5 Tips for Restaurants Looking to Adopt New Technology
Have a clear idea of what you need and what you hope to accomplish.
Think of bringing on a new software as hiring a new employee. To ensure you are “hiring” the right product, you need have a very clear understanding what you would like this product to do for you and be able to communicate these needs to potential software companies.
There are lots of options out there. Take the time to find the right one.
Gone are the days of having to choose between 10 different point of sale options.At last count, I was up to 484 point of sale systems available for restaurants alone.While the sheer magnitude of options that are available can be overwhelming, do not jump on the first one you find!Do some research, look up reviews, compare pricing.Don’t get stuck with a system that doesn’t work for you. It’s not worth the daily aggravation.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate.
Even if a company has quoted you a price already, ask if they are offering any promotions or offer discounts for organizations that you’re a part of (i.e. National Restaurant Association). There’s no harm in asking and often you can get in at a better rate and put your mind at ease about the additional cost you’ll be taking on with the new product.
The newest product isn’t always the best.
There’s something to be said for tried and true. New systems are popping up every day with all sorts of fun new features to check out but that doesn’t mean they will always function properly. Ask the software rep who their current clients are and when the product was developed. If it’s new or in what’s called a “beta test”, there are likely to be some glitches to be worked out. Every software goes through this to develop a quality product for their users and may not be the best time to adopt. On the other hand, if you are willing to help them through the testing and work through growing pains you can get on board with free or heavily discounted access.
New systems will take time to adjust to.
Congrats! You picked a new software system! Everything will be easy from here on, right? Wrong. While making a decision and implementing a new system is a huge step, it's not over yet. It will take time for everything to fully transition and there may be some growing pains. This is completely normal. Give it some time and if you have any issues in the beginning, reach out to the support staff at your software company. They are there to help and ensure that implementation is as easy as possible for you. Don't be afraid to use them.