Uncovering if technology is only as good as its implementation- Pt IV

Estimated read time 5 min read

CRM Software system is used throughout the restaurant and retail industry. This computerized system allows business owners to track sales, cash flow, food inventory and can help simplify your bookkeeping enormously.

The high volume of cash and credit cards that pass through a restaurant each day make a job card software a necessity. Not only does a POS system track every penny of your sales, many POS programs also act as credit card processors. This makes swiping credit cards more secure for both the customer and the business. Servers are accountable for all their sales, and it is impossible to alter checks in the computer unless you have the password. This helps cut down on employee theft.

Benefits

One benefit of a ERP Software is that it simplifies communications between the kitchen and the wait staff. Orders go through the computer, directly to the kitchen printer. Another benefit of a restaurant POS program is that it can track everything from food usage to the most popular menu items. Because the POS system acts as a time clock, it can also help prepare payroll. This can save you a lot of money in your bookkeeping department. Along with the daily operations of running a restaurant, a POS system can organize profit and loss statement and sales tax.

Drawbacks

The most obvious drawback to any hvac service software is that it is a computer, and subject to all the same technological whims. If it happens to crash and you don’t have a backup, then you risk losing all your data, not just sales, but profit and loss statements and payroll statements. Important stuff that the IRS may want to examine some day. So, always have a backup.

Warranty Issues

Remember all that money you saved on bookkeeping? You may end up spending it on your technical guy, to help set up the ngo accounting software and perform any troubleshooting. A POS system doesn’t have the same lifespan as a good old fashioned cash register. You will need to replace parts, update software and eventually need to replace it entirely with a new model. New POS systems like ERPNext come with limited warranties and tech support, but just like every other piece of equipment, the problems always seem to start after the warranty has run out.

Everything You Need to Know About Restaurant Kitchens

The kitchen is command central of any restaurant. It is where food gets delivered, prepped, cooked and plated before being served to customers. Kitchens can be large and spacious of teeny tiny. No matter the size, if a restaurant kitchen is carefully designed, the cook staff can consistently produce hundreds of meals in an evening.

Planning Your Restaurant Kitchen

Restaurant kitchens are made up of various stations. There are prep stations, sauté stations, pizza stations, salad stations. Depending on the size and style of your restaurant, you may have a few stations, or you may have several. Consider your restaurant menu when planning your kitchen. Do you have a lot of salads? Then a salad station will be ideal. A lot of grilled food? Then a larger grill will help get food out of the kitchen faster. Space is another important consideration. If your restaurant kitchen is going to be housed in a small space, that is going to limit your plans, as well.

Stocking Your Restaurant Kitchen

Once you have planned your restaurant kitchen, next, you need to outfit it with all the right manufacturing software commercial equipment. Restaurant kitchens are a good place to stock up on used equipment. You can often pick up restaurant dishes, serving utensils and other small items for pennies on the dollar. Larger pieces of equipment, such as commercial ovens or grills, can also be bought be used with plenty of life left in them. You should also consider the benefits of leasing restaurant equipment, such as ice makers, which have a pretty short lifespan.

Once you are open for business, your restaurant kitchen will always be busy so it is important to have a plan for keeping it in clean, smooth running order. Create a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly kitchen cleaning list that outlines everything that needs to be taken care of, from wiping down prep stations to cleaning grease traps. Keep a checklist handy so that daily jobs get done and employees don’t try to put them off for the next shift. Regular cleaning of a restaurant kitchen can also help cut down on food spoilage and waste, saving you money.

Staff Your Restaurant Kitchen

The most important part of any restaurant kitchen are the people who work in it. Finding the right person for the right kitchen job is essential for a smooth running restaurant. While many jobs in a restaurant kitchen are perfect entry-level positions, such as dishwasher or prep cook, others require years of experience. Be selective when hiring restaurant cooks, chefs, and managers. Look for people who not only know how to cook but can also work as part of a team.

There is a lot of turnover in the restaurant business, so it is doubly important that you, as the restaurant owner, do everything you can to make your restaurant staff feel appreciated and valued, from modelling the behaviour you want to see to offering bonuses for stellar customer service. Encouraging your staff, both in and out of the kitchen goes beyond just money. In fact, there are a lot of ways to show your staff you care. And remember, happy staff means happy customers.

As it is said “This is where the magic happens”  The kitchen of any restaurant is where the magic happens. Having it organized from opening day, and keeping stocked, cleaned and well staffed will help keep your restaurant running smoothly.

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