Does the Cafe industry need a technological awakening?

Does the Cafe industry need a technological awakening?

by | Jul 7, 2019 | Cafes, Technology

Does the Cafe industry need a technological awakening?

Coffee shop owners are often said to be sustaining the high street giving a “caffeine shot” to the local economy.

A new report shows that not enough hospitality business owners are embracing technology in order expand and run their business more efficiently.

Only 15% of managers are currently monitoring the progress of their business digitally and are in turn missing opportunities that would enable them to have a better overview of how their business is performing. It would also allow them to review easily accessible sales data to help them make decisions that will drive up an average industry customer spend of £5, a relatively low amount considering the number of other products on offer.

The report which questioned 200 business owners, appeared to show that the methods used for business management appeared to be lacking.

Stock management control which although basic to help monitor cash flow and profitability, and is something that needs to be carried out and tracked regularly was often lacking.

Although till receipts are considered to be a thing of the past, 63% declared that they still try to monitor and view sales via print-out, a tangible yet manual and time consuming technique that is at risk of human error.

Although respondents reported feeling confident about their business’s future in the hospitality industry the question remained of how owners using old technology will maintain sufficient management of their businesses and achieve growth if new technology is not deployed.

Forty four percent thought that they would make use of a more informative EPOS system incorporating marketing ability to help them to “know the customer better” along with stock and staff rota information, while the use of online payment tools would give them the ability to cut-down customer waiting times.

A modern SamTouch EPos system allows small business owners to take control and understand in detail what and what it is not selling and what their customers like and how they behave, this will help owners make accurate and positive decisions about the future of their business. By incorporating digital and cloud technology managers can even monitor what is happening in their business remotely and even set up promotions or customer communications in real time.

How can you upsell customers, reward loyal ones, and entice new ones?

The solution may be getting to know your customers through technology.

SamTouch is a vibrant, energetic and innovative brand that sustains its competitive edge by seeking new and improved approaches to meet market changes and customer demands.

Contact TAGFIRST to see how SamTouch EPOS systems could help your business.

Hospitality Industry Insights

Hospitality Industry Insights

by | May 1, 2019 | Hospitality, Pubs, Restaurants

Hospitality Industry Insights

A report finds UK Pubs must make “digital shift” How can you upsell customers, reward loyal ones and entice new ones? The solution may be getting to know your customers through technology. A new report has revealed that British pubs are failing to keep up with the needs and demands made by the young digitally-savvy population now dubbed “generation Y” or the Millennials, putting them at risk of alienating this crucial target market and harming their long term survival hopes.

A study of 2000 UK consumers has shown that Millenials – who have grown up with technology as part of their everyday life – are increasingly placing the internet at the heart of their social lives. For this age group gone are the days when you you met your future husband or wife in the pub, now the web has taken over as the number one dating venue. Nearly one in five (19%) have met a future partner this way in the past year. The “Pub of the Future” report shows that this generation will seek out pubs that embrace these digital trends, as their requirements differ from other age groups. For example they are (67%) more likely than their elders (Generation X) to choose a pub offering Wi-Fi services and (70%) more likely to select a pub that offers individual loyalty scheme discounts and offers tailored to them.

The report highlights that many pubs have not or are unable to because of outdated business systems engage with this digital marketing revolution.  In a climate where (18%) of the population no longer use pubs in their local area, young people are showing particular loyalty towards the pub industry. 16 – 24 year olds are over twice as likely to use them to meet friends or go on a date. In support of this (30%) of young people declare they would be upset if their local pub were to close down. 

“Its clear that pubs aren’t doing enough to stay relevant to the crucial 16 – 24 age group. To secure its long-term future, the industry needs to make a shift to stay relevant  – and this research suggests that this will be driven by digital trends and solutions”.

Technology and personalised marketing communications stand out from the report as important future tools. Being able to simply control and offer Improved loyalty schemes for local customers along with speedy digital ordering from the table will change how pubs operate over the coming years. Pubs that do not provide such services at present will need to consider making use of this technology moving forward.

SamTouch is a vibrant energetic and innovative brand that sustains its competitive edge by seeking new and improved approaches to meet specific market and and customer demands. They are renowned for developing ground breaking technology, rugged and energy efficient products which with SamTouch partners like TAGFIRST are able to deliver a level performance and customer service which is second to none.

If you want to know more or book a demonstration to show how a SamTouch EPOS system could transform your business  call 01444 246111 or click on our E-mail contact page.