10 signs your restaurant's back office needs a digital makeover

Countdowns can be fun, whether you’re looking forward to a birthday (and another excuse to eat ice cream cake), watching the ball drop on New Year’s or silently waiting for those unskippable YouTube ads to be over. Other times, countdowns might be hinting at a bigger issue, like that engine light coming on in your car three times this week, or that date no longer replying to our messages (what, is it a crime to bring a ribeye to a movie theater?).

For restaurant operators considering digitizing their back office, counting the signs that it may be time for a digital makeover is pretty crucial.

Your back office is an essential part of your business; it houses everything from your numbers, your processes and so much more. But what happens when manual processes begin to slow you down? Why is it so important to digitize your back office? Let’s take a look at a few signs that your restaurant’s back office may need a digital makeover:

1. Taking inventory takes longer than chewing a well-done steak

Does taking manual inventory feel like you’re biting off more than you can chew? Are you constantly spending hours upon hours ensuring inventory is accurate? Are huge chunks of your day suddenly gone thanks to never-ending counts, pushing your other responsibilities aside? It may be time to look into automated inventory tools that can take counts from tablets and smartphones, count products by multiple packaging units (like pounds, grams, or cases) and will even add new vendor items you buy to your count sheets automatically. 

2. Keeping track of your numbers feels like playing a game of Where’s Waldo?

Does it feel like you’re constantly in the dark about where your restaurant stands financially? If you feel like you need a magnifying glass to track down your numbers, it may be time to digitize. If it’s easier to track down Waldo than it is to find the right data, consider investing in automated cost management tools. When you digitize your process for tracking your numbers, like sales and purchasing, you can drop the manual data entry, get auto-calculated prime costs and track variance for all quantities of the same product. 

3. Scheduling is more twisted than a soft pretzel

If it feels like you never have enough coverage when you need it, and too much coverage when you don’t, it’s time to digitize. Consider investing in automated scheduling software that can autofill shifts based on past schedules and availability, forecast sales to predict staffing needs and easily manage shift swaps. You know what they say, work smarter, not harder (now we’re really craving a pretzel). 

4.  Your payroll processing feels prehistoric

If manually processing your payroll makes you feel like a worker from the Mesolithic age, it may be time for a digital upgrade. Some studies show that 67% of restaurants of restaurant operators spend more than 100 hours per year on manual payroll. If you’re ready to get some time back in your pocket, it’s time to explore automated payroll processing tools. These can integrate with your scheduling platform and automated calculations for regular hours, overtime and tip credits. Less time spent on payroll, more time to do what you do best: operate a restaurant. 

5. Your RMS system isn’t a team player 

Would your RMS system receive a “doesn’t play nice with others” report? If your RMS system is incompatible with your POS, scheduling or accounting software, you’re in for a big (and confusing) problem. Make sure you choose an automated RMS system with the right integration tools for your business. (PS: read more about choosing the right RMS system here).

6. Scaling feels more like a daydream than a reality

If your dreams of scaling feel out of reach due to out–of-date software or processes, it may be time to digitize. Scaling without the right digital tools can lead to operational inefficiencies, inconsistent service and quality and major financial stress. If you’re ready to take your scaling from daydream to reality, investing in the right digital tools is one step in the right direction.

7. Standardizing who?

Does it feel like your procedures and processes are doing a disappearing act? If you’re experiencing inconsistency in employee training or important duties like portion control, it’s time to digitize. With automated menu analysis tools, centrally manage all recipes, easily train new staff with reference photos and video of prep techniques and get real-time recipe costing.

8. Tracking vendor payments is harder than playing whack-a-mole

If vendor payments are popping up faster than you can keep track, it’s time to digitize. When it comes to fixed expenses, you should never be in the dark. Consider investing in automated AP and bill payment tools, where you can auto-pay bills, pay multiple vendors at the same time, approve invoices in seconds and automatically approve line item data on your invoices.

9. The burnout is real

Are you experiencing some back-office fatigue? Does it feel like the manual tasks never stop, and you’ve barely got time to catch your breath (or scarf down a quick lunch)? You may be on the brink of burnout. Digitizing your back office won’t just cut back on that to-do list; it’ll reduce some of that manual-process-induced stress.

10. No real-time reporting

They say hindsight is 20/20, but it’s not exactly helpful if you’re getting your sales data weeks late consistently. With automated reporting tools, get daily automated updates on everything from daily sales, your P&L, ingredient price changes, theoretical menu costing and more.

Your back office may not be the most glamorous part of the job, but it’s one of the most important. With the right digital tools, cut back on the manual labor, put some time back in your pockets and get a better grip on your numbers.

Don’t ignore the red flags in your back-office processes, spot the signs early and get ready for a new and improved (and digital) upgrade. Want to make sure you don’t miss any red flags? Download the digital checklist below: