Facility managers have a lot on their plates in the age of COVID-driven disruption. According to Sculpture Hospitality, “Today’s restaurant goal is to deliver safe, efficient customer experiences that improve customer satisfaction, drive loyalty, increase revenue and encourage positive word-of-mouth or online reviews. The issue is, customer confidence is at an all-time low. Your restaurant now needs to go above and beyond to serve its customers, introducing new methods that prove you are taking the experience, and most importantly, your customer’s health and safety seriously.” As companies look to maximizing facilities resources to enable safer experiences, curbside delivery innovations are rising to the forefront of needs. And facility managers need to know a few things about their impact on restaurant facilities management.
The Challenges of Implementing New Curbside Delivery Options
The challenges of implementing new restaurant facilities management capabilities that enable curbside delivery mirror those experienced in retail. Workers may lack the training to fulfill curbside delivery orders. Customers need to understand what to do. Those facts sound complicated, but they have a common theme. The COVID-safe restaurant facilities management strategy makes it easier for both staff and customers to understand where to go, what to do to pick up curbside orders, and what technologies to use.
Curbside Delivery Innovations Mean Facility Redesign
Facility redesign may be necessary. However, curbside delivery innovations are well-suited for restaurant facilities management. For example, digital ordering systems and third-party order aggregators services, such as UberEats, can provide the technology to receive curbside orders. Of course, that’s only half of the battle. Restaurant facilities management must evolve point-of-sale systems and workflow management systems to connect to such services. Yes, it all goes back to technology. And as a result, it may be necessary to redesign basic building layout and IT structure, i.e., rewiring systems using rigid Ethernet-connected systems.
There’s another implication to consider. Restaurant facilities management and offering curbside delivery may need extra doors or included slide-out trays to offer a contactless, curbside service. And it’s important to realize that curbside isn’t necessarily the same as a traditional drive-thru. Yes, customers may pick up curbside orders via drive-thru, provided a restaurant has extra outdoor space, but the easier option is to use designated parking spaces for curbside orders.
Best Practices to Leveraging Curbside Redesign to Keep Staff and Guests Safe and Happy
Any significant change to restaurant facilities management, including the introduction of curbside delivery, should follow a few best practices, which include:
- Integrate systems to offer text communications with customers.
- Install proper signage to help customers know where to go and what to do next.
- Establish and train staff on proper hand-off procedures, such as using a tray or basket to avoid touching customers’ hands.
- Require proper packaging, including tamper-evident seals, which are a great way to take advantage of third-party delivery drivers picking up meals for customer home delivery.
- Remember to connect with customers and staff, obtain feedback, and use the computerized maintenance management system for new issues that arise in curbside services.
Work With an Expert in Curbside Delivery Innovations to Thrive Through Disruption
It is an unprecedented time for restaurant facilities management, and with uncertainty surrounding the ability of restaurants to keep lobbies open, curbside delivery innovations are paving the way forward. Restaurant facilities management professionals should know the facts and best practices to streamline curbside services. If help is necessary, they should partner with an expert in nationwide restaurant rollouts and remodels too. Visit Cushman & Wakefield’s Facilities Solutions online contact page to get started today.
