The festive season is a time when pubs, bars, restaurants and coffee shops thrive, offering a prime opportunity for the hospitality sector to drive revenue. But, is it merry and bright for the front of house (FOH) and back of house (BOH) teams?
Those in FOH and BOH are responsible for driving operations forward and providing guests with an experience that brings them back for more. However, while this is always the aim, it is not always achievable. Many operators are unable to manage the influx of orders and footfall productively. In many situations, there is a failure to effectively connect FOH and BOH teams.
Many aspects of service cause problems to arise, from teams using manual pen and paper processes to take orders and execute them, to hurdles at the POS with receipt printing problems or failures. These various problems can completely erode the guest experience.
The Festive Season’s Impact on the Hospitality Pressure Cooker
Guests typically, and unsurprisingly, have a limited understanding of what is happening behind the scenes in a hospitality setting. Whilst festive footfall is a welcoming sight, the increase in in-person visitors and online orders turns up the heat on the operator’s figurative pressure cooker.
With operators needing to both meet customer expectations and serve their needs, orders must be taken quickly and accurately to execute and fulfil them efficiently. Whilst bartenders, waiting staff and baristas are typically up for the task, can the same be said when festivities completely fill establishments?
Peak Problem 1: Paper-based processes are used to take orders
Imagine: an order is taken and written down on a piece of paper, passed down the process chain to the kitchen or BOH team to execute, but they can’t because the handwriting is illegible, and/ or the paper used is not of high enough quality to withstand the hustle and bustle of behind-the-scenes environments. The result? Illegible or damaged order slips causing orders to not get fulfilled accurately. A problem completely avoidable with printed orders.
Peak Problem 2: Allergen information must be displayed accurately
If allergen information is poorly communicated to kitchens, the outcome could be fatal in some cases. Miscommunication and poor operational processes can lead to festive season failures. Avoiding this requires an effective modern approach: the use of lineless labelling.
Linerless labels can be printed without the traditional glassine release liner on them, to convey all the necessary order information from customers, including allergens. These can be passed onto kitchens to use to prepare orders; they can be stuck to coffee cups or take away packaging, for instance. What is more, labelling technologies can be integrated into ordering systems, table management systems and support POS systems effectively.
Adding Purpose to Payment – How Receipts and Kiosks Can Support Loyalty
It is just as important for your last impression to be as positive as it is for your first impression. Once it is time for the customer to pay, it is a legal requirement to provide them with a receipt. During this process, it is important for printers to be able to print without errors, and fast. An added bonus to this exchange would be having a printer that is able to facilitate printing marketing offers, further driving the likelihood of building loyalty or securing that next reservation.
For those looking to avoid festive failure, effective labelling and printers can be the silent enablers of success. Reliable label and receipt printing solutions – which withstand long hours – don’t overheat and are designed to allow fast roll changeovers can keep operators’ teams coordinated, connected and on track to meet both the revenue expectations of the business, along with the personal expectations of guests.
For those ready to ensure communication clarity and customer loyalty in peak season, and beyond, reach out to find out more: https://bixoloneu.com/product-type/hospitality/
