The Future is Now
Posted by estiator at 9 August, at 12 : 55 PM Print
MANAGING FOR SUCCESS By CONSTANTINE N. KOLITSAS Business Coach
A couple of weeks ago, I purchased a new car. It’s been about ten years since I’ve bought a car. I put lots of miles on them, so a lease doesn’t pay, and because I’m a frugal restaurant guy, I like to get everything out of my purchases. And so, after putting about 300,000 miles on the old heap, I called it a day. While I’m aware of all of the new technology that carmakers have been adding to their vehicles in the years that have since passed, until I got behind the wheel, it never truly hit me. Today, carmakers are tech companies first, and carmakers after that. Okay, you’re thinking I’ve gone too far, but hear me out (and by the way, the relevance to restaurants is coming)…
At one point in the not-too-distant past, advanced technology in a vehicle was reserved for the high-end market. This makes sense; it costs money to load all of those enhancements into a car. As the technology got less expensive, it started appearing on mid-range vehicles, and today, nearly every vehicle is loaded with systems that connect you to your phone; turn off the engine at traffic lights; sense when you’re approaching and automatically unlock your doors; start remotely and get the climate system engaged so the car is warm in winter and cool in summer before you jump in; know when you’re getting too close to another vehicle and sends an alert; sense when a car is in your blind spot; give you a rear view camera; have a dash cam that records constantly and can be reviewed in the event of an accident; etc. And this doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface—there are plenty of under-the-hood sensors and switches that enhance your engine’s performance.
This very long and somewhat detailed preface to this month’s column is meant to illustrate how car companies have embraced, developed, and employed technology; technology that car owners expect in every new vehicle they purchase. In a competitive landscape where there are scores of very good vehicles to purchase, a baseline of advanced technology features is a given.
It’s no surprise, then, that customers are beginning to expect a baseline of technology enhancements from the restaurants they frequent. They want to be able to pull you up on their phone and see your hours and your menu and get directions to your door. They want to be able to order online and pay online without having to remove the credit card from their wallet. They want to be able to reserve a table and make special requests without calling and speaking to anyone. They want to take advantage of special offers, discounts, or loyalty savings with the tap of a finger.
And as technology improves car performance under the hood, so, too, does it with restaurants: There are apps to integrate your purchases with your inventory; to reduce inventory times from three hours to 15 minutes; to cost out your plates and your beverages; to identify where there is waste; etc.
But back to the customer, because that’s what drives our investments (whether it’s in equipment, marketing, furnishings, or technology). The customer’s behaviors are being shaped by technology employed by the big chains as well as with the smaller restaurant groups. For example, consumers expect to receive an email with what is happening at your restaurant—so much so that they are often becoming reactive patrons, driven to restaurants that reach out to them (by email, geo-tags, or social media) before they even start to think for themselves what it is they may want. Similarly, many no longer call restaurants directly. Ever. Instead, they do everything with a swipe of the finger. At the end of the day, to compete, independent restaurants will have to employ these enhancements just to be in the game. Once you’re in the game, then you can focus on everything restaurants traditionally needed to focus on to win customers—great food, service, ambience, and cleanliness.
Constantine Kolitsas is the president of CNK Consulting, a restaurant consultant and coaching business. He can be reached at 203-947-6234 or at ckolitsas@gmail.com.
