The restaurant sector has been one of the most affected industries during the current pandemic. Several establishments, including chains, were forced to close while others figured out how to survive. Innovative ideas emerged proving to the restaurant industry that there is a way to keep businesses alive.
By Guillermo Mantilla*
Innovation and renewal are the soul of any venture and for the sector a continuous "must be", either in the production processes, in the advance towards digitalization, in the production itself or in the marketing channels. These keep the business alive and up to date to the sector, in line with the changing needs of the consumer.
As we discovered the way of living with Covid-19, the surviving restaurateur discovered the drive for innovation, which turned out to be a critical element when weighing the transcendence of a brand; the path that leads to constant profitability, especially now that restaurant chains are facing reconfiguration and new strategies to meet the needs that the new normal demands.
The restrictions due to the healthy distance and the quarantine measures caused by the current situation, which during this time has generated uncertainty and strict sanitary measures, the restaurant sector has fulfilled this essential function, but its fragility cannot afford the increase in the levels of decline, nor the lack of flow of diners. Although there was a census of 600,000 restaurants according to CANIRAC, by the beginning of the year official figures were presented that showed a definitive closure of around 90,000 establishments.
"Given that the pandemic continues to put people's safety at risk in many countries, as well as harm the livelihoods of small producers, we need to rethink the processes of the sector," said Guillermo Mantilla Guzmán, commercial director of National Soft®. "It is clear that, in these times of crisis, in the sector, there is no room for losses, failures in the service or stop making processes more efficient and their great need to identify the new niches that have emerged as a result of this new stage that we are experiencing.
Adaptability
New and innovative technologies continue to be developed every day to improve the way food care systems are served, consumed, distributed and produced. The widespread use of smartphones and the use of applications has been found as an effective way to intelligently meet the needs of the new normal.
During these months, the popularity of smartphone apps has increased to solve the loss of physical contact and streamline processes. Several sectors began to develop applications to facilitate logistics, transport and e-commerce and the restaurant sector was no exception.
Empowerment
Diner and hotelier have control, the growing digitalization of the processes involved in the sector, with the use of tablets, smartphones, points of sale and digital kiosks have provided power to continue intelligently and safely the logistics of the service, both inside and outside the premises, even taking the service to the very doors of their customers.
Delivery
The obligation to remain locked up for months to prevent the spread of the virus triggered the home service. Before Covid, delivery grew at a rate of 29% during the confinement as it was the only way to consume prepared food. Today, the growth has been such that takeaway food has a tendency to specialize, generating new opportunities, whether they are fast food establishments, haute cuisine restaurants or business models with very different commercial formats.
Millennials
The pandemic has intensified the use of content dissemination platforms that allow you to enjoy the offer on demand, especially in the new generations accustomed to technology and personalized products. Hypersegmentation is a personalization offer that permeates both the service, distributor and food product sectors.
Resilience
Investment in digital transformation, as well as in creative projects and initiatives, expands the possibilities of sale and profitability of a restaurant by incorporating technologies, which help managers, owners and supervisors in decision making.
Today, innovation is key to controlling costs, obtaining detailed information about them and the value they add to the business, however, the greatest effect is reflected favorably in the user experience, by bringing with it digital solutions that make ordering and / or paying an agile and immediate process.
As has been said in terms of innovating in the face of current challenges, the intelligent use of technology offers the possibility of loyalty by improving perception, even with suppliers who prefer partners who have a digitized, modern and innovative operation, since this is synonymous with order and control, having a greater competitive capacity by offering a wider commercial offer.
* Guillermo Mantilla, Dir. Comercial – Soft Restaurant.
