Restaurants and commissaries have always been traditional in their operations and have been slow in adopting digital solutions ever since. However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the game and forced the restaurant industry to explore beyond the traditional ways of doing business. Many have started using technology to adapt to the new normal, from receiving to processing of orders online to efficiently tracking inventory in commissaries and commercial kitchens through digital tools.
Technology is what has helped many commissaries and restaurant chains to stay afloat and thrive in this new connected and contactless era. More than digitalizing ordering and fulfillment, digital solutions have proven to provide better ways of managing other internal processes for commercial kitchens and restaurant chains that make restaurant management easier and more effective.
So, what digital trends and tools should be top of mind for commissaries and restaurants to remain relevant and competitive?
1. Online ordering platforms and delivery apps
With stringent restrictions and regulations due to the pandemic, online ordering and contactless deliveries are here to stay. GrabFood, FoodPanda, and other delivery services will continue to be important solutions especially to restaurant chains that want to cater to more customers.
2. Digital inventory monitoring and purchasing
To be truly on top of inventory, the pen-and-paper method may not be the best way to track the movement of supplies in your commissary or commercial kitchen. Many restaurant chains are now turning to electronic inventory systems that provide better, real-time visibility of their main assets.
Through software or a mobile app, restaurant employees can directly submit, and view inventory counts for greater efficiency and accuracy. Managers can also set up customized counting schedules for each product in inventory. Not only does this software keep track of actual product quantities, but it also monitors theoretical inventory levels to notify teams of items for replenishment that can trigger a purchase request.
3. Digital work management
Operating a restaurant chain or commissary operation consists of many activities, including preparations, opening, serving, and closing, and modes, be it dine-in, take-out, or delivery. The scheduling and “what” to do and “how” to do it is mainly done today the manual way: using paper checklists and clipboards.
Digital work management through software helps digitalize what and how to do the work and schedule the activities across the modes of operation. This organizes the workflows and makes the distribution of information immediate and accessible anytime, anywhere.
Digital prompts, reminders, easily accessed resources are the answer to the challenge of how to train today’s frontline workers in restaurant chains and commissaries by supporting them in becoming more productive using digital solutions.
4. Digital facilities/asset upkeep and maintenance
To be able to ensure that the business is running at an optimal level, it is important to also be on top of the condition of commercial kitchen equipment that is crucial to the operations of restaurant chains and commissaries.
Just like staying on top of inventories, it is not enough to maintain a checklist or logbook to track the health of important kitchen equipment such as industrial ovens, deep fryers, and other assets. A digital solution that can help manage the maintenance of these commissary and commercial kitchen equipment is key in preventing costly downtimes and ensuring that operations are running well as expected.
The best digital solution to maintain commissary and commercial kitchen equipment must-have features that enable real-time tracking of assets with automated warnings, mobile & smart logs for accurate and timely reports, and easy integration to existing systems such as accounting and POS.
Commissaries & Restaurant Chains: Digital Transformation with QuickReach
Digital solutions can help streamline all aspects of your operations, including commercial kitchen equipment maintenance and repair. With the challenges that the restaurant industry is facing, implementing software for asset upkeep is no longer a luxury – it is the best way to remain profitable and competitive by keeping your most important and expensive equipment in tip-top shape.
With QuickReach's Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) Suite, you gain access to customizable digital solutions such as preventive maintenance, work order management, and inventory management, for every operational challenge your restaurant or commissary might face.
Read more about QuickReach's Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) Suite for Commercial Kitchen Equipment HERE or BOOK A DEMO to see how QuickReach can digitally transform your maintenance and repair processes.
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