Believe it or not, dipping skewers of bread into melted cheese was one of the hottest food fads of the 1970s. As a healthy alternative to ice cream, fro-yo shops were all the rage in the 1980s. The 1990s were known for a coffee shop on every corner. By the 2010s, everyone was crazy for cupcakes. But the food trend with the most significant impact on how, what, and where we eat is the one that combines fine dining fare with the speedy service of fast food. Fast-casual has quickly emerged as one of the most popular restaurant types because it meets consumer demands of convenience, price, and healthful food options. And it’s not just a passing fancy. Even with the general slowdown due to the pandemic, the fast-casual sector has grown at a quicker rate than the rest of the restaurant industry. This segment’s continued success can be partially attributed to the implementation of technology to meet the surge in online ordering, contactless payments, counter service and off-premise dining.
As restaurants adopt new tech to overcome health and safety challenges and exceed consumers’ expectations, they can benefit immensely from including a mobile device deployment solution in their overall technology plan. A centralised point of secure charging provides a repository for devices, reducing device breakage, theft and loss. The critical oversight of not protecting devices when not in use creates painful hassles for employees and managers alike. Read on about the evolution of digital dining, find out how to save time and money by mapping out your device workflow and discover the top benefits of charging stations for fast-casual restaurants.
The fast-casual model is all about finding innovative ways to improve speed, efficiency and quality. These days technology not only supports these three objectives; it also helps restaurants adapt to new safety and hygiene requirements in the wake of COVID-19. Check out these ways that eating establishments are embracing digital devices.
Learn how mobile devices can be used for more than just taking orders with these best practices for using iPads in the restaurant industry.
Usage of mobile devices within the hospitality industry is rapidly expanding. 86% of organisations are currently in the research or pilot phase of an iPad management program. Unfortunately, the majority of those fail to consider device security with secure charging stations. The result is restaurant staff wasting valuable time looking for devices, only to find them partially charged or dead.
Imagine opening a restaurant without creating your menu ahead of time. Planning how to charge and store iPads and tablets shouldn’t be an afterthought either. Save a lot of time and money by determining device management workflow before rolling out new technology to your staff.
When an iPad charging station such as a Putnam 8 Charging Station or Putnam 16 Charging Station are deployed, it eliminates many of the manual workflow processes of checking in and checking out devices and replacing damaged devices.
Here’s how:
Make sure employees always know where to find a fully-charged device. At the start of each shift, workers retrieve a device from a numbered slot. By assigning a numbered slot to every user, they can take ownership of plugging in their devices. They put their devices back in the slot at the end of the day, where they will be charged and kept secure. All the shift manager is responsible for is unlocking the station in the morning and locking it up at night. With numbered slots, it’s also easy to know which devices are missing with only a quick glance.
What happens if a device goes missing, encounters a fatal error, or gets damaged during a shift? With an additional station for “hot spares,” no time is lost getting devices into the hands of workers who need them. Employees can simply swap their broken device for a new one and be on their way with a new device for the day.
Choosing the right charging station may not seem like a big deal. Still, small differences between manufacturers and products could make a huge impact on your technology rollout and your ability to manage devices long term. Check out the benefits of a Putnam 8 Charging Station or Putnam 16 Charging Station over other charging stations, or no station at all.
Read more about how the Putnam has streamlined an already speedy workflow and saved the cost of replacing cables for Monica and Craig Daniel’s franchised fast-food restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin. Then contact us to discuss the challenges of your mobile workflow and find out how we can help!