The hospitality industry has been under the gun recently with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Eating and drinking establishments can be extremely busy in the best of circumstances. However, since the pandemic, restaurants and bars have even more challenges to take care of – IT shouldn’t have to be one of them.
Technology is always changing and keeping up with it can be a lot to take on when running a busy restaurant business. What with the strain and challenges of responding to constantly shifting coronavirus mitigation laws, the hospitality industry needs a lot of help. Managed IT services can be a huge boon to this struggling business sector.
How Managed IT Services Can Help Restaurants
More and more business functions are moving to digital, not just point of sale, but also rewards and loyalty programs, food delivery services, and ordering.
Managed IT takes the burden of those activities off the already busy business owner so they can focus on good food and happy customers instead of computer problems.
What does managed IT mean? Managed IT services is the broad term that refers to outsourcing your business’s IT needs to an outside vendor that manages all of your internal IT needs and strategy. This means, instead of hiring full-time IT staff, you can benefit from a managed IT services company that handles your IT for you. You can pay less for more service because the managed IT services team can handle more than one on-site IT person, and you can get 24/7 emergency support.
Technology Benefits of Managed IT Services for the Hospitality Industry
Here are just some of the ways managed IT solutions can help restaurants and bars:
1. Mobile Payment Technology and Pay-at-the-Table Solutions
More and more, customers are expecting better technology options with payments. This includes mobile payment technology, where customers can pay via their smartphone, and being able to pay at the table instead of a cash register by the door.
2. Self-Service Kiosks
Another potential technology support for restaurants and bars is a self-service kiosk. This is where customers can order and pay for their food at an automated digital interface instead of ordering up front or waiting at their table.
3. Customer Loyalty Programs
Competition is even tougher now with coronavirus restrictions. By having a customer loyalty, frequent-diner, or rewards program, you can encourage your customers to come back more frequently. All of this needs to be tracked and managed with the right IT solution. Integration with your existing point-of-sale (POS) systems can help facilitate your rewards program while tracking customer demographics and buying patterns.
4. Delivery and Pick-up Solutions
Many restaurants were banned from in-service dining completely during COVID-19 lockdowns and were only able to offer pick-up or delivery. Technology can help manage the flow of orders and even keep track of where delivery drivers are.
5. On-Site Computer and Device Management
Your on-site computers and printers will need to be administered and maintained, and managed IT services can do that while providing top-of-the-line security and compliance. The last thing a busy restaurant needs is for the main computer to go down while people are waiting in line to sit at their table.
6. Keeping Up with IT Trends
Technology is constantly changing and evolving in the hospitality industry. Savvy restaurant owners stay attuned to trends and marketplace shifts to keep customers engaged and happy. Some of the IT trends include smartphone apps, online reservation systems, and texts to alert customers when they can be seated. These new technologies can create a better customer experience and improve satisfaction while streamlining processes.
7. COVID-19 Regulatory Compliance
Technology systems at restaurants can help with COVID-19 compliance, including automated temperature screening devices that can also check for masks upon entering the establishment. Should a local or state government require tracking of customers in order to do coronavirus contact tracing, managed IT services can make that happen in a seamless way.
Managed IT Services for Restaurants and the Hospitality Industry
For restaurants and bars, staying open is challenging enough in these uncertain times, thanks in no small part to the COVID-19 coronavirus. By partnering with a managed IT services company like Blue Technologies, you can save money on IT management costs while getting the best in new technologies implemented for your business.
Blue Technologies helps restaurants and bars with managed IT services in Ohio. Contact us today to discuss your needs!
