The Best Software Packages to Save You Time & Money


The Best Software Packages to Save You Time & Money

Time clock, payroll, inventory, table-side ordering, and reporting run better with online tools.

Running a busy restaurant is no easy task. It takes organization, time management, and leadership skills.

As a restaurant owner or manager, you may be overwhelmed by your daily tasks, but there is an answer. The solution is adding the right digital software to your business, so your days run smoother, and everything is more organized.

To help you stay on top of your to-do list and manage your daily tasks in a more efficient way, we’ve put together a list of the best software packages to save you time and money.

Human Resources Software: Gusto

One of the highest rated online HR systems, Gusto works for small businesses and includes features such as human resources tools, healthcare and other benefits, 401K, payroll, workers compensation and more.

Gusto helps you choose the right health care platform for your employees with several different choices. You can also choose a 401K program for your team.

Life and disability insurance, 529 college plans and so much more are offered in their online system.

You can onboard your team in an integrated and seamless way, ensuring everyone has access to the same information.

Gusto invites your employees to enroll, and your staff has their own accounts to manage their own benefits. It’s saves you an enormous amount of time.

In addition, they’re also compliant with local, state and federal laws so you can feel confident in their product.

See: Gusto

Employee Scheduling Software: When I Work

The last thing you want is employees not reporting for their scheduled shift because they forget or claim to not know.

With scheduling software such as When I Work, your employees will know just when they’re scheduled, and you can communicate with them, too.

This software is a great way to communicate with your hourly employees. Not only can you schedule them, but you can set text message alerts and email notifications.

This means your employees can’t ever say, “I didn’t know I was supposed to work.”

Not only does this software save you time, but it also saves you money. All too often restaurants lose customers because there isn’t enough wait staff. This scheduling tool helps eliminate that problem.

In addition, you increase employee accountability because they get instant updates. You can reduce your employee no-shows and improve accountability.

When I Work also helps you keep track of time-off and shift change requests. Gone are the days of multiple slips of paper all over your desk.

You don’t have to rebuild schedules manually. Simply review the requests online and approve them in real-time.

In addition, you can ditch your time clock machine, because When I Work lets your staff clock in from their smartphone. The time clock syncs with the work schedule, and you can even export payroll into your accounting software.

Finally, put the schedule in your employee’s pocket. Everyone has access from a computer or their mobile phone. You’ll be amazed at how much stress this takes off your plate.

See When I Work

Accounting Software: Quick Books Online

One of the most popular of the online accounting software, Quick Books Online helps you manage your accounting, invoicing, expense tracking, budgeting, bank reconciliation, payroll, and reporting.

Because it’s online and easy-to-use, you can use it anywhere and on Mac and Windows systems, whether you’re inside your restaurant or on vacation.

You can also share your books with your accountant remotely, so they can help you with questions, fix issues, and get you ready for tax time.

Do be sure and see if it integrates with your chosen point of sale system.

See Quick Books Online

software packages

Digital tools make life easier for everyone: you, your staff, and your customer.

Management Software: Toast POS

Built exclusively for restaurants and those in the food service industry, Toast POS is an incredibly robust system for any type of restaurant from quick service to full service.

Toast POS allows your servers to take and process payments easily and take orders table-side using the systems handheld tablets.

Your bar staff can track tabs and even look up drink recipes, thus improving overall customer satisfaction with the perfect drink.

In addition, you can leave the Toast POS table-side for your customers to pay their bills. Toast POS gives your customers fair tip percentages, so they can easily choose the correct amount.

This is a win-win for both the customer and your wait staff as tips often increase and are fairer.

For those customers who want to split the bill, Toast POS again makes it easy, helping your customers drag and drop items into the correct check. Conversely, they can also merge their bills with their friends at the table beside them.

Overall, Toast POS assists your servers and helps them take care of each of your diners in a more thorough manner. It also takes some of the burden off your staff, increasing overall customer and employee satisfaction.

Toast POS comes with a built-in loyalty system for your customers. This means you can rewired your loyal and frequent customers easily. (tweet this)

Toast POS supports physical as well as digital gift cards making transactions simple for guests and staff.

Toast also offers an inventory system that helps you immediately improve inventory control.

Through real-time inventory management software, you can track your food inventory, suppliers, units and prices so you know what to reorder and when.

Imagine the time you’ll save when you ditch the old spreadsheet way.

With the inventory tool, you can also calculate recipe and plate cost. This helps you manage your profitability because you can track every ingredient on your plates.

Finally, Toast POS presents reports for you that help you analyze best-selling dishes and loyal customers.

See: Toast POS

To Conclude

Software packages can save you time and money. They help you streamline your work and your restaurant management. (tweet this)

You’ll find that by incorporating several of these tools, your overall customer satisfaction improves because you have a happier, more well-rounded staff who feels taken care of and supported.

When productivity improves, your bottom line follows suit.

Have you incorporated any of these tools in your restaurant? Do you have another favorite? If so, we’d love to hear your comments below.

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Image: rawpixel and Lilly Rum on Unsplash

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