Food for Thought? How Technology Can Help The Hospitality Industry Serve Up A Better Guest Experience
It’s been a ridiculously tough time for the hospitality industry over the last 12 months, but finally there may be some light at the end of the tunnel. With venues due to reopen (depending on facilities) within the next few weeks, analysts are predicting a busy 2 or 3 years ahead.
BUT!! Are venues ready for the predicted influx of footfall? Industry experts suggest possibly not.
Whilst the industry is keen to open up as quickly as possible (as we speak Sacha Lord is questioning the government on the reopening schedule) there will of course be ongoing restrictions and standards to be met. Capacity limits, extra security, contactless payments, table service only, continuing takeaway services, the list goes on. Technology could help. No matter the size or type of venue, from small intimate restaurants to multi-site chains, from cocktail bars to music halls the single most important piece of the puzzle is the guest experience.
Whether it’s CCTV to keep guests safe and secure, enhanced Wi-Fi connectivity, data analytics that underpin menu selections, special offers or entertainment preferences, excellent AV or simplifying online ordering and booking, technology can help the industry streamline and improve.
Having technology at the core of your hospitality business may seem an unnecessary expense in the current climate but it really is key to operational success. How often might you lose a customer because the telephone goes unanswered during a busy service or when you are closed? Might your licence be affected by non-operational or non-existent CCTV? What happens if your online booking system goes offline? Or your tills stop working? Working with a technology partner can erase all these issues and worries as well as ensure your team on the ground are concentrating on what really counts, your guests.
But the use of technology in hospitality doesn’t stop there. During the pandemic Cirrus Technology have been not only continuing to support our current clients but discussing ideas on how to further utilise technology in their venues. These conversations have ranged from the frustrations of guest wi-fi services that are unreliable in outside spaces to how the CCTV cameras already on site could be used to assist the chefs and kitchen staff to expedite orders more quickly and efficiently.
Increasingly we are seeing hospitality venues realising that whilst they have been hit hard by the pandemic, the future is looking bright and that needs to be capitalised on. Whether that is through enhancing the guest experience, inspiring customer loyalty, focusing on efficiencies (both time and cost) or utilising the reams of data captured during the guests visit, there are many and various ideas to explore.
However, the bottom line is:- if you haven’t thought about how technology can help your business you should. And if it’s not your thing, then we suggest you find a specialist partner who will bring your ideas to life.
To find out how technology can be used to enhance the guest experience, please join our online seminar on Tuesday, 6th April, 9.30am. Click the link below to book.
Food for Thought? How Technology Serves Mowgli Street Food And Their Guests
