Pre-pandemic, restaurants and hotels had difficulty finding enough employees, and that challenge continues today. The Wisconsin Restaurant Association cited new factors, including that some employees wanted to continue receiving unemployment benefits instead of working, and others who were furloughed found permanent employment in other industries.
Like businesses in other industries, restaurants and hotels will need to adapt to labor shortages. Right now, technology seems like it can provide a solution. Here are some examples:
- Use kiosks, apps or tablets to replace the need for cashiers or servers, like McDonald’s has.
- Outsource delivery to companies such as Door Dash or Uber Eats.
- Use voice-recognition AI in the drive-thru, as Checkers has.
- Use self-service check-in kiosks and food pantries, which hotels like the Embassy Suites have implemented.
In addition to adjusting your operations to integrate your new way of doing business, you will need to have a strong internal and external communications plan. On the internal side, you must make it clear to existing staff that the tech is meant to complement, not replace, them. Also, staff must be trained in how to use the devices, in case they need to troubleshoot for a customer.
Externally, position your enhancements as an example of how your business is innovative. You also will need to educate your customers on how to use your kiosks, app, etc. For example, put demo videos on your website and social media.
Lastly, be prepared for some potential negative backlash. You need to prepare responses for accusations that your business is replacing humans with machines, that wages will remain low for your employees and that prices will rise as you need to cover the costs of the tech.