PRINTERS IN HOSPITALITY SETTINGS
Transforming efficiency and customer experience within the hospitality sector
Jay Kim, managing director BIXOLON Europe GmbH, outlines five ways the hospitality industry can use intelligent printing solutions to address key operational challenges and deliver tangible return on investment.
the printer simply cuts the label to fit the information printed, whether the label is for a single coffee cup or a large meal order. Further, linerless labels can use permanent or semi-permanent adhesives allowing restaurants to embrace flexible printing. A permanent adhesive label can be printed to include customer name, address, and the food order, and be used to provide an anti- tamper seal on the packaging. Additionally, semi-permanent labels can be used to automatically provide kitchen staff with the accurate information they need to complete the order, including time stamps to ensure deadlines are hit. Maximising staff availability With customers increasingly viewing ‘eating in’ as an occasion, the hospitality industry is focusing on improving the quality of experience. Given endemic staff shortages, technology is playing a vital role in supporting staff efficiency. Many restaurants use mobile devices to take customer orders that are then printed as required in kitchen and bar areas. Adding a mobile printer to this system allows staff to handle the entire customer experience at the table. There is no need to return to the point of sale (PoS) to print out a bill or collect the card payment system – something that can be very time consuming at peak times when there can be a queue for the PoS and printer. In addition to improving the customer experience and increasing table turnover, intelligent use of printers can ensure experienced staff spend more time with customers. Touch screen printers mean every meal, coffee or drink is accompanied by its table number, allowing the restaurant to effectively use new staff to deliver food and clear tables. This frees up the time of experienced individuals to use their expertise to, for example, discuss allergens, explain menu items or take orders and payments. New staff can be immediately productive while the restaurant maximises the skills of
The UK restaurant industry expected to grow 15% between 2022 and 2027 to £90 billion. But how are providers going to meet escalating demand for a great customer experience both eating in and via delivery apps when official figures show hospitality vacancies have risen by 72% since Brexit, while the number of EU workers in the industry has fallen by 26%? With food inflation hitting 17% in 2022, how can restaurants retain margin without passing on rising costs to cash strapped customers? And how can businesses ensure compliance to essential food safety information and demands from government and customers for more food ingredient information? Efficient food delivery The cost-of-living crisis has shifted consumers’ attitudes to eating out, with many restaurants increasing their commitment to food aggregator services to retain profitability. Indeed, the food delivery industry is expected to grow to $320 billion by 2029, underlining the level of opportunity. However, while food delivery apps offer a great additional revenue stream, the model places new pressures on kitchen staff to meet tight turnaround times irrespective of levels of demand. There is simply no room for errors. Food delivery apps encourage restaurants to use cloud printing to dedicated printers to get orders to the restaurants quickly and efficiently, avoiding any problems associated with orders being transcribed manually. One of the additional benefits restaurants could consider is the use of linerless printing products. In addition to the lack of wastage offered by linerless labels with no backing material, these labels can be any size –
Jay Kim managing director
bixoloneu.com
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Touch screen
printers mean every meal, coffee or drink is accompanied by its table number, allowing the restaurant to effectively use new or seasonal staff to deliver food and clear tables.
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