A new, independent survey released today by F&B technology expert Caternet, has uncovered a huge drain in productivity for the industry with only 4% of decision-making hospitality managers spending less than an hour per week on admin duties – leaving a colossal 96% who are spending far too much time shuffling paper instead of performing their primary job role.
More alarmingly, the survey also found that 10% spend more than 20 hours on their paperwork, with half of these shamefully admitting they spend up to 60 hours every week (more than the average hourly working week in total)!
Digging deeper into a hole…
Jerry Brand, Managing Director at Caternet is sympathetic to these findings but fears the industry is digging itself deeper into a hole that is hard to climb out of unless managers wake up to what is happening under their nose. “It’s no wonder the industry is struggling to control costs and retain competitive edge; if more than half the week is comprised of shuffling bits of paper rather than focusing on aspects that will increase the bottom line, such as forecasting margins, reducing cost overspend, improving service quality and supplier relationships and managing staff retention. How can businesses expect to survive long term in a sector where cash is undoubtedly king?”
Managers need to move to ‘paperless environments’
The survey results also suggest that the majority of hospitality managers need to significantly reduce the hours spent on paperwork, and regain control of their business operations. Brand blames the current systems and processes the sector uses and argues for a shift towards ‘paperless environments’:
“The quest to save both time and money seems to be an ongoing battle for most, but if we waste this much time on admin how can we expect to maximise our profitability? What we are finding in the market is an inbuilt conservatism about switching to modern technologies.
“The industry must move towards a paperless environment with live supplier prices that allow people to regain control of their business, and we are working hard on educating people in this regard. Whether that means building dynamic recipes and shopping quickly and easily in a ‘one-screen’ process, or via the seamless automation of P&L reporting, payroll and HR tasks. Successful business operations need to squash this excessive admin bug, and quickly”.
About Caternet
Caternet provides intelligent, 100% integrated technology to those working in the food & beverage industry. Designed to save time and money, Daily Data reduces the risk of overspending by giving businesses greater visibility and control over their active stock, purchasing and forecasting. The software allows businesses to shop quickly and easily and build recipes dynamically in a one-screen, live-priced, paperless environment. A complete end to end management system, Daily Data also provides full profit and loss reporting and payroll and HR functions are automated. Caternet has a wide range of clients in the education, hospitality, healthcare and food service sectors.
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