Preparing for the reopening of hospitality

Frankie Neale • Jan 08, 2021

As 2021 dawns, many hospitality operators are looking to the spring as the time the ‘new normal’ could start to kick in.


While much depends on the speed at which the vaccine programme rolls out, the strong consumer response when hospitality businesses reopened in the summer shows that there is already plenty of pent-up demand.


The key question is what will customers expect normal to look like, and how can operators deliver on those expectations? A recent survey of public opinion by analyst Lumina Intelligence shows customers are keen to get out and start spending again. Only 11% of those surveyed said they’d be reluctant to return to hospitality businesses – and considering even in the best of times, the number of regular pub-goers is well below 89% of the population, this suggests a healthy appetite to get back out.


The key concerns of the consumers surveyed were issues such as social distancing, hand sanitising, moving through the pub and contactless payment, showing that safety is a top priority. Part of reassuring them will be clear compliance by operators with measures such as track and trace.


Once customers know they are safe, the experience of going out will be key. A professionally-served cocktail or well-poured pint of draught beer is likely to be far more appealing to customers who have been stuck at home than a bottle of beer, as well as being better for the bottom line. 


How to prepare

The Easter weekend, which traditionally marks the start of the spring and summer trading uplift for the hospitality sector, falls at the start of April in 2021. So, what are the steps that operators will need to take, and how easy are they to implement? It’s worth remembering that almost every hospitality business has an ally ready and waiting to support the process. Hospitality EPOS systems and related technology have never been more important, and the right combination of technology and the personal touch can be used to support each step on the consumer journey back into hospitality.


Bookings grid on laptop


Booking


It’s likely that pre-booking will remain part of consumers’ expectations for some time to come, helping to reassure them that numbers are well managed. Taking contact details for customer groups may continue to be an official requirement, and businesses can prepare for this by having a reliable booking system in place, including the ability to quickly and easily capture details for walk-ins. Some businesses will benefit from a dedicated booking system, ideally integrated with their EPOS, whereas others will find an EPOS with an inbuilt booking system, like our hospitality EPOS, meets their needs and avoids the outlay on two separate systems.


Arrival


The first point of contact is key to reassuring customers they’ve made the right choice, and this will be even more important as businesses start to rebuild. By arming staff with a simple, touch-screen system that enables them to confirm customer details and take the all-important first order, staff are free to explain the ‘rules of the house’ in terms of ordering and payment. This can be delivered using a portable EPOS or handheld device at the customer’s table. Every Tabology EPOS device can be used as a main till or a portable device, and switched as needed.


Service


With many venues switching from at-the-bar to table service, equipping staff with the tools and training to support customers throughout their visit will become even more important. Using a food & drink ordering app to enable guests to browse on-screen menus to order for service at their table frees up staff to support customers when it’s most needed, checking at key points and offering advice when asked. 


Mobile ordering app


Personalisation and upselling


Persuading guests to spend a little extra can ensure they enjoy their visit a whole lot more. A good food & drink ordering app should support operators to create on-screen food and drink menus and prompts that offer options to customise products and upsell premium lines. Menu positioning, featured items and product images can be used to add to the customer experience while encouraging higher spend and delivering improved margins.


Self-service


Consumer expectations of social distancing and cashless payments help to highlight the benefits of investing in self-dispense systems. Research for the organisers of the Brew LDN festival has found that post-lockdown drinkers will typically try three different beers during a session, and 57% are now more interested in seeking out unique and unusual beers. Offering increased choice through a self-serve beer system creates a memorable, can’t-get-at-home experience that drives extra sales and creates a talking point that will drive more customers to the venue.


Payment


Taking payment remotely doesn’t simply reassure customers in terms of safety, it also streamlines the entire visit, from an upfront deposit right through to settling the bill when the moment comes.


Click and collect


For those customers reluctant to fully engage with pubs and bars, integrating click and collect options into the offer bridges the gap, while adding an extra revenue stream for operators. The Lumina report found that most customers who bought takeaway beer or cocktails during lockdown would continue to do so if the service remains in place - it would be a shame to disappoint them.

There are many systems available that will help you with each of the above points and depending on the specifics of your business some will be more important to you than others.


With a built-in booking system, mobile ordering solution, and integrated self-serve beer taps, our Hospitality EPOS is the only EPOS system that can help with all of these points and many more.


Being completely focussed on the needs of pubs & bars ensures we can address more of these needs than other less focussed EPOS systems.


With this strong focus, you can also be assured that as you grow Tabology will continue to adapt to your needs. To find out more speak to one of our team.

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