The introduction of the new national living wage in April 2016 is possibly going to impact on labour costs and the margins operators can make. Fortunately there are steps operators can take to control costs using technology, writes GS operations director Richard Tarran.
CONTROL RISING COSTS AND IMPROVE MARGINS
Controlling costs and improving margins are key to our core proposition at GS. As is our drive to add consultative value to our technology.
This is where we come into our own. Controlling costs and improving margins are key to our core proposition at GS. As is our drive to add consultative value to our technology.
Which is why we have published a guide highlighting 10 ways operators like yourself can use technology to control rising costs. Each tip will help you do better business and put the leash on expenditure that can all too easily spiral out of control.
There are no secrets in the guide. Just plain common sense supported by many years experience of our EPOS experts working with leading operators.
At the heart of the guide are watertight cash and stock controls and embedded operational procedures built around smart technology.
But what do I mean by watertight?
Simple. Every single transaction and stock movement counts, without exception.
Whether it is a free coffee at the end of a meal, staff drinks or a dessert on the house.
Failure to record all your transactions and cash and stock movements means you cannot achieve a truly accurate stock take.
MONITORED AUTOMATICALLY BY YOUR TECHNOLOGY
If that’s the case, you’re going to struggle to get your costs under control.
Especially if you’re not following best practice in other business areas.
Managing and monitoring staff rotas and costs, tracking deposits and ordering from suppliers should all be controlled and monitored automatically by your technology to take human error out of the equation.
Sadly, unless you track and record your cash and stock as it moves through the business, you’re never going to be able to get a really tight grip on your costs.
Think about it by asking yourself these questions. Could you freeze frame your business, like pressing pause on the TV, and guarantee you’ll be able to account for all the stock and cash within your business? Do you know if you have too many staff covering a session?
TECHNOLOGY KNOWS INSTANTLY – IF THE PROCEDURES ARE IN PLACE
Or have you ordered stock from a more expensive supplier when there were cheaper options available to you? You might not know but technology does, instantly – but only if the procedures built around your EPOS-driven technology solutions are easy to implement and follow.
THIS GUIDE WILL HELP YOU
At GS, it’s our job to make sure your business management solution is configured to your exact requirements.
This is to ensure your costs and stock are always monitored and under control without disrupting your way of working.
As a former operator, I know the real world offers numerous examples to highlight how easy it is for your costs to spiral out of your control.
You’ll have plenty of your own examples which you’ve either heard about or seen as a hospitality operator. This guide will help you put a stop to them. Download it today.
[download]Operations director Richard Tarran has a proven track record as a bar, restaurant and nightclub operator, trainer, area manager and IT specialist. Living Rooms, Mosquito, Deep Pan Pizza, Via Vita, Chiquito and Bass Taverns all feature on his very busy CV. He first worked with GS Systems at Living Ventures, where he was responsible for setting up systems for new openings, supporting managers with stock control, budgeting and forecasting and successfully implementing EPOS, CMS and chip’n’pin solutions in 40 restaurants.
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