Keeping restaurant staff longer with best employee engagement techniques

Although a point of sale (POS) system can mean an improved bottom line for business owners, it also can mean revolutionizing daily work for employees. Because they include several proprietary and integrated features, POS systems have become an all-in-one workstation designed to handle multiple functions. For restaurant owners who want to arm their staff with the best possible tools, this presents something of a challenge; what features specifically should they look for to improve their employee’s productivity?

This article details several ways your restaurant POS can enhance staff performance using just a tablet, specifically:

Table mapping
KDS integrations

Digital table mapping

Restaurants face an almost uniform challenge across every size and type: individual shorthand. Everyone has their own way of notating orders, tracking tabs and making notes to help their day get by easier. This can lead to a nightmare scenario when it comes time for a shift change; “What does she mean, ‘x/o carrots?!’” If the person who originally wrote the note has already gone home, it leaves those just arriving to try to puzzle through.

Table mapping gets around this problem with a digital layout of the restaurant floor. This is customized by the manager to reflect each table, which can be opened with the touch of a finger. When opened, the table mapping software allows waitstaff to enter orders digitally, at which point their tab is automatically calculated.

Digitally taking the order means preventing the confusion stemming from this shorthand. Each tab can then be grouped according to the party’s preferences, making for quick and easy billing.

Finally, these orders can then be sent to the kitchen, assuming you have the right integrations and never again will your waitstaff or kitchen crew have to stare at a paper and try to decipher what the handwriting says.

KDS integrations

Back-end operations face a related problem: traffic. Waiters go in with tickets, out with orders, come back with mods, etc. With so many people going in and out, kitchens are liable for an accident or a misplaced order.

A good POS system will integrate with a Kitchen Display Screen (KDS) like Fresh KDS.  Integrations help mitigate this traffic, sending the digital orders from waitstaff to displays in the kitchen. KDS integrations offer additional features as well, including:

Order preparation checklist directs cooks unfamiliar with a dish
Timer indicates to waitstaff how much longer the order is going to take
Color coding indicates whether an order is behind (green is on time, orange is late, red is  very late)

These features serve both the front and back end of the house, presenting clear orders and directions for kitchen staff and relaying information back to the waitstaff via tablet. Having this information allows them to field questions about how much longer the order is going to take. This can be essential with a difficult customer; “Your order will be ready in 5 minutes” will likely generate a more positive response than, “Your order is on the way.”

Ways your restaurant can enhance staff

Dealing with difficult customers or busy rushes makes for a difficult shift; when they come along (and they will), you want to make sure that your staff has the tools to make those challenges surmountable. Tools like table mapping and KDS do exactly that—simplifying the manual work of the restaurant, freeing up your employees to focus on providing excellent customer service.

Sometimes, the best path providing employees helpful tools is by going with an all-in-one provider. POS companies like talech have been helping small businesses with their technology needs for more than a decade. We would love to talk with you to find ways your restaurant can enhance staff performance for more than a decade. Contact us about a free demo and to discuss how we can become your trusted partner.