BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT COULD SPARK DEATH OF PEN & PAPER PROCESSES FOR HOSPO
Online bookings system ResDiary commissioned independent research into the hospitality space and found that astonishingly, nearly half of venues (43%) are still using pen and paper booking systems, with no online functionality.
Rebecca Zeitunian, Regional Head of Growth, APAC for ResDiary says that now is the opportune time for hospitality businesses to reflect on whether their technology could be doing a better job of working for them. Zietunian shares her top considerations for hospitality operators looking to make the most of federal incentives when investing in new technology.
The new Federal Budget announcement of tax deductions of 120% when used on investment in eligible technology could be the push that hospitality businesses need away from haphazard efforts towards implementing new systems to transform their businesses in a way that’s as scalable as possible.
As a human oriented industry, foodservice has traditionally lagged in its uptake of new technology, sometimes in fear of losing the personable nature of their team’s service, however they will certainly be leaving money on the table if the new budget comes to fruition.
As venues use this time to start to investigate replacing their pen and paper processes with tech solutions, here are some top considerations they need to take into account
It’s all about integration
Ask yourself, does the new tech integrate with the POS system, website management system and marketing system? ResDiary, for example, integrates with systems like MyGuestList and TalkBox which allows for personalised communication according to a diner’s booking habits and demographics.
Solid support in implementation and training
A new piece of tech is only as successful as its execution. Does the new provider offer enough support and training if things go wrong? If it’s not easy for staff to pick up intuitively, is there a robust training program in place to ensure seamless use?
Maintaining a human / tech balance
How does this impact the human element of the business? Will the new technology free up time for a team to spend with customers, or, in some cases, would it discourage a ‘personal’ interaction that is part of the service experience?
Improving health and safety
Does the new technology mean there’s reduced possibility of COVID-19 transfer between staff or between customers and staff? Technology provides us with a plethora of ways to minimise physical interaction and help avoid staff shortages due to COVID spread within venues.
Overall, it’s important to have these considerations top of mind when assessing a technology investment because, as challenging as it is to implement a major new system, it’s far more frustrating and inefficient to change down the line if you realise it’s not working for you!
