Top Restaurant POS Software Functions For Training and Staff Management

Your staff is a major component of your restaurant’s personality. From the point of initial reservation through to the moment the final check is discretely handled, they put a human face to your business.

If you’re going to generate the kind of repeat business that leads to reliable income and growth, you’ll have to equip your staff with the right tools to deliver a memorable customer experience.

As with every other element of service and management, a top restaurant POS software solution will help build a happy, knowledgeable, and empowered team that can showcase your food and ambiance to its fullest potential.

Communication, Table Management, and Responsibility

The emerging generation of restaurant point of sale systems has increased the amount of control you can have over your business. With easy-to-use technology based on the iPads and smartphones that facilitate our lives, and internet-delivered business software that makes it possible to track individual units instead of bulk bottles and bags, digital POS provides accessible management detail.

That same level of control can be passed on to your staff. By training them on the latest hardware and giving them access to all-in-one software you can use your POS to create a self-sufficient team that can become your restaurant’s greatest asset, and some of your regular customer’s favorite people.

There are a number of features built into the leading POS solutions that can help get the most out of your staff:

User-friendly tech solutionsImproved communication channelsTable management softwareCommon platforms for learningStaff-driven rosters and timesheetsData analysis to measure impact

These must-have functions can help your team take ownership of and find enjoyment in their roles within your restaurant. Hopefully, a happy, engaged team will provide a customer experience that keeps diners coming back for more.

1. User-friendly Tech Solutions

The most immediate way you can help your staff is to give them effective and easy-to-use resources. The top restaurant POS software comes part-and-parcel with mobile service devices that make it easy to take and process orders and complete customer transactions.

There are mobile payment devices that can deal with a customer’s preference of card, digital wallet, or virtual transactions, and iPad-powered staff stations that simplify the process of simultaneously sending customer requests throughout the restaurant. Your staff should also be able to quickly split bills, offer discounts, start tabs, and encourage customer loyalty program membership.

2. Improved Communication Channels

Using everyday digital devices like iPads as the foundation of your internal communication can boost your bottom line by decreasing mistakes and reducing waste. Multipoint ordering systems can dispatch tickets to several teams at once, alerting the bar, front-of-house, and the specialized parts of your kitchen to customer expectations.

Not only does this reduce misunderstanding but it makes life easier for your staff. There are no handwritten notes to decipher or multiple orders to deliver around the building.

3. Table Management Software

A top restaurant POS system will have industry-specific functions that benefit even the most experienced team. Modern table management software has an easy effectiveness that will improve any service. With a bird’s eye view of your complete seating plan—across rooms and open or seated tables and bar availability—staff can quickly accommodate walk-ins, plan ahead for major functions, and streamline the flow of orders through the kitchen.

These functions should be accessible through shared devices so staff can solve problems and please customers without having to call down senior management.

4. Common Platforms for Learning

It takes time for staff to get familiar enough with your restaurant to be able to take on the responsibilities described above. You can use your POS solution to make essential training materials and information available to anyone who needs to know. You can use it to provide details on menu and bar options, the history of your restaurant and its key members, and marketing and service information that can impress customers.

You can also use your POS platform as a shared environment where staff can communicate with each other outside service hours. It can become a digital conversation point where ideas and information are swapped by team members themselves, reinforcing your directions and service standards.  

5. Staff-driven Rosters and Timesheets

An informed and empowered team can begin to manage the low-level tasks that distract you from more pressing managerial concerns. You can create password-accessible staff resources so your front-of-house, kitchen, and cleaning personnel can sort out their own rosters, timesheets, tips, training needs, uniforms, and more.

Not only does this kind of autonomy potentially improve staff effectiveness it can help build camaraderie and cooperation.

6. Data Analysis to Measure Impact

Your efforts to build a happy, harmonious team don’t distract you from your business and customer goals. The top restaurant POS software solutions will include data and sales analysis functions that let you assess the impact of staff performance across your business. You can measure sales figures, customer preferences, and inventory impact across any time, which lets you isolate the impact any particular team member or combination of team members has on revenue.

This sales data isn’t just for assessing staff performance, however. The feature is quickly becoming a business essential for future planning. Within a restaurant setting, you can use data analysis to more accurately understand your inventory, supplier performance, the before-and-after of marketing efforts, and the natural rise and fall of covers across seasons, events, and holidays.

This information can readily become practical actions that improve your restaurant’s popularity and your bottom line.

Making the Most of Your Top Restaurant POS Software

The novelty of the digital age is well behind us now, and the tools you use in your business should provide real-world solutions to revenue-based problems. The right POS system can help you improve the conditions, knowledge, and performance of your staff so you maximize the potential of your menu and expertise.

By partnering with talech for your restaurant technology needs, you get access to easy-to-use solutions that make it easier for your staff to perform at their best. Our unique combination of mobile hardware and comprehensive software will make it possible to reduce mistakes, improve communication, and build a winning team. Reach out to us today to sign up for a demo and to learn more about how talech can be your valued POS partner.