Have you started reopening your hotel’s food and beverage outlets? If so, you know that it’s not a simple as just opening your doors and saying “Welcome Back! May I take your order?” Due to the global pandemic, there are multiple new standards that hotels and restaurants must adhere to in order to uphold the health and safety recommendations from local government agencies, the CDC, FDA and more. Before reopening, there are a few things to consider to make sure that you are keeping your staff and guests’ safety top of mind while still optimizing your business operations. With that said, technology has stepped in and filled the gap for the new demand of contactless service within the F&B environment.
When looking to reopen your restaurant, the best way to ensure you are setting yourself up for success is by considering these items:
1. Make Your Staff’s Safety a Priority
People are what truly make the hospitality industry great and making sure their safety is prioritized will help your business long term. One safety measure to consider for your team, within the F&B industry specifically, could mean mobilizing your point-of-sale system. Using a system like Teres POS allows you to quickly mobilize your operations. This eliminated the need for multiple team members touching the same machine and standing in close proximity to each other. Getting tablets into the hands of your staff is the way to go and worth the investment. Not just for the health and safety of your team but also for the ability to provide exceptional service to your guest. In addition, you can gain trust with your guest and staff by implementing employee health screening procedures, trainings and other resources.
2. Encourage Guest to Order from their Own Device
Think about how many transactions happen from the palm of our hands. Now imagine those simple taps turning into revenue for your restaurant. Boost revenue and enhance your guests’ safety experience by allowing them to order directly from their mobile device. This also protects staff by reducing interaction time with the guest. Various point-of-sale systems have that functionality built in or integrate with another vendor that offers this functionality. Teres will have this functionality through a 3rd party integration with XPRpos in the near feature!
3. Offer Contactless Payments and E-Mailed Receipts
Let’s be honest, guest feel more comfortable when their credit card never leaves their hand. Better yet, when they don’t even need to pull it out and can use their phone. Contactless payments are in high demand during these times and let your guest know that you are taking every precaution to keep them safe. Teres POS offers tap-to-pay or wave functionality when paired with an Ingenico/Shift4 mobile device, making operations quick, safe and efficient. In addition, make sure you have the ability to e-mail receipts to avoid pens and other items being touched by multiple people. Coming soon, we will be fully integrated with Shift4’s SkyTab offering even more functionality. Make sure to tune into our joint webinar with Shift4 on July 22nd as we discuss the integration and other trending industry topics.
4. Communication is Everything
During these times, there is no such thing as over communication. Guest and staff expect to have crystal clear instructions on any new operational changes or policies the restaurant has put in place. This might mean that you update your digital communication to include your new policies or that you send weekly updates to your team. You can even leverage your point-of-sale system to communicate with your staff throughout the day. Not only is digital communication important, but having clear signage around your property is also crucial to help guest feel safe. These signs might be policies about wearing masks, practicing social distancing, QR codes for your menu and more.
5. Utilize QR Codes for Menus
The beauty of technology is how simple it can be. Scanning a QR code at a table enables your guests to use their own devices to view the menu, eliminating the health risk associated with traditional menus and you don’t have to print disposable menus. It’s a win-win situation. These codes can be made easily through a QR code generator and displayed around your restraint. You can check out this QR generator to get you started.
Now that you know what to consider as you are reopening your restaurant, you can confidently put together a plan to share with your property. You can also check out the FDA Reopening Checklist for more ideas and things to consider to make your reopening a success.
To learn more about our Teres Point-of-Sale solution, make sure to request a demo here.