Up-to-date technology systems are critical to the success of any hospitality venue. Among a range of uses, these systems can assist with: health and safety protocols, effective communication, logistical capabilities and so on. These are just a few technology systems that all venues, regardless of their style or cuisine, should utilise.
Point of Sale technology
Reserve Bank of Australia data from 2019 shows that 27 per cent of all transactions involve cash, down from 69 per cent in 2007. Following the impact of COVID-19, this downward trend has almost certainly accelerated. Without Point of Sale (POS) technologies, venues may be unable to process credit card transactions, which are favoured by most customers.
The primary purpose of a POS system might be facilitating contactless transactions and payments, but they can do so much more. A range of these applications are integrated as part of ResDiary’s platform.
QR Codes
QR Codes can serve a range of purposes, and are becoming an increasingly relevant part of the architecture for hospitality venues. They have come to prominence over the last few years as a contract tracing device that enables patrons to check in their location. QR codes can also link to a venue’s digital menus – which also has the capacity to connect customers to contactless ordering and payment at the table. QR Codes can also be used for promotional campaigns – with social media accounts, discounts and other marketing strategies linked to codes and scanned by potential customers. The use and integration of QR codes within the hospitality scene continues to evolve, and it’s difficult to predict how profound their impact might be.
Online booking system
Online booking systems like ResDiary can help to ease table management pressures. With the right technology, staff aren’t required to do the maths on how many tables are filled, how many are vacant, and how to squeeze in bookings in line with the venue capacity. ResDiary automatically allocates online bookings, and allows staff to organise these bookings as they please. ResDiary provides an alternative to in-person bookings, which can help to alleviate some responsibilities for staff. It also offers a range of other features, including: customisable website booking widgets, pre-orders, pre-payments, deposits to prevent no-shows, data reports and more.
Voice Search & Control
Voice Search & Control is an emerging technological trend within the hospitality industry. Artificial intelligence is used to recognise speech patterns, and specific requests can be addressed based on voice commands. A relevant example is ResDiary’s ResPhone, which automatically integrates phone bookings into the diary. This function ensures that phone bookings aren’t missed, and that staff don’t have to be tied to the line to take bookings. The capabilities for Voice Search & Control are far-reaching, as it can be connected to a variety of different appliances in the venue.
In years to come, technology that’s emerging – or hasn’t been invented yet – may become fundamental to any hospitality venue. These may include For now, these are some of the important technology systems, but keep an eye out for what comes next.
Disclaimer: This guide is general in nature and does not take into account your individual circumstances. Before acting on any information, you should consider whether this is right for your business.