How touch-free technology can help your alcohol business reopen in the “new normal.”
All over the alcohol industry, we’re hearing about the “new normal,” but what exactly does that look like? Explore the ways your business can use touch-free technology to help juggle all the aspects of reopening to support, not sacrifice, your commitment to the guest experience.
The last three months have brought significant changes to the world. A renewed focus on safety has been placed on everything from how we interact with other people to how we purchase consumer goods, and as such, businesses have been left to adjust the way they operate. In the alcohol industry, the conversation surrounding the “new normal” has left bars and restaurants with a lot to focus on, everything from new safety procedures to rebuilding profits and regaining customers.
Even before your doors reopen, new safety procedures have likely taken a foothold in your business. As you greet your first guests, your priority should be following CDC and state guidelines for opening, like physical distancing between tables, outdoor seating, PPE, and health checks for staff. You’ve also had to adjust to things like disposable menus, new cleaning procedures for glassware, and limitations surrounding the number of staff members necessary for back-of-house operations. Juggling the unique aspects of operating safely can feel overwhelming but adopting technology that automates procedures and eliminates manual touches can help you navigate successfully reopening your business.
You’ve probably heard the phrases “touch-free” or “contactless” spreading rapidly through the industry – and for a good reason. The more touch-free technology you use, the safer your business and the more time you get to focus on processes that can’t be improved by technology. To do this, many restaurants are transitioning to completely cash-free practices for both customer and vendor payments. Great examples of this can be seen in restaurants that utilize table-top tablets to facilitate touch-free payments and paperless receipts for guests. For automating backdoor deliveries, retailers are eliminating dirty cash and checks and reducing contact between employees and drivers through technology providers like Fintech. Automating payments gives your staff more time to focus on other things such as sanitizing prep stations or table-top amenities.
Technology can also help you restrict employee usage of office computers and limit the number of people going in and out of the safe. Contactless vendor payments bring your invoice management online, so no one has to manually enter line-item information or handle paper to answer simple invoice questions. With less need to use the computer, it becomes easier to monitor the number of employees entering the back office for administrative work and thus easier to implement proper social-distancing procedures.
There is obviously a lot more to handle now for restaurants getting back to business, but the priority of providing an outstanding guest experience has never changed. Automating where you can provides a new opportunity to focus on improving other aspects that can’t be solved through technology, like cleaning procedures, side work tasks that reinforce safety, sanitary dish and glassware storage, and more. Aside from that, automating gives you more time to get to know your guests again and ensure that the experience they receive is driving customer loyalty and rebuilding profits.
Listen to our latest panel webinar to learn how national brands are adjusting to reopening under these new circumstances. Hear from top executives with leading bar and restaurant brands as they share best practices for businesses moving forward. Listen Now!
