Discover why your operation will struggle to grow if you choose not to update your hospitality tech
Hospitality is a fast-moving industry – one that doesn’t leave room for operations that don’t change with it.
As hospitality tech has evolved, operators have had to keep up with an ever-changing variety of options to manage the order cycle.
However, because of the many options available, the perceived cost of changing tech, and the fear of things going wrong, making a decision about new tech can be difficult.
So difficult, in fact, that some businesses ultimately choose to stand still.
That’s despite 67% of operators at larger brands feeling frustrated with their POS provider. Sticking with the old – despite the ongoing challenges – can seem like the best option.
But in today’s hospitality landscape, standing still is a surefire way to get left behind.
In reality, not only are you actually cutting yourself off from real revenue, there are steeper costs to inaction that will impact your business in devastating ways.
The ripple effect of inaction: short-term costs
If you haven’t updated your hospitality tech for a while, chances are your operation on the ground is already grappling with the resulting challenges.
For example, most tech stacks have historically been built with the POS as the central pillar. With the POS provider in place at the centre, operators have turned to separate point solutions to run individual parts of the operation bolted on to the central POS.
This can mean different suppliers delivering your order channels, loyalty scheme, and data requirements – not forgetting each third-party delivery channel you work with.
The reality of this web of different providers and platforms can be a nightmare for the teams actually working in your sites.
For example:
- An inefficient, chaotic kitchen as they struggle using multiple tablets from multiple providers
- Hours of wasted time spent on menu updates that need to be repeated across channels
- No visibility on data that reflects the entire operation
“My biggest frustration with our old tech stack was that it was very fragmented. Nothing integrated well with each other. We had a POS from one provider taking orders; six tablets from different delivery partners; a separate stock system’ and a loyalty app. The systems didn’t speak to each other.”
And that’s not even considering the knock-on effect this can have for your customers. Long queues, a lack of personalisation, inaccurate order fulfilment and loyalty schemes that don’t work across different channels – outdated tech harms more than your team.
The ripple effect of inaction: long-term costs
The ripple effects of these problems can be devastating for your operation in the long-term.
Symptoms of outdated tech, such as wasted hours on manual admin, lack of flexibility, and no single source of truth make growing your brand next to impossible.
Think about:
- How can you increase orders (and revenue) if your kitchen can barely handle the orders you get now?
- If your team is wasting hours on menu updates with the order channels and locations you have now, how much will this inefficiency increase if you expand to different channels?
- How can you spot growth opportunities when sales data is spread across multiple, inaccessible platforms?
Every complexity your current operation suffers from will only multiply as you add new channels, locations or brands to your business.
Standing still will not only make your day-to-day operations more difficult; it will ultimately stop your business from scaling.
Do you want your business to grow?
Changing the way your tech works is a big step, but it’s the right one to take if you want your business to succeed and thrive in the long run.
Luckily, you’re not alone.
Chat with one of our hospitality tech experts to get help evaluating your current tech stack, and discover how the right tech can bring about the long term growth your business deserves.
The opportunity cost
And it’s not just about how outdated tech is harming you, it’s about what new tech is gaining for your competitors.
All it takes is to look at your competitors who have embraced new technologies and forged an innovative future for themselves to see the opportunities your operation is missing.
Because whilst you’re standing still, other brands are racing ahead.
If you’re sitting idle, your competitors are out there innovating, and potentially stealing your customers. The longer you wait, the more ground you lose, and catching up gets tougher.
- Revenue: Every day you delay trying out new ideas or technologies, you’re saying no to potential revenue. And whilst you’re hesitating, your competitors are out there grabbing opportunities, making money, and growing.
- Brand: Customers want to see proactive and responsive businesses. If you’re seen as slow or resistant to change, you could lose their trust and loyalty. In today’s world, where customers have countless options at their fingertips, staying relevant and meeting their evolving needs is paramount.
- Robustness: Outdated tech is often unreliable, with multiple points of failure built in – especially when it depends on multiple-point solutions. Failing to upgrade your tech could lead to costly disruptions, affecting not only your revenue but also your brand’s reliability in the eyes of customers.
- Valuation and exit strategy: If your ultimate goal is to sell in the future, standing still can significantly impact your business’s valuation. Potential buyers won’t just assess current performance, but also operations’ long-term scalability and sustainability. Inaction and a lack of innovation will hinder the attractiveness of the business as an investment opportunity.
What actions can you take?
Hospitality is a hectic industry. It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and put off making a decision or critically examining your operation.
But taking stock of your current situation is exactly what you need to do to avoid the pitfalls of inaction.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself to get started:
- Are our processes as efficient as they could be, what hospitality tech options are there to improve efficiency?
- Are we using the latest technologies to make our customer experience the very best?
- What can we learn from what our competitors are doing, or not doing?
- Are we staying ahead of industry trends and adapting to changing consumer preferences?
- Are we making our business a satisfying, positive and enriching place to work?
- Do we have the flexibility to explore new revenue streams and expand our offerings?
Making a decision doesn’t have to be stressful or difficult.
By answering these questions and taking proactive steps to address any issues, you can avoid the cost of inaction by making firm and confident decisions and positioning your business for long-term success.
Because when it comes to the cost of inaction, the price is just too steep to pay
“As pioneers, for us, it’s always a question of whether the technology would ever be or will ever be possible. Change is hard as a business; so it’s critical to find the right partner, committed to building best-in-class tech together, constantly. The results then speak for themselves.”
Invest in the growth of your business: long term
Change can be hard, but it’s necessary to ensure your operation is set up to scale.
Chat to one our tech experts to learn more about how innovative, growing brands are using tech, and how you can set your own operation up for the same success.
Speak to a member of the team
Talk to the Vita Mojo team today and see how our technology can elevate your brand, drive sales performance and increase efficiency across your business. Just leave a few details and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
