If you're out there weathering the wake of this last several months – if you're getting up every day, going back at it and flipping that "Open" sign in the ongoing struggle to return to normal, you know exactly what I'm talking about, and I salute you for your savvy resolve and confidence in the face of this climate.
As someone familiar with the struggles of securing a startup, I'm no stranger to setbacks, obstacles and all things out of our control. In the last several years, I've had a hand in every type of business from commercial tech to the culinary space, and one thing I have come to realize through talking with colleagues, customers and the communities that support us is we're entering an unprecedented era of change. Of course, some of these changes can have unforeseen challenges.
In this year alone, we've seen mass shortages in everything from furniture to fossil fuels. Bloomberg reports that it's going to be a daunting holiday season with supply chain backups and retail in peak mode. The labor shortage of the last two years is still affecting small businesses, especially in the restaurant sector. In their 2021 report, the National Restaurant Association revealed that three in four operators have cited recruitment and employee retention as their toughest challenges, despite employee gains. They go on to conclude that menu prices are increasing, citing labor costs as one of the key contributors.
Hay buenas noticias en todo esto. Con el efecto bola de nieve creado por todos estos nuevos cambios y desafíos de la industria, aumenta la necesidad de innovación. Con cada problema en los negocios, nace una nueva solución, cuyos efectos secundarios seguramente superarán con creces esta era de obstáculos y conducirán a un nuevo estándar en la forma en que operan las pequeñas empresas.
Look at Zoom, for example. In the earliest phase of our global pandemic, businesses relied on video conferencing platforms like Zoom. By using these platforms regularly, businesses were able to find new ways to work remotely, thus leading to one of the most flexible models in modern work — ones we still use even after stay-at-home orders were lifted.
This is no different for restaurants. In a world where the state of labor is changing so rapidly, it's the places that foresee what's ahead and proactively adapt that will ultimately insulate themselves from all things uncontrollable. The great news again is that restaurant tech is really catching up to the challenges. From portable, small business-serving POS systems to QR code menus, technology is changing the way we deal with what's next.
Reeman Robotics have been in the business of creating restaurant automation solutions for over five years. In the last several weeks, all this insight has allowed me to reflect upon what automation will mean for our futures as small business operators and entrepreneurs. The landscape can change in an instant and having the right tools is more important than ever — especially as these tools get smarter.
A medida que comience a agregar automatización a la combinación de su capital de trabajo, hay algunas cosas clave que debe recordar. Lo que es más importante, debe hacer que la comunicación entre usted y sus empleados sea una prioridad máxima. Recuerde que con el cambio viene la incertidumbre, lo que puede conducir rápidamente a la aprensión. Mantener una estrategia de integración clara y transparente ayudará a aclarar cualquier concepto erróneo sobre las implicaciones de la tecnología en su flujo de trabajo.
Así como es imperativo que seas sincero con tu personal, también debes pedirles comentarios regulares. Estas son las personas que interactuarán con la automatización a diario. Sus conocimientos son clave para comprender cómo se pueden mejorar las eficiencias e implementarlas mejor desde una perspectiva de primera línea.
Cuanto más comparta con sus empleados para ayudar a dar forma al futuro de su panorama laboral, más conocimiento obtendrá y más confianza ganará. Recuerde, se supone que esta tecnología es beneficiosa para cada parte desde arriba hacia abajo y eventualmente en la experiencia del cliente.