If you're out there weathering the wake of this last several months – if you're getting up every day, going back at it and flipping that "Open" sign in the ongoing struggle to return to normal, you know exactly what I'm talking about, and I salute you for your savvy resolve and confidence in the face of this climate.
As someone familiar with the struggles of securing a startup, I'm no stranger to setbacks, obstacles and all things out of our control. In the last several years, I've had a hand in every type of business from commercial tech to the culinary space, and one thing I have come to realize through talking with colleagues, customers and the communities that support us is we're entering an unprecedented era of change. Of course, some of these changes can have unforeseen challenges.
In this year alone, we've seen mass shortages in everything from furniture to fossil fuels. Bloomberg reports that it's going to be a daunting holiday season with supply chain backups and retail in peak mode. The labor shortage of the last two years is still affecting small businesses, especially in the restaurant sector. In their 2021 report, the National Restaurant Association revealed that three in four operators have cited recruitment and employee retention as their toughest challenges, despite employee gains. They go on to conclude that menu prices are increasing, citing labor costs as one of the key contributors.
Ada kabar baik dari semua ini. Dengan efek bola salju yang diciptakan oleh semua perubahan dan tantangan industri baru ini, kebutuhan akan inovasi meningkat. Dengan setiap masalah dalam bisnis, solusi baru lahir, yang efek sampingnya pasti akan jauh melampaui era hambatan ini dan mengarah ke standar baru dalam cara bisnis kecil beroperasi.
Look at Zoom, for example. In the earliest phase of our global pandemic, businesses relied on video conferencing platforms like Zoom. By using these platforms regularly, businesses were able to find new ways to work remotely, thus leading to one of the most flexible models in modern work — ones we still use even after stay-at-home orders were lifted.
This is no different for restaurants. In a world where the state of labor is changing so rapidly, it's the places that foresee what's ahead and proactively adapt that will ultimately insulate themselves from all things uncontrollable. The great news again is that restaurant tech is really catching up to the challenges. From portable, small business-serving POS systems to QR code menus, technology is changing the way we deal with what's next.
Reeman Robotics have been in the business of creating restaurant automation solutions for over five years. In the last several weeks, all this insight has allowed me to reflect upon what automation will mean for our futures as small business operators and entrepreneurs. The landscape can change in an instant and having the right tools is more important than ever — especially as these tools get smarter.
Saat Anda mulai menambahkan otomatisasi ke dalam campuran modal kerja Anda, ada beberapa hal penting yang perlu diingat. Yang terpenting, Anda harus menjadikan komunikasi antara Anda dan karyawan Anda sebagai prioritas utama. Ingat dengan perubahan datang tidak pasti, yang dengan cepat dapat menyebabkan ketakutan. Menjaga strategi integrasi yang jelas dan transparan akan membantu menjernihkan kesalahpahaman tentang implikasi teknologi dalam aliran tenaga kerja Anda.
Sama seperti Anda harus terbuka dengan staf Anda, Anda juga harus meminta umpan balik secara teratur dari mereka. Ini adalah orang-orang yang akan berinteraksi dengan otomatisasi setiap hari. Wawasan mereka adalah kunci dalam memahami bagaimana efisiensi dapat ditingkatkan dan diimplementasikan dengan lebih baik dari perspektif garis depan.
Semakin banyak Anda berbagi dengan karyawan Anda dalam membantu membentuk masa depan lanskap tenaga kerja Anda, semakin banyak pengetahuan yang akan Anda dapatkan dan semakin banyak kepercayaan yang akan Anda kumpulkan. Ingat, teknologi ini seharusnya bermanfaat bagi masing-masing pihak dari atas ke bawah dan akhirnya menjadi pengalaman pelanggan.