CC BY
7
UDC 658.52.011.56: 330.47
Gadzhieva N. O
Graduante student of Dagestan State University
Makhachkala, Russia ВЕNEFITS ОF RESTAURANT AUTOMАTION
Abstract
Restaurants present some signi cant and unique operational challenges as a service business. That's why using the latest software is necessary to obtain the maximum pro t and compete in the market. Automation can bene t this speci c area by quick access to all aspects of the restaurant, such as staff management, nances, table reservations, menu, video surveillance, etc. This paper introduces the main objectives of restaurant automation, analysis of the main competitive software products in Russia.
Keywords
Automation, restaurant, software, bene ts, integrated system.
Introduction
The combination of words "restaurant automation" has become a common term for Russian restaurateurs, sup- pliers of hardware and software. It has general and narrow interpretations. In this article, the term "restaurant" has a general meaning: any catering institution. Even so, the "automation" is interpreted as a narrow term, and does not directly affect the production process (cooking), applies only the information components of business: accounting, document management, sales and other processes associated with data processing. Restaurant business is one of the fastest growing ar- eas of private enterprise, so the demand for automation systems is stable. Automation has become a necessary condition for the competitiveness of businesses. At the moment the number of automated restaurants, cafes, fast food outlets, corporate enterprises and their chains in Russia counts in the tens of thousands, while continuing to grow rapidly.
The structure of the automaton process
Automation - is a complex pro- cess that requires a well - thought-out approach. There are several possible ways: overall automation - from ordering products to serving the meal, or the automation of the most laborintensive production processes, leaving the remaining stages of production on manual labor. In any case, suppliers suggest the most appropriate solution. Many software companies offer potential customers the ability to develop custom information systems. Such systems are expensive, because the development process itself is not cheap. But this is the only option that allows the customer to obtain information system that would completely meet the restaurant's needs and consider it's specific.
As a result, the time of serving is shortened: there is no need for extra personnel actions; the number of errors, following the order to the kitchen and back, are eliminated. The pervious vanity is replaced by this:
1. receiving an order by the waiter (not automated)
2. input the order to the terminal (excludes errors in the orders transmis- sion
by chefs or bartenders)
3. automatic printout of the order for the chef on chefs terminal
4. after cooking, the chef changing order's mark, which means the willingness to delivery (refines communication between the kitchen and the trading floor)
5. pre-check automatic generation, which includes a detailed listing of dishes and a list of additional services (such as discounts for regular customers);
The operation of software package is divided into two parts: an outer (frontoffice) and internal (back-office). The Front-office is designed to facilitate and speed up the work directly with visitors of the restaurant. The result of Front- office automation is reducing the human factor errors and speeding up the work. Automatic printed pre - checks simplify the calculation. Also, the Front-office is developing a system to create an atmo- sphere in the restaurant: automatic control of the music and lighting, which is important for the classic restaurants and cafes. Back-office automates processes that the client does not need to see. All system director, manager components are available to the user. This is a "work- place of the", economist, store clerks, managers, administrators, accountants and other of ce staff.
Restaurant business software is no longer expected to provide only order entry and processing automation and inventory management. A modern restaurateur needs a solution that would help put together and retain an effective, selfmotivated team that does not require constant supervision. A perfect system would maintain a consistently high quality of cuisine while ensuring ef cient service and attracting new guests. It would minimize the risk of fraud, streamline procurement, and build an effective supplier relationship system while providing timely, accurate and full business information and generating instant reports for shareholders as often as needed. To achieve optimal business performance, depending on res- taurant's needs and software characteristics, changes could be made in several or all areas as a complex:
- Customer service
- Staff management
- Finance
Customer service
It is wall known that 80% of revenue comes from customers, so there is a direct sense to increase attention towards them.
A robust system for managing guest cards re nes discount systems and loyalty programs. It helps to make onetime buyers regular consumers provmotional attachment to company's customers, provides the possibility of conducting marketing researches based on the colected information on its customer (ll in the form of issuing cards).
Some jf software providers offer the ability to create the automatic reports that monitor the effectiveness of the implemented systems loyalty. These reports are based on the statistics that accumulate in the system of particular restaurant. Further guidance will be able to get the analysis of the effectiveness of the system, expressed
not only in monetary terms, but also in increasing the number of customers over time. These reports may be presented in tabular form and in graphical form.
Smart restaurant music control system allows to compose a musical pro- gram for any period thus enforcing certain music style and diversity. In accor- dance with days of a week and time of a day you set up playlist for every room and automatic volume adjustment - neither of these can be changed by your personnel. Also, the software provides reports on track usage thus helping to prevent copyright infringement.
According to statistics, by increasing cross-sales and impulse purchases, the number of restaurants using virtual menu increased to 30%. Customers can make orders themselves with their own mobile device, tablet or laptop or with the terminal set on their table.
Staff management
The management of any enterprise should provide good working con- ditions, decent wages, but at the same time strict control over the work of employees. Experts admit the huge losses, incurred by the global restaurant industry due to a lack of control. Automation becomes the solution:
- the restaurateur may specify rate of system access for each role
- reduction of theft and abuse by staff
- automatic calculation of bonuses and penalties
- creating a schedule, log attendance and timesheets
Annually the industry undergo with $ 20 billion wastage due to theft of products and cash. Every third employee will steal if he will have the opportunity -they steal money, food and time. The company is losing between 5 and 8% of their gross income due to theft committed by its employees, 35% of bankruptcies are caused by large dining theft, 85% of the missing inventory disappears due to internal theft, 53% hired employees forge something in documents. Every action of waiters remains in system. So automation allows to keep an eye on the cash transactions, payroll operations and their compliance to the orders and shows the best employees and underperformers. Every employee during the working day can view the personal report that displays the salary, fees, bonuses, etc., which can motivate employees to achieve better results.
Automated card of tables allows distributing the current, book upcom- ing and keeping track of pending orders promptly and correctly, to avoid "double" orders, controlling the loading of dishes. Detailed customer base will enable communication with the customer to track the time or cancel their orders, to inform customers of current promotions and events, to share the information about the preferences of each client, signi cant dates, the amount of the average check, minimize the loss of income in the "rush hour" at the expense of operational and the optimal allocation of orders, recognition of their most pro table or loyal customers, the ability to track pending orders. The system allows updating the orders quickly and easily in real time and changing the layout of tables.
Finance
The integrated system free up the hidden reserves of the company by re-
ducing costs and increasing profits.
Warehouse automation can intelligently allocate any number of positions, considering their size and weight, and basing on these data ef ciently generate a batch of discharge. According to statistics, about 20% of orders in warehouses are processed with errors. With automated warehouse the speed of customer service and delivery of products increases.
The systems include the ability to work from 8 taxes at the same time. Taxes can be calculated for each dish and for each account. Extra charge of catering is charged on retail (purchase) price of products and raw materials without value-added tax at the time of their arrival to the kitchen (can be charged at entry of raw materials into warehouse). In the commercial documents for the production of raw materials receive the specified level of mark-up, the mark-up price, value-added tax rate, the discount price and the cost of raw materials with added tax.
The problems with the payment signi cantly reduce the authority of a restaurant in the eyes of visitors. Automation system provides the opportunity to pay with different currency and minimizes any mistakes in the calculation of the check.
References:
1. Bulatova, M.A., Sedova, I.V. (2007), Restaurant, café: accounting and taxe[Restoran, kafe: uchet i nalogi], Nalog-Info, Moscow, 272 p.
2. "ERP Service" ["ERP Service"], available at: http://erp-service.ru
3. "Iiko - the best restaurant automation system" ["Iiko - luchshaya sistema avtoma-tizatsii restorana"], available at: http://horeca-club.kg/articles/view/72
4. Remizova E.Yu (2011), Restaurant automation solutions [Resheniya po avtomatizatsii restorana], unpublished.
5. "Restaurant management: new technologies and trends" ["Menedzhment v restorannom biznese: novye tekhnologii i tendentsii"], available at: http://www.ucs.ru
