It’s no secret that the restaurant industry is in a tricky spot right now. Between major industry changes brought forth by the pandemic, the rising cost of living, and the ongoing labor shortage, finding and retaining staff is one of the most significant challenges that restaurant owners face. Given the high stakes, hospitality employees are demanding more from their employers and are more willing than ever to switch jobs if their needs aren’t met.
The National Restaurant Association estimates that the average restaurant loses over $150,000 annually in staff turnover alone. While it's nearly impossible to eliminate employee turnover entirely, the right tools can help you keep employees happy so that you can keep turnover to a minimum. Here are ten ways your restaurant point of sale system can help you maximize job satisfaction by streamlining your operation, unlocking crucial insights, empowering employees, and creating a positive work environment.
1. Streamlined Order Management
Even in smaller restaurants, staff can spend a lot of time and energy juggling multiple tasks, which can limit productivity. POS systems streamline almost every aspect of the restaurant operation for both the front and back of house. From taking orders to printing tickets, a restaurant point of sale system ensures accurate communication between front and back of house, leading to fewer mistakes, less distractions, and reduced stress.
2. Faster Service
The right POS system and integrations can help speed up service, reducing the stress and pressure on staff during busy shifts. Faster, smoother service can lead to more satisfied customers, higher tips, and less burnout among employees.
3. Inventory Management
While employee turnover is highest for servers and cooks, it can be an issue at the management level if your operation doesn’t run smoothly. Features like inventory management can help managers control ingredient usage, reduce waste, streamline ordering, plan menus, and more. This can lead to more efficient kitchen operations and a better work environment for kitchen staff.
4. Effortless Table Management
Features like graphical table displays and integrated waitlists can help your staff streamline the process of seating and serving guests. Modern POS systems make it easy for your team to get an overview of their tables, view order status, verify order details, and more. With fewer things to memorize, your team can focus on providing great service.
5. Ease of Use
Modern point-of-sale systems often have user-friendly interfaces, making it easier for new employees to get up to speed and for existing employees to perform their day-to-day duties. They can even be used to store recipes and instructions for preparing menu items, ensuring consistency and quality in food preparation.
6. Data-Driven Insights
POS systems can generate detailed reports on sales, customer preferences, and server performance. This data and metrics can help managers identify training needs and recognize outstanding employees. When employees see that their hard work is acknowledged, they are more likely to feel valued and stay with the company.
7. Seamless Payroll and Time Tracking
Many modern POS systems integrate with payroll and time-tracking systems, making it easier to track hours worked and calculate wages. This reduces administrative work and ensures accuracy in payroll, reducing potential disputes and frustrations among employees.
8. Labor Forecasting and Scheduling
Point-of-sale systems can analyze your staffing needs and forecast requirements for certain weeks, days, events, and beyond. They can also keep track of employees' availabilities and time off requests to avoid scheduling disputes. These two features ensure that your restaurant is neither over nor understaffed.
9. Valuable Customer Feedback
Some POS systems have features for collecting customer feedback and reviews. This feedback can be used to identify areas for improvement and address customer concerns, which reduces the burden on your employees and makes for a more positive work environment.
10. Increase Tips
Point-of-sale systems can come equipped with a suite of ordering and payment solutions designed specifically for hospitality businesses. Features like automatic gratuity, suggested tip percentage, and curbside pickup can help generate more tips for your staff, in turn increasing their job satisfaction.
Final Thoughts
Employee turnover is one of the biggest challenges restaurant owners face in their operations. And while you won’t be able to avoid it entirely, the right point of sale system can help you keep it to a minimum, all while increasing your employees’ job satisfaction.
For over 20 years, RPOWER POS has been a leader in the restaurant software industry, supporting countless businesses to improve operations and enhance their profitability. If you want to learn more about our powerful POS solution and how it can help your business, please contact us today.