Home > Blog > A Beginner’s Guide To Restaurant Management Systems
Are you the owner of an F&B establishment in Singapore? In that case, a restaurant management system (RMS) should be high on your priority list. In fact, almost every modern food establishment utilises this piece of technology to manage their business.
However, if the first thought that pops into your head is, “What is a restaurant management system?”, fret not. Let us clarify what this system entails and outline the benefits of adopting it for your establishment.
What is a restaurant management system?
A restaurant management system is a form of POS system catering to bars, cafes, restaurants, and other establishments in the F&B industry. A typical RMS setup generally includes both hardware and software, including a barcode scanner, cash register, receipt printer, and more.
These features are conveniently packaged into one comprehensive tool to improve the efficiency of your restaurant. Moreover, it is designed to integrate seamlessly with other software applications, allowing you to customise an F&B POS system that suits your business needs.
So what separates a restaurant management system from other POS systems? Unlike other conventional POS systems, RMS encompasses all your back-end needs, such as keeping track of your employee schedules and inventory. It also offers features unique to the F&B industry, like the ability to send orders directly from the customers’ table to the kitchen, ingredient-level inventory updates, and a kitchen display system.
Why should you use a restaurant management system?
Naturally, the features present in each restaurant management system are different depending on the software it utilises. However, the core benefits provided by an RMS are generally identical. Let us share the perks you can enjoy when you adopt a restaurant POS system for your business.
Benefit #1: Prevent wrong orders
You would rightfully be displeased if a waiter mixed up your order and served an incorrect dish to your table. Unfortunately, this is an all too common issue that many restaurants face. Such errors often lead to improper billing and dissatisfied customers, which are usually precursors to a bad review.
Fortunately, such problems can be easily resolved with a reliable F&B POS system. When an employee takes a customer’s orders through a handheld ordering device, you can rest assured that the data is sent accurately to the cashier and the kitchen staff, preventing any billing or order discrepancy from occurring.
Benefit #2: Efficient staff management
Do you have too many employees on duty at specific times and then find yourself short-staffed on other occasions? That undoubtedly seems like poor resource management. A restaurant management system can analyse the peak periods in your business and suggest the appropriate number of staff you require for a particular shift. This allows you to better plan your employees’ schedules. As a result, you will never find yourself short-staffed again during busy periods.
Benefit #3: Improve your customer relationship management
Many restaurants in Singapore now offer loyalty incentive programmes to entice customers to patronise their business regularly. So why do these businesses go the extra mile to implement such initiatives? Because they work! In a study conducted by Bond, around 71% of consumers believe that their loyalty programme was a meaningful part of their relationship with the brand.
Naturally, you do not want to be left behind by your competitors. An F&B POS system with CRM features can help you record essential customer information, such as their name, contact, and transaction history. This data allows you to push customised deals and promotions to specific customers based on their past purchases and interests. It also allows you to provide better after-sale service, leaving a positive, lasting impression on your customers.
Learn More: How To Boost Customer Experience With Your POS System
As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why every F&B business should adopt a restaurant management system. However, some entrepreneurs shy away from adopting a restaurant POS system due to its high implementation cost.
If you share a similar sentiment, here is some good news that may persuade you to change your mind. The current PSG grant offered by the government subsidises up to 70% of the cost of a modern POS system, making it more affordable for F&B owners to integrate this technology into their existing business models.
Moreover, you will find that the benefits of a restaurant management system far outweigh its cost. So what are you waiting for? If you need help choosing the most suitable system, do not hesitate to contact Suntoyo Technology. Our team will be glad to assist you with selecting your ideal F&B POS system.
