How to boost your F&B festive finances and unwrap a healthy profit

Discover ways to increase your F&B revenue this holiday season!

Undoubtedly Christmas is a busy and exciting time in terms of bookings, revenue and profits, but against a backdrop of rising costs, evolving guest preferences and staffing challenges, it can also be a daunting one from an operational perspective.

Chronic labour shortages remain, especially when you consider that staff numbers often do not match guest demand. The return of staff supply has not kept pace with the demand for hospitality, which is only set to increase, thereby widening the gap even further as we head into the festive season.

Here, we unwrap some ways to maximise your earnings this festive season without overstretching your team:

Bridge the gap with technology

How can hoteliers stem this tide and ensure they are in pole position to maximise the upcoming opportunity for festive revenue, support their operations and provide an exceptional experience to guests?

Fortunately, there are a host of technology solutions available to help bridge the gap. Hotels are leveraging technology to repurpose and reallocate resources so that staff can be supported effectively and deliver great service and a first-class experience to guests who are likewise willing to adopt the technology that is also available to them.

Enable guests to self-serve & spend more

Reassuringly, mobile ordering and self-service are proving popular amongst guests. The move to online interaction continues apace in line with the continued advancement in the functionality and options on offer. QR code access to menus directly from a device, the ability to open a tab and preview nutritional information, submit orders, track their progress and pay (all from the palm of their hand) are all growing in popularity and adoption.

Not least, they give guests the option to fulfil their own orders at a time and place that suits them. Particularly advantageous when you consider the festive season when there are more covers to serve, and there are larger group bookings and parties to cater for.

It is worth considering the potential increase in average guest check and order volumes if guests can open a tab and order additional drinks or food at their own convenience, eliminating the need to search for a menu, physically go to the bar, or flag down a waiter.

Boost productivity with Digital Staff Ordering

Working hand-in-hand with digital guest ordering is digital staff ordering. The principle is the same – staff are equipped and empowered with the tools to manage orders and payments all from their own device. Particularly valuable when a venue is busy and multiple orders need to be processed in a short space of time, and likewise for high-end establishments that still require table service and perhaps more attentive staff. Digital orders can be processed and delivered to the bar or kitchen immediately without the risk of being forgotten or lost on a paper notepad, thereby improving delivery times, enhancing accuracy and ensuring happier guests.

Alternatively with those guests who are keen to have a fully mobile experience (view, order, and pay all via the app), staff are then able to focus on other areas of operations and guest service that might require support.

Provide instant access to festive events & information

Digital guest directories can provide a host of seasonal information to lure your guests in to making the most of their festive stay. Have you got special events, dinners or promotional offers running over the festive period e.g. Santa visits, Christmas carols, New Years Eve parties, Boxing Day brunch? Make sure guests are well informed, can access all the details online (whenever and wherever they may be in the hotel) and seamlessly make a reservation or place an order.

Christmas is the time for cheer and merriment, not queuing or waiting!

Adopt time-saving, profitable features

Operators face a very real and present challenge to drive total revenue, maximise profit margins and deliver exceptional experiences. A challenge that will only become bigger in the lead-up to Christmas.

The scale of adoption and deployment of mobile ordering will vary depending on the type of venue, type of guest and type of festive offerings, outlets and menus that will be available. Before putting it in place take the time to understand staff and guest preferences, and be aware of how mobile ordering solutions can support both day-to-day operations as well as peak season and bespoke festive menus.

Review all the different features and functionality of your app so you’ve got as many time-saving, experience enhancing and revenue-generating tools enabled as possible - switch on the language feature for example so overseas guests can read all the information in their native language; use the allergen/ingredient filter so guests can review what meals are suitable for their intolerances or allergens; enable groups to use the ‘Split bill’ feature so they can easily settle their check, and ensure guests are aware of the ‘Open Tab’ tool so they can add to the order and simply pay in one go at the end.

Here’s to you all having a wonderful Christmas and unwrapping a healthy profit.

To find out more about how IRIS can support your mobile ordering and the solutions available, click here.