Welcome Back Hospitality - We’ve Missed You!
Nicola Moss,
But how much of what we’ve missed will return exactly as it was? We recently hosted a roundtable for this sector and here’s some soundbytes for how restaurants will be shaped for the future.
"We all know it’s the interaction with the waiting team that makes a great customer experience but recently we’ve looked at giving staff the technology to make that even better. This means using data to deliver a bespoke, individual experience. Wouldn’t it be great if the waiter already knew your favourite seat, cocktail and entertainment preferences? Even in bigger chains."
"Expectations have changed across the board. Some customers want far more automation and others have missed a chat and are fed up with no contact. What both groups have in common though is that they don’t want to waste their time using poor IT or inefficient and slow apps. Everything needs to be seamless, easy and hassle free."
"Lockdown allowed us to think and adapt whilst the restaurant was closed and create new ways to improve the customer journey and differentiate ourselves. It’s meant we’re really started to look at how we can innovate."
"Technology allowed us to keep in touch and even build better relationships with loyal customers during lockdown. We’ll keep that going, developing our brand communities with more fun offers, helpful advice, interaction and sophisticated loyalty schemes featured online."
"Eating out-in is definitely staying put. People have enjoyed being at home and putting the final elegant touches to a delicious chef-prepared meal with friends. The challenge for restaurants is to keep this at a high standard whilst also looking after visiting customers."
"We are working hard to take dwell time to new heights with bespoke entertainment options driven by the technology available in-house and their owned devices that people bring with them. We won’t just be providing great food and drink, we’ll be providing an all-round experience for those who want it."
"There will be a saturation in the marketplace of too many apps and people will get fed up keeping track. This will encourage yet another shift – perhaps to just better, more interactive, individual websites."
"More and more restaurants will be able to increase their use of technology because it’s already becoming more affordable and peer tested."
