Business management is a daily routine, irrespective of the business you are in. If your business runs in a single location, the routine is often manageable. But what if you are spread across multiple locations? Managing teams in multiple locations and time zones now takes a whole new dimension. Communication, better technology and digitalization has only gotten easier bridging the gaps across locations and multiple teams. The digital technology has made it simple to get updates of the tasks and data delivered to the tip of your fingers when you need it. There are several apps that support your daily operations and help you to maintain the desired consistency of your workforce management.
What more can you maintain? The recipes, rates fixed across the restaurants, visitor’s choice and more. You have the advantage of knowing how the restaurants run in certain locations. What recipes and products are trending? You can plan for the holiday season as per the location and the tastes of the visitors to the restaurant. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Although we have loads of data in hand, managing the people & restaurants at multiple locations creates quite a few challenges.
Let’s take a quick tour on the top 7 tips to manage your restaurants across multiple locations.
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Standardization of procedures
Your restaurants may run and carry out the same operations across multiple locations, but we need to remember, that every location has its own requirement and persistence. Setting a standardized process in locations helps in accountability and consistency. Standardization of the process for employees and service will optimize the service time and increase the customer experience.
It also supports in setting uniform standards across locations making it easier to follow up on any kind of changes and delays. In case you need to optimize the process or change the process, all you need is to include them in the process so that it can be followed without any extra effort of your employees being trained. Thanks to the digitalization in the QSR industry, these are now more manageable tasks.
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Time management
Time is Money, and more time is more money. Managing restaurants across multiple locations may be challenging with different time zones. Based on the time zone, one needs to be aware of tasks that need to be done and updated. May it be maintaining the standard taste of recipes, uniform quality across, stock updates or even the simplest form of operations, what gives you all these updates at your fingertips is follow-up.
Thanks to the digitally sound operations management suite of apps developed by Workpulse, these types of follow-ups have become more efficient and easier to maintain. These apps not only help you in following up on tasks, but also builds a rapport with the location crew and the employees. Without having to be at the location, you can have knowledgeable conversations with those responsible.
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Performance management across locations
A regional/area manager is expected to look after multiple locations that fall under his or her region. As a manager looking after different locations, you may require to keep a track of different things across locations but at the same time. Make your presence felt with your involvement in communicating with the employees across multiple locations making sure the operations are happening at standards set by your organization.
Do not expect sales to be the same at every location. Many factors affect sales in a location. The vicinity of the location to office areas, connectivity to transport, speed of service and customer mindset. All the above factors vary from location to location which can affect the performance of your restaurant brand. A detailed eye on every aspect will help you manage the challenges effectively. With data in hand, it is easy to manage your inventory and employee scheduling in your restaurant. Performance data in the previous quarter can help you decide on your future plan for the location, and take transparent, documented action steps to improve in opportunity areas.
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Maintaining consistency across locations
Consistency is the key when it comes to maintaining the brand name. The need is to maintain consistency across the locations that will speak volumes about your brand. The ever-moving millennial crowd that keeps travelling around are the ones who look up your brand in different locations. It is the great customer experience that makes them save as favorites, or join loyalty clubs. So, the consistency to provide the same experience is the key.
The standard procedures can be maintained by documenting the process of work. The inventory management/hiring personnel/employee training/recipes/cleaning/maintenance and list goes on. The process maintenance will empower you with an opportunity to maintain consistency of the brand in all the locations. Workpulse apps deliver this data in real time, empowering the location manager to supervise the operations while staying a step ahead of the opportunities.
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Technology to simplify the operations
Every business today opts for some version of digital application that help them directly or indirectly to simplify their operations. The time tracking software, inventory management, project management, and accounting management programs will save your time and keep you updated in real-time. You can get notifications on any delay or hiccups in the procedure.
It is significant here is to keep all the employees updated with the usage of the software with time-on-time updates by conducting training sessions or by hosting online webinars like Workpulse that enable the employees with the usage of necessary steps involved in the daily operations.
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Communicating the right way
Communication is integral for managing restaurants in multiple locations. Maintaining an open channel for communication between the employees and management will create a healthy workplace culture. Creation and maintenance of the open communication channel is a major key to success. In the process of maintaining and managing standard processes across locations, make sure you do not micromanage your employees. This will lead to employee detachment and frustration and fetch only disintegrated working system. Good communication means both parties share their thoughts in a proper forum.
Keep it simple. Along with company documents and business goals, you need to set a communication channel which can be imbibed and utilized for one and all. An open communication source for the hands-on people to raise their concerns either in the process or in technology can give you the ground picture. Knowledge of the ground picture can be used as a lead to the solving of problems. Remember, happy employees lead to happy customers and better business outcomes.
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Managing your finances with technology
To make sure everything stays in line with how your business has planned, flow of funds plays a crucial role. Finance management is the soul of any business. Knowing the flow of cash is key to measure your success, play your cards with technology and utilize it to the fullest. The suite of apps by Workpulse will help you have details of cash inflow and outflow from your restaurants at your fingertips. Create your own pictorial representation of weekly/monthly cash flow and get a fair representation of how the restaurant is performing in terms of sales and expenses in a particular location. As information is real-time, you have the opportunity to take timely decisions to cut your loss or prevent the foreseeable.
To quickly sum it up!
The internet and connectivity have cut the distance across the world and connected us in spite of being in different time zones. Apps have made it much easier to multitask, monitor and manage in different locations with your virtual presence across them. Challenges are persistent when you are trying to expand and trying to improvise on your processes. It is these challenges that provide opportunities for growth in creating and implementing available resources in technology or empowering personnel.
Interpersonal relations with the employees in locations is crucial for success. The dedicated employees can leverage the technology available to maximize performance. The empowerment of your employees can boost their self-esteem to go the extra mile in serving customers. The Workpulse WoW app is a great example of applauding real effort while providing an opportunity for all employees to share in the celebration.
The QSR industry is witnessing huge growth in recent years. The QSR operators have to work day-in and day-out looking into their systems for areas to improve. Every small change done to optimize the process will serve the customer better. A happy customer is the best brand ambassador one can have.
Call Today to schedule a demonstration of the Workpulse solution. 1-856-282-6044. Every minute counts! Call today Workpulse to take a step forward.
