From the crucial difference between customer care and customer service, to the importance of making time to visit other pubs yourself, the benefits of investing in order & pay apps and implementing a four-day week for staff, our Pioneering Pub People Podcast, in association with the BII, is packed full of insights and advice from some of the best in the business. You can see below for just a few choice highlights from the series…
The importance of failing – Chris Black, Pityme Inn, Cornwall
Whilst most of us have a fear of failing, Licensee of The Year 2021, Chris Black from the Pityme Inn says that trial and error is key to success. Whether you want to champion local produce in your meals or focus on outdoor drinking and dining, it’s important to stick to your gut instincts and learn from any mistakes made. Things do go wrong, things do change and it’s important not to fear it but to improve as a result. To set yourself up for success however, it’s important to get the basics right and provide top service to guests and having the right systems and tech in place has helped the Pityme Inn to achieve this.
Listen to the full episode with Chris here!
Keeping staff happy – Alex and Tanya Williams, The Polgooth Inn, Cornwall
Amidst a staffing crisis in the hospitality sector, it’s more important than ever to make your staff feel valued and Alex and Tanya seem to have managed it perfectly. They have around 40 staff, with the kitchen team on a four-day week, flexible shifts for other staff that provide a good work-life balance, a share of the tips and a good hourly work rate. These simple fixes have worked wonders, resulting in an engaged team who are willing to go above and beyond for customers, resulting in great customer service. Tech has also played its part in this – for example, Alex and Tanya have invested in a handheld EPoS system to alleviate pressure on staff and help them deliver brilliant customer experiences.
Listen to the full episode with Alex and Tanya here!
Engage with the local community – David Hage and Mark Osborne, The Railway in Lowdham
David and Mark at The Railway have really delivered on providing great food that draws in customers from far and wide, as well as being a hub for the local community. Staff greeting customers with a smile is essential but so is the layout of the pub. For example, separating the bar area from the restaurant ensures that locals are not put off the idea of popping in for a drink on their own. For destination diners, the team at The Railway have found their online booking system to be invaluable, as it not only gives customers a simple and friction-free way to book but it also helps the team better manage covers in-venue and continue to provide exceptional service.
Listen to the full episode with David and Mark here!
It’s about customer care, not customer service! – Cassie Davison, The Gate Hangs Well, Syston
It sounds simple, but the success of a pub isn’t just about providing customer service – it’s about customer care, says Cassie. Pubs are places where people go to relax and are a safe space for people to forget about the stresses of everyday life. Therefore, in order to provide that customer care, the key is teaching your staff to understand the true meaning of the word ‘hospitality’ and remind them why they work in the industry in the first place. By helping staff to understand what it is that makes serving customers so great and by employing staff who have the same values as you, teams can offer customers unrivalled experiences and keep them coming back time and time again.
Listen to the full episode with Cassie here!
Leverage customer data and take time to learn from other operators – Amanda and Nick Herring, The Heron, Cornwall
Learning from the business decisions made by other operators can inspire you to implement new, creative ideas into a venue. Amanda and Nick Herring of The Heron in Cornwall often take time out to visit London and other areas to check out pubs and chat to fellow operators. They use the insight to inspire them and to assess their own business. For example, they implemented online ordering and payment and labour management tools during the pandemic. Initially this was just to help them operate through all the various levels of restrictions, but they found the technology delivered far more benefits, helping them streamline their operations, cut costs, and improve the customer experience.
We also know that the hospitality industry is an incredibly supportive sector. Through the pandemic, for example, we saw pub operators sharing knowledge and advice to others on how to weather the storm and that continues to be the case. Why not visit other pubs and share knowledge in order to gain perspective on your own business’ successes and areas for improvement?
Listen to the full episode with Amanda and Nick here!
To stream the complete Pioneering Pub People podcast series, click here!
Subscribe to get the latest news, product announcements and industry updates
The Cross Inn boosts operational efficiency with Zonal’s EPoS rental solution
Introducing The Cross Inn
Traditional village pub serving real ales
Independent pub located in Paxton, Berwickshire
Restaurant offering pub classics and daily specials
Focus on locally sourced, fresh produce
“Our existing system just wasn’t up to scratch, lacking in functionality and reliability, sometimes it was a struggle just to pick up a report, and with the amount of extra costs involved it really started to add up.”Daniel Norris, The Cross Inn
The business challenge
Facing recurring operational challenges and insufficient support from an existing supplier, The Cross Inn began looking for a new EPoS provider that would provide a reliable solution to sit at the heart of the business. The team were also keen to access detailed reports to help them identify opportunities to save time and improve efficiencies, so a robust reporting function was a necessity.
- Regular problems with handheld ordering devices not functioning
- Service issues meant accessing reports was consistently difficult
- Lack of support function from existing provider meant the team were regularly left to work things out on their own
- Original ‘cost-effective’ solution worked out to be expensive due to the amount of problems
“Our staff found it incredibly easy to pick up the system, and training has been an easy process for any new starters!”Daniel Norris, The Cross Inn
The solution
Aware of Zonal’s pedigree within the sector, and with the desire for a reliable, established system, The Cross Inn team chose to use Zonal’s POS Essentials for Independents rental package for a fixed monthly fee. The Cross Inn also implemented Zonal’s Table Management solution, offering the team complete control over their capacity and floorplan. With time being a precious commodity in today’s trading environment, access to a dedicated support function has saved the team hours every week from attempting to resolve issues on their own, as well as a detailed stock reporting function removing a lot of the tedium from their stock management process. Since implementing Zonal’s solutions in the pub, the team have benefitted from:
- A reliable, feature-rich EPoS solution with a strong back-office function and simple user experience for front-of-house staff
- Fully integrated handheld ordering devices, automatically sending processed orders to the POS without the need for further staff input
- Access to detailed reporting functionality
- Time and cash savings from a robust stock management module – included as standard with Zonal’s EPoS
- A real-time, detailed overview of the restaurant’s floor plan with Table Management
- Tighter cash control and time savings with the employee time and attendance module easing the burden of managing staff rotas
- A smooth onboarding and roll-out process facilitated by Zonal’s dedicated small business team and an expert project manager
- Full access to dedicated support, available 7 days a week, 365 days a year, 8am – 12pm
“The reporting functionality is incredibly useful for us, giving us detailed insight into how the business works which, as a small business, is vital.”Daniel Norris, The Cross Inn
Results
Featured solutions
Subscribe to get the latest news, product announcements and industry updates
With the cost-of-living crisis and acute staffing shortages putting pressure on operators to cut costs, a powerful EPoS system can be the key to unlocking additional profits and helping you to reduce operational overheads across your business.
From a built-in stock module that comes as standard, providing you with tighter control of your stock levels, optimising your margins, and reducing wastage, to increasing efficiencies by automating manual processes, Zonal’s EPoS is the ultimate powerhouse for managing your hospitality business.
To help give you an idea of the kind of extra profit and savings you could uncover with Zonal’s EPoS, we’ve put together this free, easy-to-use online calculator tool, based on the typical savings we see our customers making, every day.
Use the calculator to discover:
- How many hours you could be saving by automating processes
- How much money you could save with improved stock auditing processes
- How much extra margin you could achieve
Subscribe to get the latest news, product announcements and industry updates
As the cost-of-living crisis bites we can expect consumers to go out less frequently – a fact recently confirmed by research from hospitality data firm CGA, in which three in five people (60%) said rising costs will lead them to visit venues less often over the next year. However, experience of previous economic downturns also tells us that, when they do come out, they are likely to spend more.
This means pub operators must be primed and ready to drive spend during these visits, as well as delivering customers the best experience possible to encourage them to return.
- Prompt pre-orders
Before customers have even stepped through your door, there is an opportunity to attract some additional spend.
With people increasingly booking ahead to reserve tables or areas (particularly during busy trading times such as Christmas), operators can make the most of digital booking systems that can be set up to encourage customers to buy extras ahead of their visit.
Think about prompting customers to pre-order bottles of bubbly for the table, some nibbles on arrival or special decorations for the table.
Get customers to spend more per visit
For people going out less, a drink or a meal out is even more of an occasion than it used to be and so customers are potentially more open than usual to upselling.
Menus and staff themselves are, of course, a key element of this but technology can play an important role here too.
Handheld ordering devices can prompt waiting staff with relevant sides and extras related to the dishes being ordered – suggesting an upgrade from fries to parmesan fries for example, or a reminder that the cauliflower cheese is a popular add on to a roast dinner. For those ordering at the bar, fixed terminals can be configured to do the same.
- Leverage the bill
Believe it or not, even settling the bill can be a prime selling opportunity.
While it may be too late to entice customers to purchase anything else on this particular visit, receipts offer prime space in which to highlight promotions and offers to encourage guests back.
Codes for special offers, bounceback deals for the quieter times and, for licensees that also offer takeaway, click & collect or delivery, cross promoting this with a money-off incentive, can all prove lucrative methods for increasing revenue.
Drive return visits
Just because customers have left for the night, it doesn’t mean the chance to get them to spend has come to an end. In fact, these days post-visit marketing offers a huge opportunity to drive further customer spend – and you won’t need to spend a fortune on fancy technology to achieve it.
Automated emails can be set up to promote special offers, vouchers and gift cards to give to friends and family. A friendly message reminding them how lonely pubs are during quieter periods and tempting them in with a free drink or money-off promotion can work wonders and, for those with a little budget, SMS text message marketing is making a comeback.
Technology can often seem like an expensive investment or a daunting prospect, but simple solutions can help take the strain and make a genuine difference to the bottom line – something that’s feels more important than ever right now.
Zonal has a wide range of technology solutions designed to make life easier and businesses more profitable. Find out more about our range designed specifically with pub tenants and licensees in mind, here.
Zonal has a wide range of technology solutions designed to make life easier and businesses more profitable. Find out more about our range designed specifically with pub tenants and licensees in mind, here!
Subscribe to get the latest news, product announcements and industry updates
Webinar | How technology can deliver success
The last few years have seen the adoption of technology massively accelerated in hospitality venues of all types, creating opportunities for new revenue streams for operators and enhancing guests’ experiences throughout the customer journey.
Join Mark Stretton, Managing Director of Fleet Street Communications, and Zonal’s Sales Director, Tim Chapman and Head of Technical Sales, Jonathan Grant as we explore how technology can drive revenue and cost savings.
From the importance of data in streamlining processes and providing personalised guest experiences, to the importance of integrations and how connected tech can help you to achieve more, this webinar is packed full of actionable insights to help you succeed!
Key topics covered in this webinar:
- How technology can help to reduce inefficiencies in your operation
- The benefits tech can have for reducing costs and increasing margins
- Tech tips to help you boost revenue in your venue
Subscribe to get the latest news, product announcements and industry updates
Watch: How technology can deliver success
Subscribe to get the latest news, product announcements and industry updates
How technology can help maximise customer spend in holiday parks
With operational costs soaring and a cost-of-living crisis affecting both businesses and consumers, it is vital that holiday parks are able to drive spend per head across all parts of the park. Technology will be key to this, opening up opportunities to encourage up-selling and add-on sales, rewarding loyal guests and perhaps even creating new sales streams. Here’s how tech can keep the tills ringing over the next few months and beyond.
Bookings boost sales
The habit of pre-booking to secure a table when eating out may well prove to be a lasting legacy of the pandemic, and it’s a legacy that may well prove to be a valuable one for hospitality operators of all kinds.
While some level of flexibility on holiday will always be welcome, enabling guests to reserve a table on occasion will reduce both the risk of dissatisfied customers and the length of queues. A digital system that enables this will streamline the whole process for both staff and guests, show availability in real time, and allowing guests to amend or cancel bookings simply and easily – something which our research shows more than half of consumers (58%) desire.
A digital booking system offers other benefits too – providing operators with the opportunity to engage guests and tempt them with promotions and up-selling offers. These can include things such as balloons or cake to celebrate a special occasion, pre-dinner drinks ready at the table, or pre-ordering dishes from the specials board that may otherwise sell out.
Much of this applies beyond F&B operations as well. A digital booking system for attractions and activities across the park will help drive spend in a similar way. As with pre-booking a table, queues will be reduced, guest frustration and disappointment avoided, and the business can make the most of the up-selling and cross-selling opportunities offered.
Bespoke offers
Did you know that over that half of consumers say they are attracted to hospitality loyalty schemes and yet our research into the holiday park market shows just 18% of guests are members of a holiday park loyalty programme?
Implementing a digital loyalty scheme will help operators extract maximum value from such an initiative. Aside from the more obvious practicalities – digital schemes ease the burden on staff and are less easily lost than cards by consumers – they also offer the ability to tailor promotions to individuals.
When integrated into EPoS for example, a digital scheme can pinpoint frequent activities, preferred dining venues and other personal preferences. It can then automatically target guests with on-site offers and promotions based on those likes and dislikes. This not only encourages spend but gives guests a more personal experience – something which we know is a growing preference for hospitality customers right now.
There is also the opportunity to keep engaging with guests and targeting them with bespoke offers once their holiday has ended, encouraging them to return once more.
Takeaway Time
Did you know that just 30% of holiday park guests used an on-site takeaway at their last visit? This contrasts with the 56% find the idea of breakfast in bed delivered to their accommodation appealing (both stats from our consumer report into technology in holiday parks), both of which indicate a thus far untapped opportunity for holiday parks to encourage F&B spend on site.
While the complexities of adding a takeaway/click and collect option to on-site restaurants may seem fraught with risk, tech can help minimise operational stress and maximise sales. Back-of-house tech that is integrated with EPoS can identify when the kitchen is too busy with in-venue diners and cut off takeaway orders automatically. Alternatively, it can be set up to only take eat-out orders at certain times of the day or days of the week, easing pressure on back and front-of-house staff and reducing the risk of guest disappointment.
With guests likely to be looking for more affordable treats in the short term at least, this could be a valuable tool to recoup otherwise lost spend.
Any operators considering the above should first, however, ensure their tech offer is useful, relevant and widely available across all parts of the park. Our recent research into the sector found half (53%) of holiday park guests said tech was widely available across the park on their last visit and only 56% reported that the tech they used was useful and relevant to them.
For more information on how our technology can help holiday parks, visit our dedicated sector page.
Subscribe to get the latest news, product announcements and industry updates
With the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, soaring inflation and eye-watering energy bills hitting the retail sector hard, garden centres that are looking to plug the finance gap will need to dig deep in order to unearth new revenue streams and cost savings. With the significant increase in importance of F&B as a revenue driver, it’s important, now more than ever, for F&B managers to control costs.
Technology that has been designed specifically for food and beverage operations will provide a simple and effective way to achieve this.
Waste not, want not
One of the easiest ways to save money is by reducing the amount of stock that goes to waste, of course – and yet it’s so much easier said than done. A digital stock management tool can help, however. Specialist hospitality technology can track stock levels down to every single ingredient and in real time. This becomes particularly important when it comes to keeping costs down but also removes a customer frustration before it has even occurred – our research shows that customers choosing an item from the menu only to be told it is no longer available, is one of the biggest causes of customer frustration.
For venues that use an online purchasing management solution for example, the guesswork is taken out of stock control by providing real-time availability. If implemented into garden centre cafés and restaurants, managers will be able to more easily ensure they are maximising the profitability of each product they stock, giving garden centre café and restaurant managers tighter control over their purchasing. This minimises waste and avoids a situation where cash is tied up in stock.
What’s more, the data collected from a digital inventory assists operators in making smarter decisions for their business, with many operators using this insight to improve profit margins. Such digital solutions also alleviate the use of printed count sheets and manual count entries, saving time and reducing the risk of human error. Consolidating and joining these systems will also highlight where inefficiencies lie, improve reporting at all levels and increase profitability as a result.
Make your profits bloom
As well as helping businesses save money, tech can also help garden centre F&B operations drive revenue. For example, apps have been proven to help hospitality businesses drive sales and research has shown that customers tend to spend more when eating and drinking out when using them. In fact, total monthly spend on apps averages £99.35, against an all-consumer average of £76.47. If customers are pleased with the speed of service on an app, they are more likely to use it again and again. What’s more, if this technology is integrated with an EPoS, waiting staff, where table service is offered, will no longer be required to take orders from one system and input them into the fixed POS terminal, enabling staff to process orders more orders more quickly as well as efficiently.
Linking an EPoS system to a digital loyalty scheme is another easy way to drive revenue in the F&B arm of a garden centre business. While printed stamp cards or physical loyalty cards have worked for some time, tech can help garden centre F&B managers maximise the opportunities offered through digital loyalty schemes – apart from anything else digital loyalty schemes don’t get lost or relegated to a forgotten pocket.
Our research has shown that 49% of consumers in Britain think loyalty schemes are important to them when choosing which hospitality venue to visit —and that rises to nearly two thirds (63%) of 18- to 24-year-olds[1]. Digital loyalty schemes allow customers to store their digital card, offers and more on their phone, meaning they are more likely to come in and make the most of the promotions and deals offered to them. What’s more, if a business can offer bespoke deals and promotions based on a customer’s preferences and previous spend habits, they may be more inclined to use the scheme repeatedly.
Sales data that goes through the EPoS can then be used to create bespoke offers and promotions on products relevant to an individual customer on. The system also enables operators to plan ahead and set up future promotions with scheduled go-live dates to make the most of key trading times and occasions. Garden centre F&B operations can use this as a golden opportunity to gain a competitive edge by learning more about their customers so they can engage, surprise and delight them time and time again.
There are also ways that technology can help garden centre F&B managers upsell. Online booking systems, for example, help to reduce customer frustration when forced to queue for a table, but they also provide garden centre restaurants and cafés with a fantastic opportunity to upsell and offer customers extra products when they are about to confirm their booking. F&B managers can add in the option for customers to pre-book their orders, offer deals on certain products and lots more, encouraging customers to increase basket spend.
No one will argue that times are tough – and about to get tougher – but garden centre F&B operations that harness the power of specialist hospitality tech will be those who don’t just survive but thrive.
[1] Zonal and CGA’s GO Technology survey, January 2021
About Zonal
Zonal’s experience in garden centres, combined with our roots in hospitality, enable us to work in partnership with retail operators to grow F&B profits, streamline restaurant operations and provide a first-class customer service.
If you would like to find out more, check out Zonal’s dedicated Garden Centre page, where you’ll find a variety of resources including top tips, insight and advice from industry experts, the benefits technology can have for your business and how operators just like you are using technology in their F&B operations.
By Alison Vasey
Group Product Director at Zonal
Alison is Zonal’s product visionary and defines our technology roadmap and strategy. Passionate about the future of technology and how it can help operators enhance the customer experience, while driving operational efficiencies.
Subscribe to get the latest news, product announcements and industry updates
The Pityme Inn saves time and money with an integrated tech toolkit
Introducing The Pityme Inn
St Austell Brewery licensees
One of four managed sites, based in Cornwall
Winners of the BII’s Licensee of the Year Award 2021
Pub and restaurant with 4 B&B rooms and apartments
3 large outside areas, including covered dining pods
“As we’ve grown, we wanted a more centralised view of the business. We’re now able to access the most up-to-date reports quickly – while other tech solutions don’t offer this, with Zonal we can look at reports live if we want to.”Jason Black, Landlord, The Pityme Inn
The business challenge
Combining a traditional pub offering, restaurant and accommodation, the Pityme Inn team were looking for a connected suite of technology to join up their operation – both in the Pityme Inn and its three sister-sites.
As the business grew, the team knew they needed an EPoS and integrated suite of tech that would grow with them and provide a centralised overview of the business as a whole, as well as at an individual site level. With aims to better monitor and manage cash and stocks – something which they had not previously been tracking, to implement a more effective way of managing their overnight rooms, as well as to use marketing tools successfully to old, new and prospective customers, access to a comprehensive dataset would be vital.
“If you are looking to expand and grow your business, Zonal will be there, along with you for the ride.”Jason Black, Landlord, The Pityme Inn
The solution
After weighing up their options, and having prior experience with the technology, Chris and Jason decided to implement Zonal’s suite of connected technology in their pubs. A range of solutions were implemented across all four venues to enable the team to easily manage all sites centrally, review cash and stock levels in real-time as well as automate tasks to help boost profits and save time. Zonal worked with Chris, Jason and St Austell to implement their tech in all four sites:
- A powerful EPoS system with robust reporting functionality
- Handheld ordering devices connected to the main POS, removing the need for staff to rekey orders taken at the table
- A fully integrated stock and order solution with real-time visibility over the whole supply chain
- Centralised reservations diary, allowing customers to book at any venue easily
- Order and Pay apps (integrated with Uber Eats)
- Loyalty
- Kitchen IQ (Kitchen Management System)
- HLS Property Management System connected to the EPoS
Having all tech solutions integrated and connected has allowed the team to have an easy-to-understand, yet detailed view of every aspect of the business as well as their customers, to make key strategic business decisions based on the customer data they acquire from the systems.
“Zonal has been great in getting us set up as well as sending people to our sites to help. The support they offer is really good – you can phone them all the hours that the business is open and they can also log in virtually to fix your system quickly. Our Account Manager helps me with anything we need and points us in the right direction if we have any questions.”Jason Black, Landlord, The Pityme Inn
Results
The business was having issues with cash loss and had no way of tracking it. Now, thanks to Zonal’s connected tech, they are able to see cash flow updates every day. Using the in-built stock system has also given them a better GP than having to do line checks and stock checks every week. Zonal’s online ordering also helped to streamline a process which staff at The Pityme Inn often found to be laborious.
Having a fully connected set of tech solutions also means that they can get an overview of the business quickly, while its integration with partners has enabled the business to have an overview of everything – the pub’s management team looks at the data a lot!
“Since implementing Zonal tech, we’ve managed to save valuable time and money, thanks to their in-built stock and cash functions. We no longer need to pay for stock takers and have a better GP as we’re able to do line and stock checks every week.”Jason Black, Landlord, The Pityme Inn
Featured solutions
Subscribe to get the latest news, product announcements and industry updates
Fill your ears with advice, tips and ideas from some of the best pub operators in the business with this new podcast series for publicans from Zonal and the British Institute of Innkeeping.
Listen to the full podcast series to learn from award-winning licensees talking about every aspect of running a pub to help you grow your business and, ultimately, boost the bottom line.
Episode 1 - Chris and Jason Black, The Pityme Inn
In the first episode of our new podcast series in partnership with the BII, we sit down with Chris Black of The Pityme Inn, winners of the 2021 Licensee of the Year award, to talk about getting started in the sector and how their business has developed since opening in 2018, the key to success for The Pityme Inn, and how they’re approaching some of the key challenges facing hospitality in the current economic climate.
Episode 2 - Tanya and Alex Williams, The Polgooth Inn
In the second episode of the Pioneering Pub People Podcast series in partnership with the BII, Molly is joined by Tanya Williams of the Polgooth Inn, winner of the Licensee of the Year award in 2018 with her husband Alex, to talk about what’s new at the Polgooth Inn, how they’ve made their mark with both the local community and tourists and what the secret to success has been for the business.
Episode 3 - David Hage & Mark Osborne, The Railway
In the third episode of our podcast series in partnership with the BII, Molly is joined by David Hage and Mark Osborne, winners of the Licensee of the Year award in 2019 with their pub The Railway. Topics covered include how both David and Mark got started in the industry and in their first pub, how they’re facing the current staffing crisis and the importance of having the right staff, and how technology helps them manage their three pub estate.
Episode 4 - Cassie Davison, The Gate Hangs Well
In the fourth episode of our Pioneering Pub People Podcast in partnership with the BII, Molly is joined by Cassie Davison, Licensee of The Gate Hangs Well to talk about taking on a pub in Covid times, building the right offering for the pub, the value of customer care and technology, and the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance for The Gate Hangs Well’s team.
Episode 5 - Amanda & Nick Hemming, The Heron Inn
In the fifth and final episode of the Pioneering Pub People podcast, Molly is joined by Amanda and Nick Hemming, Licensee of the Year Award 2022 winners, as they discuss how they both got started in the business, how their offering at The Heron Inn has led to success for the pub, why focussing on staff development is important, and what the future has in store!