Restaurant Technology Tips for Independent Operators - Podcast Episode 7

In this podcast episode, I offer restaurant technology tips for independent operators, especially those who are interested in and are learning about or are using restaurant systems. This podcast episode but really restaurant technology and what some of the pitfalls restaurant owners fall into when going down this path and how to get the most out of it.

I'm going to cover the pitfalls restaurant owners fall into when using restaurant software and how to get the most out of any restaurant technology.

First, there are so many reasons restaurant owners sign up for a variety of different restaurant software and restaurant technology options. They deal with pressure from their managers, social media, the pandemic that forced them to opt into the third-party delivery apps, consultants promising miracles with software and sales people who swear the software will be a magic pill. 

For example, here are some of the things I hear from independent restaurant owners all the time: 

• My managers said we absolutely need scheduling software
• I needed recipe costing cards
• I just don’t understand the social media landscape and feel pressure to be on it.
• With COVID we had to add online ordering.
• With COVID we had to go with these freaking 3rd party delivery apps.
• OMG! I have been so screwed by consultants.
• The sales person said my sales would go up 5 - 10% if I used their reservation app.
• I get this software to make checklists easier and has a great food safety component, but nobody is using them.
• I give up. I’m cancelling this crap today. I am spending over $30,000 a year on these software packages and no one is using them. 

It's true that a lot of restaurant technology is going unused, wasting not only monthly fees and subscription costs but the loss of potential savings that is possible to reap from these tools. Instead of costing you $30,000 per year, it’s costing a typical restaurant that does $1,000,000 in annual sales $230,000 a year in lost efficiencies because you're not using the tools to cut costs they way they're intended. 

Here’s what I find:

• Owners jump in too early - before they understand the systems
• Owners are looking for a magic pill
• Owners don’t hold managers accountable
• Owners need to operate on a budget
• Owners need to check the numbers

Listen to this episode of my podcast, The Restaurant Prosperity Formula, for a breakdown on these challenges and examples of how to take advantage of any restaurant technology you invest in. 

Software solutions are just tools. You have to take responsibility for your business, your systems, your team and your numbers. When you learn to do that, software can be a huge time saver, money maker and help you hold your managers accountable. The key is making sure you understand the systems and your numbers first.

If you’re struggling with software and want results and time off, email me at [email protected] and say you want to jump on a discovery call and I’ll send you a link to my calendar.

Click the podcast player above to listen in, or you can watch the video on YouTube, click here to download the latest episode.