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Originally Posted On: Contactless: The Future of Profitable Dining – My Cloud Solutions

We’re approaching the one-year mark since the first wave of the health crisis, and Yelp now reports that 55% of the businesses that shut down during the global health crisis have never come back.

Unfortunately, the December chill has brought us back indoors, the statewide infection rate has gone above 3%, and even with the vaccine on the horizon, the entire hospitality industry is transforming its practices for the future. As for right now, here’s what you can expect moving into 2021.  

1. Reduced indoor dining or (as of this writing) takeout only. When cleared to open, assume an initial dining capacity of 25%.
2. All tables must be spaced apart a minimum of six feet with absolutely NO bar service. Bars can only be used to prepare drinks for tables with patrons who are eating.
3. Restaurants must close by curfew.
4. Restaurants must enhance their air ventilation standards, limit air recirculation, and allow for outside air ventilation.

The question remains: Will it be worth opening your doors to operate under a 25%-50% capacity? If we take into consideration that every bit of business helps during these unforeseen times, and consumers have shown that they are prepared to adjust their dine-in habits for both their own and others’ well-being, then arguably it is worth operating in under 25%-50% capacity.

In addition to the Governor’s requirements, these are some basic strategies your restaurant can employ to reduce the spread of germs:

1. Spend less time interacting with restaurant guests. It sounds counterintuitive, but brief exchanges now read as gestures of mindful caution and respect.
2. Get rid of menus! The plastic menu sleeves only burden you with yet another surface that requires frequent daily cleaning.
3. Customers have adjusted to eat and run. Less time equals less risk of exposure. Restaurants should train their staff to cater to the new customer mindset and expectation, meaning less time inside of a restaurant equals to less risk of exposure.
4. Encourage servers to adapt to more of a host and food runner role. Train them to hover at a distance to answer any questions about the menu or the new process.
5. Automate all orders! Tabs are now considered BC (before the health crisis) and growing increasingly obsolete. Prepare to train your staff to receive payments from the patrons before food is served in the same manner as quick-service establishments.

Restaurants have made a surprise discovery as they adhere to these new contactless practices: there is actually an opportunity for future cost-savings and much greater efficiency. The term “contactless” is actually a bit of a misnomer. A lack of physical contact may seem less traditional or personable, but digital contact actually opens new doors for faster service and better customer relations.

The former industry standard service format went as follows: greeting, beverage order, beverage service, reciting the specials, food order, food service, follow-up, dessert, payment. Now, we consolidate and eliminate as many of these steps as possible. The new dine-in format is: greeting & answer any questions, order, pay, eat, leave. This is a great way to turnover faster when faced with indoor capacity caps.

Now that customers order for themselves and send that order directly to the kitchen, there is less risk of transmission of germs that would otherwise be on paper or plastic menus.   In this manner we also take advantage of the operational efficiencies (i.e. less printing of paper and less cleaning of plastic menus) streamlined format (i.e. faster turnover) provided by technology. Restaurants are increasingly creating QR codes which scan directly from an assigned location, and instead of displaying a static PDF version of your menu, you can send your customer to an online ordering URL where they specify their preference for dine-in or takeout, pay, tip, receive their food, and move on.

It’s important to note that even with an automated ordering process, servers will continue to facilitate guests’ experience by acclimating patrons to the new system, and sharing guests’ feedback with the business owner. Think of the 1990s, when banks added ATM machines and kiosks, or the 2000s when grocery self-checkout became standard practice. Once customers become acclimated to the new procedure, there’s no going back. 

If you think that your servers’ less physical presence at the table prevents the restaurants from ensuring a superior experience, then think again. Two hours after every order is received, your online connection to patrons allows you to issue a satisfaction survey that opens a direct channel of communication. 

Pre-health crisis, you would follow up with your guests’ requests and concerns in person to create a relationship which translated to repeat business. As an added advantage, you curtailed any issues offline before your reputation could be tainted online via a negative review. The satisfaction survey functions as the new form of follow-up that also allows guests to follow your social media channels and opt in for email marketing. Once the survey is completed, you’re free to engage with guests and invite them for repeat visits. 

A “thank you for #supportlocal[city]” email goes out along with a coupon code inviting customers to order delivery or takeout directly (avoiding going through a 3rd party- See article: Hospitality Industry Checks Into the Health Crisis Era.) within the same week. #supportlocal[city] is a movement emphasizing the economic importance of communities banding together to support their local businesses. Crucial to this initiative is the effort to eliminate reliance on third-party ordering services which eat away at restaurant profit margins. To help advance the #supportlocal[city] initiative, you will send out a weekly email to highlight upcoming specials and entice your customers to post a story of their meal that, in turn, will boost your digital presence.

The opportunities for expansion and visibility are limitless. Not only will you keep your doors open throughout the health crisis, but you will also gain a new following of satisfied foodies.

The Greek work for hospitality is philoxenia, which means “a love for strangers.” Customers now read any initiative to minimize physical contact as an expression of love and concern for their well-being. We will show you how these efforts can open the door for a future that’s more vibrant and profitable than ever.  

My Cloud Solutions is a marketplace of cloud software and a digital marketing agency founded to help local businesses boost their online presence and keep up with rapid changes in the hospitality and food service industry. We provide you with all the tools to enhance and increase your customer outreach and allow them to dine-in as usual, while replacing physical contact with digital solutions.

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