Technology plays a major role in today’s society, and it’s no surprise that it has subtly but surely woven itself into every aspect of our lives. Small businesses (SMB) or family-owned restaurants may be hesitant to give it a try but could benefit significantly from going digital. According to a study by the International Data Corporation, the money spent on digital transformation is forecasted to reach $2.3 trillion in the year 2023, and making a digital transformation is crucial for allowing your business to grow and thrive.
How You Can Embrace the Digital World
Here are a few ways to help you get started:
- Figure out the new business process. When you’re deciding on digital transformation, the first thing to do is change the way your business works. You could choose to change everything about it or small specific processes such as customer feedback. To make better decisions, you will need to check your company’s data and the current market to figure out what needs to be optimized.
- Create a talented team. In order to carry out innovative projects, you will need a group of efficient and professional members. IT experts are the most beneficial for reforming your business, and it is best to build a team consisting of them. However, outsourcing the work will cost you more because of the training and recruitment process.
- Choose the right technology. There is a large variety of technology available, and you don’t need to try and implement all of them. Although many people get confused about which technology to deploy, you should choose the platform that suits the process you are trying to optimize.
- Follow through with your plan. Once you figure out what you want to do, you should start to implement your project in different phases. It is best to start out on a small scale to see how it works out for you rather than risking a colossal failure.
What Technology Can Do For You
The entire purpose of technology is to innovate and create better inputs and outputs. Technology certainly isn’t a luxury anymore, but it is vital for your everyday business, and customers agree that technology helps with business efficiency.
- Digital technology. Every business needs to have a strong digital presence if it wants to survive. Many small businesses fail early on due to their lack of digital presence. Digital technology is the key to better marketing, and choosing a good strategy is essential. Creating a website, social media marketing, email marketing, and pay-per-click advertisements are some of the most effective strategies of digital technology.
- Productivity Software. This type of software is created to help achieve efficiency and excellent customer service while minimizing costs and maximizing income. There is plenty of software available that will help your restaurant grow to its fullest.
What Digital Can You Invest In
- Tablet POS. A tablet POS is one of the best things you can invest in your restaurant since it won’t just increase customer experience, but will also assist in upselling. A tablet can be placed on every table in the restaurant and can be given to your staff. Your waiters can select tables for the customers according to the time of the day or their personal preferences, and your customers can create orders and make payments using the tablet.
- Cloud POS. A cloud pos system stores your sales data and processes all of it online rather than storing it locally on a hard disk or an on-site server. The system is often known as an application rather than software because people often use it on their mobile devices. Cloud POS is an ideal choice for a SMB restaurant because the up-front cost is significantly lower, and you will not have to deal with managing all your data locally. Apart from this, it helps with staff efficiency since this data can be accessed from any location and any device that has an internet connection and access to the data.
- Mobile or online payments. Many customers prefer to make online payments rather than waiting for their server to come around after attending to other tables. Mobile payments are revolutionizing the restaurant industry, and many customers look forward to a quick and easy dining experience.
Your Restaurant Needs Digitalization to Thrive
It’s up to you to decide on the technology that you want to introduce your business to. However, the key to success doesn’t just lie in increasing profits but also improving your customer’s satisfaction and employee satisfaction. Digitalization can do all of this for you and more so your business flourishes and stays of its competitors.
