THE ART OF TAKING ORDERS

Order management is a crucial aspect in the operation of a restaurant.

. This includes things like knowing what time an order is due and where it needs to go when you bring it home from the kitchen in the evening after cooking all day, or taking care of not only who ordered what food this week during the lunchtime rush, but also tracking inventory levels so customers don't complain if their favorite dish isn't available (or worse yet, gone).

Starting from the taking of the order, to its communication in the kitchen, up to the translation into the bill at the checkout, everything must be kept under control to guarantee the customer an optimal experience.

From taking an order to translating it into an invoice at checkout, every aspect of customer service must remain professional and on point.
A good experience is based not only on how you interact with people, but also on what happens behind the scenes: from order entry to checkout!

Times must be quick every time the order is transferred from one area of the restaurant to another and the passage of information must be preserved as much as possible from errors of interpretation on the part of the people involved.

To avoid running into errors when managing orders in the restaurant, it is good to keep in mind the following  basic rules, you can go to the dedicated section by clicking the table below.

The art of taking commands

To avoid making mistakes in order management, it is important to maintain the following rules
1) Ensure you have an accurate system set up to keep track of what needs to be done when - this includes how often staff should check assigned tasks; 2) Plan for all potential problems before they arise, writing down every necessary step from start (preparing ingredients/ordering supplies, etc.) to completion, including timing, so that there are no surprises later if something ends up going wrong unexpectedly, such as a missing ingredient or stock shortages during busy periods, where customer satisfaction rates may suffer as a result due to insufficient service levels.

In order for the order management, from a critical point, to become a strength point of the place, always aiming for the objective of improving the customer experience, some fundamental precautions must be followed.

1. Speed in transferring orders

The most important aspect to keep under control when taking orders in the restaurant is speed. The most advanced management software equips waiters with integrated digital devices capable of acquiring order data and transferring it directly to the kitchen which, in turn, can promptly communicate the preparation times of the dishes.

In this way the dining room staff has the times required for the service under control and can offer, if necessary, an aperitif to while away the wait and demonstrate attention to the customer.

2. Accuracy in the transcription of the command

Another aspect not to be underestimated is the attention when taking the command. When it is done manually, there can be many possibilities for errors, because the waiter can make a mistake in writing or the kitchen or the cashier can interpret his notes incorrectly. Digital ordering devices also solve this problem, allowing the requested courses to be inserted into the electronic list which is transmitted to the other areas of the restaurant for subsequent management.

Today, the most advanced management systems also overcome the common objection of little elasticity in daily operations, with the possibility of inserting variations compared to the standard in the order.

More and more people demand indeed changes to the menu proposals, customizing their order accordingly to taste, diet, food intolerances.Manage in a way methodical and organized this type of requests thanks to the new technologies allows the restaurant to offer an up-to-date service of the expectations of the contemporary consumer.

3. Organization of internal flows in the restaurant

The greater speed in managing orders in the restaurant offered by electronic systems not only benefits the customer, but also the business itself which sees its productivity increase. Waiters manage to make their work faster, more efficient and more efficient.

At the same time, in the kitchen, cooks can proceed with the preparation of dishes in an organized way. Finally, they communicate via electronic notifications when the dish is ready and can be served at the table.

When the customer requests the bill, the total due will have already been calculated by the management system and ready to be presented, avoiding unnecessary waiting.

4. Creation of an organized and peaceful environment

An apparently secondary, but nevertheless important aspect among the advantages offered by the digitalized management of restaurant orders and beyond is that of helping to create a peaceful environment, for the benefit of employees and customers.

If the waiter saves precious minutes in managing the order, he can spend them spending more time at the table with the customer.

Perceiving a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere in the restaurant is almost as important as the quality of the dishes served.

The restaurant market is increasingly competitive. Technology intervenes once again in favor of the restaurant starting from the moment of the order.

Customers can also share their preferences on social media or interact in real time with the restaurant's corporate page. This feedback, managed and analyzed centrally, can become the basis of new marketing strategies to always be one step ahead of public expectations.

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