Why Going Digital is Critical for QSRs
July 21, 2022
Today’s quick-serve restaurant customer expects more than fast service; they want a seamless experience. As a result, QSRs that still rely on manual processes are left in the dust of their competitors. Automating back-end processes—inventory management, accounting, scheduling, etc.—just makes sense. It saves hundreds of labor hours every year, not to mention the money saved on human data entry errors. It affords businesses the data visibility they need to grow their business. It helps struggling restaurants fill in the gaps caused by labor shortages. And it frees up staff from performing redundant work, giving them more time to focus on serving customers.
Save hundreds of hours on manual processes
Even your top employees’ hands are tied when they’re stuck performing time-wasting manual processes. From creating weekly schedules and staying on top of constant shift changes, these processes suck the time needed to help more customers and provide personalized service. For example, did you know that digitizing back-end processes like inventory management, time clocks, and scheduling can save a QSR hundreds of labor hours a year? The data entry that takes days to complete can now be accomplished in a matter of minutes. We’re talking about less repetitive tasks (and happier employees as a result) and eliminating costly data entry mistakes humans make regularly. No running out of ingredients due to an inventory mishap. No understaffed days due to a schedule glitch. Just a smooth, streamlined back-of-house system that practically runs itself.
QSRSoft Forms lets you digitize your paper forms, turning them into easy-to-manage electronic forms you can customize to your business. Digitize your business with digital forms that give you all your most important data—sales, compliance, inventory, time clocks, shift schedules, and more—at your fingertips.
Ignite productivity through tech
More than half of today’s workers say they don’t have the technology they need to do their job effectively. And four in 10 leave jobs that don’t provide the latest digital workplace tools. It’s clear that, along with saving time and money for your business, digitizing your workflows has a significant impact on employee turnover and overall morale. Many restaurant employees are already struggling under the weight of short- and under-staffing caused by labor shortages. It’s important to set them (and your business!) up for success by replacing paper logbooks and inefficient legacy systems with digital tools that are adaptable, easy to use, and turn everyday tasks into one-and-done tasks employees can quickly complete. Not only does this amplify your productivity, it empowers your employees, your franchisees, and you as a growing brand.
Simplify your workflows across locations and set your franchisees up for success with our Forms solution. Improve back-end processes, make the compliance and approval processes easier and less time-consuming, and let your forms work for you with customizable reports and alerts so you always know what needs to be done when.
Make data-driven business decisions
From measuring the success of limited time offers and add-ons to projecting the amount of certain menu items you can expect to sell at the lunch rush, you need data to determine your next move. QSRs can use data to maximize sales, minimize losses from stagnant inventory, predict when they’re likely to need more staff on hand—and the list goes on. Paper logs, Post-Its, and Excel spreadsheets can only take you so far. If you want to scale your QSR successfully, you need a system that gives you visibility to your most important business asset: your data.
Forecasting sales, managing your budget, and measuring the success of your promotions and marketing efforts takes a system that’s both adaptable and simple to use. QSRSoft Forms tracks your tasks in real time, letting you assign and monitor the progress of any form you create. Important metrics are logged as tasks are complete, giving you data transparency going forward.
Get employees engaged and motivated
It’s more than a staggering statistic—it’s reality for many restaurants: they’re losing their entire staff each year. The restaurant industry currently has a 130% employee turnover rate—up about 50% from recent years. This costs a restaurant an average of $2,000 per lost employee, and that cost is rising. What’s at the heart of this problem? Lack of engagement.
Employee engagement is more than a buzz phrase—QSRs and other businesses that don’t take it seriously are suffering the consequences. QSR employees are looking for workplace technology to help them do their job (with 450% more likely to leave if they don’t get it), but it’s so much more than tech: they want purpose, recognition, and rewards.
Engage and motivate your staff with a tool proven to increase retention and morale: QSRSoft TV. This all-in-one system uses gamification, communication, and recognition to energize your staff and create a fun, supportive work environment they’re not likely to want to leave. Use our TV system to create gamified KPIs, post messages to staff (from important reminders and shift changes to birthday wishes and shout outs), and stay connected with staff.
Automate equipment maintenance for less downtime
It’s such a regular occurrence that it’s sparked countless memes, conspiracy theories, and even an FTC investigation: the ever-broken McDonald’s ice cream machine. And while the Golden Arches franchise can afford lost sales due to equipment downtime, most QSRs don’t have that luxury. Having preventative maintenance schedules in place for equipment like coolers, refrigerators, and ovens saves restaurants thousands of dollars in repair and replacement costs, and up to 6% in sales that would otherwise be lost due to downtime.
At QSRSoft, we take a two-pronged approach to your equipment health: planned maintenance and repair maintenance. These two components make up our Equipment Management solution, which lets QSRs automated and track their PM tasks for each piece of equipment, across locations and franchises. The system helps QSRs streamline their equipment maintenance and automating and tracking PM tasks, making your equipment last longer and less prone to breakdowns. It will even notify you remotely when equipment is down at any of your locations. This means less expensive downtime, breakdowns during rush peaks, and disgruntled customers—and more time serving customers as usual.
Digitize your QSR and optimize your business with QSRSoft. Want to see how it’s done? Request a demo today.