38 Computers in Food Service

V. Premala Priyadharsini

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Introduction

 

Computer usage in hospitality industry has seen an explosive growth over the past few decades.

 

In fact computers have revolutionized the food service industry be it hospitals or hotel like any other industry. Digitalization of front end and back end task in hospitality operations have resulted in positive, measurable outcomes in the hospitality sector. In a nut shell computers have improved food and beverage service quality consistently.

 

Presently computer assisted service servers as an absolute critical factor for success of any hospitality industry and are proving to be an asset in several ways. In hotel or hospitals computer systems help to manage the complete food service process right from purchase of food commodities needed to cook and serve and to forecasting the amount of food to be cooked for each service period (breakfast /lunch/dinner) based on the pervious sales. Computer can also predict with high accuracy and reliability the volume of sales which in turn will help the food service personnel to plan his business strategies and man power requirement properly. This is important because having too much staff on one hand can lead to unnecessary escalation in the labor cost, and poor work force on the other hand will lead to poor customer service satisfaction.

 

Objectives

  • gain knowledge on the importance of  computers in  food service and
  • Understand the different types of computer operated services in food service that is both in hotel and hospitals.
  • Various computer assisted systems help a food service personnel to manage a food service out lets. The preceding chapters discuss the functions of computers in food service.

 

POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS

 

POS or PoS is an abbreviation for Point of Sale (or Point-of-Sale, or Point of Service). It literally means any cash transaction between a customer and a food service personal at different sales point in a hotel or hospital. Each and every service out let in a hotel like, a coffee shop, restaurant, laundry service , front office ,boutique etc are centrally connected with a net working system enabling the hotelier to post and update the guest account immediately for quick money transaction. The system not only offers a quick service to the customers but also ensures that all the facilities received by the customer is tagged and account immediately. Currently to offer a speedy and a more customized service hoteliers use TCP/IP program to network with the POS. Touch screen display helps both the hoteliers and customers to speed up the order taking and billing process.

 

Benefits of POS

  • Reduces the operating Cost
  • Decreases Human error while taking orders and billing. Quicken the food service time and procedure in turn.
  • Environment friendly as it reduces the paper work.
  • Helps to record, track and foresee sales of all food products.
  • Predicts the sales performance of a particular menu over a period of time.
  • Aids in appraising the work culture and performance of a particular staff or a team. Tracks inventory usage and reserves.
  • Facilitate usage of credit and debit cards.
  • Channelizes proper communication between the kitchen and service staff in hotel and dietary departments.
  • Time saving since it reduces the number of trips from kitchen to food and beverage service centers.
  • Minimizes the risk of theft and misappropriation of inventories.

 

INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

 

Inventory management refers to sorting ,controlling and management of all perishable and non perishable food products in a food service industry. Control over inventories are executed right from the process of menu planning to storage so as to make sure that a correct quantities of food is procured and utilized in right proportion at right time. It also reduced food waste.

 

Objectives of Inventory management:

  • Provide best customer service
  • Achieve complete efficiency in managing resources. Better financial management.
  • Effectively use the space and cost related to storage and purchase of inventories. Minimizing loses,
  • Utilization of food and supplies on-hand effectively.
  • Ensure food safety.

Benefits of Inventory management

  • Helps to maintain stock of all perishable and non perishable purchases made. Reduces food cost
  • Controls food waste and helps in effective left over management. Ensures provision of safe and fresh food to the customer.
  • Aids in calculating the economic/profit value of food wasted doing pre production, production and storage.
  • Helps in forecasting of perishables and non- perishables required for sales. Preserve food quality.
  • Enables tracking of seasonal patterns based on sales history. Assist in product grouping and replenishment of fresh stocks.

 

Computers in inventory manage give a blue print or lay out of perishables and non perishables products located or stored , the place of storage and the number of items stored in each rack. This process enables the employees in quick distribution and receiving of storage.

 

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

 

The computerized inventory management systems in a hotel helps the organization to generate maximum profit by directing them towards effective utilization of resources particularly the food and food service related supplies. It also helps an industry to track the utilities, insurance, cost of shrinkage, cost of obsolescence, cost of wages and benefits for labor to move and count stock, and opportunity cost there by leading to efficient financial management.

 

Inventory maintenance in -MANAGING QUANTITIES

 

Maintenance of correct quantity of inventories required to run a day’s sales is possible only with an inventory management system. The system also takes care of safety stocks and unpredicted food request. Periodic automatic replacement of essential commodities like milk, fruits, vegetables and other common ingredients/ supplies used in multiple recipes /service area is managed effectively by use of this system.

 

Role of computers in FOOD SAFETY

 

Inventory management safe guards the food stocks from intentional and unintentional contamination. This is done by placing the food product in the right place to prevent cross contamination and from accidental contamination by the chemicals. Inventory system also takes care of tracking the food security practices through automatic digitital restriction (locking)to storage area, GPS monitoring of transport vehicle, monitoring and recording the name of food service personnel who are in charge of issuing and storage of foods.

 

Computers in MENU PLANNING

 

Software and many data base are currently used in food service to plan novel menu. Menu revision, sales prediction and enlargement of menu is also possible. Mobile apps and software has taken the food service industry in not only menu planning but also helps in sales promotion and menu designing as well for better customer reach out. Online ordering and menu reviews help the food service industry to sustain their customers.

 

Computers in Front office department

 

Recently the manual front office operations are taken over by computerized reservation systems. Booking of rooms are made accurately and instantaneously through computerized reservation. Constant updates on check in and check out enables the hotelier to predict the sales volume and yield rate of a particular room. Computer assisted express check out and check inn reduce the customers waiting time and ensures better service to the customers. Centralized reservation networking helps the hoteliers to sell their room facilities to customers across the globe.

 

Yield management

 

Computers are used in food service industry to calculate the revenue earned by a particular room/    facilities (Banquet)/ dinning space over a period. It also calculates the maximum occupancy rate of a particular room or a floor and thus helps in predicting the sale turn over. The Yield management system also helps to calculate the occupancy rate of a particular bed in a hospital set up. This enables the food service personnel to plan their manpower during the peak season for quick and efficient service.

 

The Use of Social Media in the Food service Industry

 

Food service industry has started to captalisze the social media and networking sites like face book, whatsup, twitters and instagram. Sharing of food pics, facilities and pricing policies by the hotelier helps the customers to make quick decision in making a choice of booking. Review, word of appreciation from friend, friend of friends indirectly connect a hotelier and customers.

At the same time the food service industry also faces the stress of tackling negative comment and publicity.

 

Summary

 

Though food service industry is ever evolving, constant up gradation of industry through technological innovation is the need of the day, not only to achieve customer satisfaction but also to retain their customers. Social networking platforms serve as an promotional tool and speaks for themselves, reduces customers server interactions and creates a transparent mechanism that potentially increase the sales of any business.

 

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Web links

 

  • https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/dissertations/AAI9008597/
  • https://www.elsevier.com/books/computer-applications-in-food-technology/singh/978-0-12-646382-8
  • http://www.unc.edu/~rlfloyd/comp101/project1/
  • https://prezi.com/s33b3alitotx/computer-application-in-foodservice-establishment/
  • http://www.faronics.com/news/blog/3-ways-restaurants-benefit-computer-management-software