safer ways.
While its click and collect function will negate many challenges posed by lockdown restrictions, table ordering will no doubt find its spotlight once hospitality businesses are ready to welcome their customers back inside their venues. This is in addition to unlocking pick-up, delivery and drop-off to promote a smoother and safer checkout experience.
The pandemic has hit the hospitality sector hard. But as these establishments look to reopen, technology not only plays a pivotal role in helping businesses to safely welcome the public back on-premises but also sets them up for long term sustainable success.