How to Replace Inefficiency and Improve Customer Experience in Food Services

In the food service industry, the idea of free time feels like a pipe dream. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. By implementing sound leadership and back-of-house technology, you’ll free up time in your business – leaving you able to focus on those things that slip down your to-do list, like increasing staff happiness and improving customer experience.

In the second episode of the Food Service Matters podcast, Patrick McDermott interviews Frank Bothwell, Founder & CEO of Thomas Franks. Frank is taking chef-led catering in new directions, focusing on ethical catering, with locally sourced ingredients and exceptional service.

Patrick talks with Frank about the big changes shaping the food service industry, and how tech and leadership are more important now than ever before.

There are several steps you can follow to work more smartly in your food service business. With some clever planning, you’ll find yourself wondering what to do with all this free time…!

Frank says, “Tech is massive. Technology should be designed to free up time and improve the customer experience, not save money.”

Identify and eliminate non-productive areas within your business and, wherever possible, automate tasks, such as manual data entry, scheduling and inventory management.

“Harnessing technology in accounts, purchasing, stocktaking, process management, health and safety, food safety, allergen management and so on is critical to a business, because it enables the freeing up of time,” explains Frank.

“If we supervise something, it will improve without a doubt,” says Frank, “but you need leadership around it, with good processes and systems. If you supervise food waste, for example, the problem reduces, intrinsically.”

Furthermore, once you have a team that communicates well and trusts each other, along with properly integrated processes and systems, you can empower staff to make decisions and solve problems, freeing up business leaders to focus on other things.

Think outside the box to find ways to improve – or even radically revamp – your workflows and processes.

Frank points out that this can begin even before the customer arrives: “Customers need to see things, buy things and choose things – sometimes before they even enter the dining area. We’ve harnessed the use of apps and portals to do that. For example, in areas where perhaps there are no tills or tickets, you can use self-checkout, which is a trend that will continue into the future. It’s also a good use of labour.”

Time savings and efficiencies in business leave you free to focus on doing what you enjoy, rather than mundane tasks.

“If you free up time in kitchens, for example, staff will have more time to plan menus and delight customers,” explains Frank.

So, what are five things that you can do with your business’ free time?

1. Become more sustainable.

Plan and implement socially responsible projects that will both benefit the environment and increase your standing within your community and with your customers.

2. Give your customers a great experience.

Freed from too many repetitive tasks, your staff will be happier and can spend more time interacting with customers, making their journey more fun and memorable.

3. Invest in your employees.

Provide the training and resources your teams need to do their jobs properly. This, in turn, will improve employee morale and productivity and lead to a better customer experience.

4. Talk to your customers. 

Spend time in conversation with your customers. You’ll find that this will help identify areas for improvement in your business, leading to a better overall experience for your customers.

5. Promote your business. 

Whether you elevate your Instagram account or perhaps participate in a podcast, or whatever it may be, spend time thinking about how you can reach a wider audience and attract more customers.

An interesting idea Frank mentions combines a few of these goals. “With one of our clients, we trialled a system that allows customers to dictate their menu for the next week,” he says. “And this is actually quite a brave thing to do, and it’s created less waste. It’s also created more harmony and excitement because they can vote for the dishes they want.”

By investing in food technology and good leadership, you’ll make your business more efficient, freeing up time and enabling your staff to focus on what they do best: providing excellent customer service.

To listen to Patrick’s full interview with Frank, check out the Food Service Matters podcast on Spotify.

Patrick is CEO of stocktaking app DigiTally, an intuitive and interconnected stock management system that keeps your business up to date, helps combat food waste and saves time. Why not organise a chat with us today? Click here to book a 30-minute slot with Patrick and ask about setting up a demo.