From the blog Running a Restaurant? Use an App to Streamline

Adam Landsman, co-owner of the popular New York restaurant Sunday in Brooklyn, is not addicted to apps.
But to effectively run his business in the South Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, Landsman’s team relies on 27 apps to streamline systems, from delivering orders to responding to customer complaints.

Landsman is among a growing number of restaurateurs who employ apps to enhance customer experience, become more efficient and propel business. Many businesses all over the world rely on different apps and software in order for their business to operate a full capacity, putting a heavy reliance on the wonders of technology. For this reason, many businesses will make use of network monitoring tools that are designed to prevent any errors from occurring within the software that is driving the business forward.

Restaurateurs Grow Their APPetites

Four in five restaurant operators agree technology helps increase sales, makes restaurants more productive and provides a competitive advantage, according to findings of the 2016 National Restaurant Association report “Mapping the Restaurant Technology Landscape.”

Apps are integral to this activity. For example, the report e detailed common restaurant-related features of smartphone apps, such as:

  • Menus
  • Maps/directions
  • Loyalty programs
  • Payment options
  • Ordering
  • Nutrition information

There are many apps on the market. Ultimately, restaurants typically choose the app that meets their specific needs.

Landsman says the following apps help Sunday in Brooklyn run at its business best:

Financial Apps

  • Run Powered by ADP, a web- and mobile-based software that handles small business payroll
  • MarginEdge, a digital platform that combines paperless invoice processing with point of sale (POS) and accounting integration
  • Spend Manager from American Express, which provides online tools for managing credit card transactions and receipts

Internal Communication App

Slack, an app that supports communication and collaboration through the integration of messaging, tools and files via channels

Internal Systems Apps

  • HotSchedules, a digital scheduling and communication tool for line staff
  • Auriel, an app that controls the source for music, such as an iPhone or music server, as well as the volume of music within the restaurant.
  • Nest, which provides software to control HVAC systems
  • Spotify, a digital music service that provides access to millions of songs.
  • Eero, a virtual tool to manage Wi-Fi to make sure it runs efficiently and without common challenges linked to routers and range extenders
  • Speedtest, which provides several apps that test internet speed on Wi-Fi devices
  • Dark Sky, a source of “hyperlocal” weather information that Sunday in Brooklyn — which has outdoor seating — uses to check for rain, as well as to plan for snow days
  • Tile, an app that locates misplaced keys (a must in the restaurant world)

Business Management Apps

  • Resy OS, a restaurant reservations and waitlist system. Sunday in Brooklyn uses it in the restaurant’s back-end operating system for its reservation platform.
  • Genius Scan, a mobile app that scans documents and exports them as JPEG or multi-page PDF files.
    Marketing Apps
  • Planoly, an end-to-end Instagram visual management platform that promotes content and marketing campaigns. Landsman explains that Instagram is the single greatest driver of business to the restaurant, and that Planoly helps the team manage the style and timing of its posts.
  • Google MyBusiness, a free tool that enables businesses to manage their online presence and respond to customer complaints

Orders and Deliveries App

Caviar, an app not only for ordering food but that also provides restaurants with services for managing and expediting deliveries.

What Else Is Out There?

Restaurants can use a vast range of apps and should narrow choices to address their unique needs. That said, research suggests several types of must-have tools restaurants should consider.
A 2015 Lavu article “5 Restaurant Apps that Can Grow Your Business,” gives an overview of practical and beneficial apps.

Apps recommended in the article include:

  • POS apps. These make it easier to place orders and accept payments. An example in this niche is the Talus POS System.
  • Restaurant mobile apps. Customers use these to find good restaurants. Restaurateurs encourage customers to promote their establishments via these apps. Look to Review Trackers, which consolidates reviews from Google+, TripAdvisor, Facebook, Yelp, etc.
  • Online ordering apps. People use apps – via phone and tablet – more often to order food and have it delivered.
  • Loyalty apps. Keep the customers coming with these apps, which provide incentives like reward points or discounts. Tools include Incentivio and Paytronix.
  • Mobile reporting apps. These are useful tools for monitoring sales, especially helpful when a restaurant has several locations. Lightspeed, for example, has reporting features

Restaurateurs can build their APPtitude by thoughtfully identifying their business’ needs, researching and testing tools to address them, and selecting apps that will effectively enhance business operations.

Make sure your restaurant is app friendly! Contact Talus today to customize your POS.

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