A restaurant’s virtual storefront is just as important as the actual storefront, where customers can interact and form a first impression. Customers visit your website to learn more about your business, including what’s available on your menu and where you are located – they may even be interested in placing an order online.

Providing your customers with the option to order online allows them to browse menu items, add them to the cart and see the total of the items they have ordered. They are also able to delete items, add sides, and try a new coupon offer. Online ordering is a perfect for having your customers explore your website and interact with your menu in a new way. Here are a few other benefits of online ordering:

Sell more.
It can be easy to forget to upsell when speaking to customers, but when a customer places an order online you will never have to worry about your online ordering system forgetting to up-sell top items on the menu.
By ordering online, customers have more time to look over the menu, increasing the chance of adding other items to their cart. Be sure to include appetizing pictures showcasing your menu items. Online ordering helps increase the average order size as opposed to orders that are called in.

Reduce order errors.
Online ordering is a necessity if you often find your staff struggling with language barriers. Avoid miscommunication with an easy-to-read menu online for your customers.
Boost sales.
Many restaurant websites are strictly used for information only, prompting the customer to drive to their establishment or pick up the phone to place an order. However, many customers would love the option to simply view an online menu and click to order. With online ordering, you are securing more orders and increasing sales through your website.

Improve efficiency. 
Not only are you reducing order errors by providing online ordering, but you’re also decreasing the amount of time spent on the phone. Ordering on the phone can take anywhere from 3-8 minutes, but the average online order takes about 30 seconds, which means you’re increasing efficiency and accuracy.

Have you begun creating an online ordering system for your restaurant? The Source1 Purchasing Program provides you with the latest trends in the restaurant industry to ensure the success of your business. Visit our website at www.Source1Purchasing.com to learn more about the Source1 Program and how it can benefit your establishment.

It can be a challenge managing your restaurant’s online reputation with the world of online reviews consistently rising. However, it is not impossible. After running your business all day, it’s exhausting spending a couple of hours managing your online reputation, but the key is to work smarter, rather than harder. Utilize the following tools and strategies to free up more of your day while still effectively managing things online.

1. Dedicate one hour a day to your online reputation. Establish a daily calendar reminder and commit to spending only one hour per day responding to reviews, tweets, and comments. Rather than checking throughout the day, focus on doing so during your scheduled hour. After the hour has passed, don’t check for new reviews again until the next dedicated reputation management time.
2. Set up e-mail notifications. Save yourself the energy it takes to constantly refresh your restaurant’s business page by setting up e-mail notifications. This way, you’ll be notified in real-time when new reviews have been written, friend requests have come in, tweets have mentioned you, etc. You may also want to subscribe to each sites’ newsletter to stay on top of product announcements, business best practices, and even a summary of your business’s metrics for the past week, including calls, check-ins, website clicks, etc. On Yelp, you can change your e-mail preferences in your Business Account under the Account Information section.
3. Take advantage of free tools. You can create a virtual storefront with the free tools available on the sites your customers pay the most attention to. Begin by copy-and-pasting pre-existing information from your website or marketing materials, like the business description on your “About” page, onto your business listing on the sites you’re focused on.
For example, on Yelp you can enhance your business listing and bring in new customers by using the free tools available in your Business Account. To begin, focus your attention on the following sections:
• Business Information. Here you can add your business’s website, hours, specialties, and other basic information, as well as a 3,000-character description.
• Photos. Adding photos is highly recommended. In fact, those searching on Yelp remain on a business page with photos 2.5 times longer than one lacking photos. This can include pictures of your establishment, dishes, staff, and more.
• Deals and Gift Certificates. Setting up a Yelp Deal or Gift Certificate is a great way to invite potential customers to make a buying decision while on your Yelp page. If you’re not sure what to offer, just do a quick search on Yelp and filter by who’s offering a Yelp Deal in your category for ideas. It’s free to set up a Yelp Deal or Gift Certificate, though there is a revenue share, should it lead to a sale.
4. Monitor your traffic. Most online review and social media sites provide businesses with information about the traffic they’re getting and how consumers are engaging with their business page. Review how your business’s profile is performing once a month; observe the number of user views you’ve received, clicks to your website, and so on and fill in any gaps to increase the possibility of turning those viewing your business page into an actual customer.
5. Market your business the smart way. To spread the word about where your business can be found online, add logos of the sites where your restaurant has a strong online presence on your business cards, in your e-mail auto-signature, and in your storefront.

By implementing these strategies, you will be provided with the best insight on where your business can improve based on customer feedback, and potential customers can view the positive experience that other guests are having with you. Source1 Purchasing provides you with the latest news, trends, and advice to keep your establishment running smoothly. Check out our website to learn more about the Source1 Purchasing Program and how it can benefit you at www.Source1Purchasing.com.

While it’s never thrilling to receive complaints from guests, you can use them to your advantage to help improve your hotel operations. If you aren’t quite sure what to do, we’ve provided some tips on how to handle guest complaints in a hotel:

Dealing with negative feedback
Normally, an initial reaction to negative feedback is to be defensive, but this should be avoided. Instead, try to learn the source of the problem by tactfully asking some questions. Remember to empathize with the guest and be understanding. The least you can do is apologize and explain any improvements that have been made if necessary.

Online reviews
This principle also applies to online reviews. Your response to an online review not only affects the guest who posted the review, but can also influence the decision of travelers who are reading that review. Ignoring your online reviews, whether they are good or bad, can give the impression you don’t care. Even worse, being defensive suggests you’re denying any problem exists, which can make the situation worse.

Responding to negative hotel reviews in a timely manner shows that you do appreciate feedback. To make the process easier, you can set up a Google Alert on your establishment so you know when someone is talking about your business online.

Handling negative feedback appropriately will reflect well on you, demonstrating your professionalism. For those with complaints, try and have the reviewer call you to discuss the matter on the phone rather than online. This way you can receive all of the details relating to the matter without sharing the discussion with the World Wide Web.

Empower your team
Provide your team with the necessary skills and authority to handle complaints. Encourage and train them on how to ask for feedback and respond when the feedback is negative. This is great for guests because your staff can handle things immediately rather than having to call in a manager for help. Be sure to make it clear to your staff just how much authority they have when it comes to resolving issues, such as providing guest compensation.

Keep an eye on your team, observing how they handle negative comments, and then provide them with feedback, such as praise or guidance if more help is needed.

The LEAF list
You can use the LEAF checklist as a guideline on how to handle negative feedback from customers:

Listen: Listen and respond to the guest, showing that you understand what they are saying.

Empathize: Apologize and show that you understand they’re disappointed, but remember to not take it personally. Don’t become defensive – customers don’t want to hear excuses. Even if the problem wasn’t your fault, let the guest know that you are working on a solution.

Action: Ask guests what they believe is an appropriate solution, and offer alternatives so they have a sense of control over the situation. Rather than telling your customer why something went wrong, tell them what you’re doing to make it better.

Follow up: Ensure that the guest is satisfied with the outcome. Learn from the feedback and keep en eye out for similar issues and discuss them with your team so that you can prevent future problems from occurring.

If handled appropriately, complaints from guests can be turned from a negative to a positive. Source1 Purchasing works to keep you informed on the latest trends in the hospitality industry to keep your operations running smoothly. To learn more about the benefits of theSource1 Program and what we can do for you, visit our website at www.Source1Purchasing.com.

Three developments hurting the restaurant industry
and three trends you can use to combat them

By Gabrielle Gresge

The final month of 2014 has ushered in time to look simultaneously forward and backward: backward to assess the trends and financial situation of the past year, and forward to understand the implications of those trends and how to take advantage of them. Particularly in the restaurant industry, minimum wage increases, the consequences of Obamacare and increases in commodity prices pose risks to future financial success. However, increases in the number of jobs, notable decreases in gas prices and glowing consumer confidence may just be able to combat those negative forces. Combined with revenue management aided by Source1, the beginning of 2015 could pose great opportunities to firms with the right arsenal of tools.

1. BAD NEWS: Minimum wage increases: In the wake of the 2014 midterm elections, 29 states will be offering a minimum wage above the $7.25 federal minimum. In addition, a bill has been introduced to the House which calls for an increase in the tipped minimum wage from $2.13/hour to $3.39/hour by the end of the year—there are hopes that the wage will be as high as $5.93 in 2016. These mandated increases help employees and perhaps increase work rate and morale, but greatly hurt restaurant firms, who rely greatly on the minimum wage to keep costs low. Increased wages begin a trend of increased menu prices to make up for lost profit, which can lead to lagging business and decreases in tips to waitstaff—which cause owners to fill legal implications by making up the difference in lost tips.

GOOD NEWS: Increases in the number of jobs: According to The Wall Street Journal, the United States economy has been experiencing steady job growth of 226,00 jobs added on average during the past seven months. The unemployment rate reached just about 6.1% this past August, which marks its lowest level in six years. This growth is positive in two facets: one, more jobs simply means more consumers and therefore increased profit potential. Additionally, 10% of the workforce is within the restaurant industry, signaling that the industry is growing.

2. BAD NEWS: Obamacare: The newest healthcare legislation mandates that employers employing 50 or more employees who work 30 or more hours on average per week are required to provide healthcare to their employees. According to Bloomberg, 21% of restaurant workers fit this characterization.

GOOD NEWS: Increased consumer confidence: Bloomberg claims that consumer confidence in the United States has reached its highest level in almost seven years. Pertaining to the restaurant industry, this number has directly correlated to the Restaurant Performance Index, which the National Restaurant Association says has increased nearly 2% since September 2014.

3. BAD NEWS: Increases in commodity prices: According to a recent survey by SpenDifference, 93% of restaurant chains plan to increase prices by 2.1% in 2015. These increases have been brought on as a result of increased prices in commodities, particularly in meat and pork.

GOOD NEWS: Decreases in gas prices: Gas prices have been down $0.76 since the end of June 2014. This positive change in prices can be linked directly to the fact that October’s sales total in the industry ($48.6 billion) saw a $1.3 billion increase since June.

We know the trends—now what?

The positive and negative forces affecting the restaurant industry can be manipulated to the advantage of owners through the use of revenue management as guided by Source1.

Source1 aims to utilize its connections with suppliers in order to attain the best possible pricing for its customers: hospitality firms. The trends outlined above affect every aspect of the Source1 vision; a large part of revenue management rests on economic trends. Source1’s unique partnership with thousands of brand name partners allows us to help our customers combat negative trends while maximizing positive ones.

Cintas Corp. has released a list of the top four restaurant injuries. One in 20 on-the-job injuries and illnesses all over the world occur at eating and drinking establishments, seemingly due in part to an inexperienced workforce operating in an environment where cuts, burns, slips and falls are a common occurrence. According to studies from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), for every dollar spent in safety programs, businesses can save between four and six dollars from costs associated with injuries and fatalities, which seems like a small price to pay to ensure the safety of your staff and customers.

According to the Cintas Report, the top four restaurant related injuries that occur are:

1. Lacerations and punctures.
2. Burns. As many as one-third of occupational burns occur in restaurants, totaling about 12,000 reported cases per year. However, the actual number is projected to be much higher.
3. Sprains and strains. Misplaced or hard-to-reach items can lead to worker injury due to overreaching or tripping. Restaurant workers can also suffer from strains due to improperly lifting items.
4. Eye injury. Workers operating around grease or sanitizing chemicals often experience splashing in their environment, resulting in an injury to the eye.

Developing and implementing a first-aid program at your establishment created with these common challenges and injuries found in foodservice operations can ultimately protect workers. The following steps can be followed in order to help operators prepare for common injuries:

1. Put in an onsite first-aid cabinet. Place the cabinet in an area that is easy to locate so that all employees can quickly and effortlessly access it if an accident happens to occur.
2. Be sure to stock the cabinet with a variety of supplies to treat common foodservice injuries.
3. Regularly check the cabinet and restock as needed.
4. Train your employees on the proper use of the items in the first-aid cabinet and procedures on how to handle emergency situations.
5. Combine first aid initiatives with other safety programs, such as AEDs and fire programs.

By making yourself aware of these possible hazards and preparing yourself as well as your employees for potentially dangerous situations, you will be able to provide better protection against accidents. Source1 Purchasing is here to help you improve your establishment, ensuring that operations are running as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Visit our website at www.Source1Purchasing.com to learn more about the benefits of the Source1 Program.

The University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute has identifies the top 10 most ‘unwanted’ pathogen-food combinations. This list of the riskiest combinations of foods and disease-causing microorganisms has been provided in order to protect consumers from the nasty, and even costly, bugs. This report is said to be the first comprehensive ranking of its kind in the United States as a compilation of the number of illnesses, costs, and overall public health burden of certain microbes in certain types of food.

Millions of Americans fall victim to the unpleasantness of food poisoning, but you rarely hear about the tragedies that occur from it as well. In fact, thousands of Americans die each year due to different types of food-borne illness.

The report helps to address the issue that efforts to protect the public are not very coordinated. It’s vital for government agencies to work together to effectively target their efforts in identifying which pairs of foods and microbes present the greatest burden. If this doesn’t occur, then time and resources are being wasted while even more people are being put at risk for food-borne illness.

The new report finds five leading bugs that are the worst offenders — Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Toxoplasma gondii and norovirus — which result in $12.7 billion in annual economic loss.

The following are the food-pathogen combinations that make us the sickest:
1. Poultry contaminated with Campylobacter affects more than 600,000 Americans every year. Salmonella in poultry has also been ranked in the top 10 of the list. These kind of poultry-borne infections can result in vomiting but can also cause death.
2. Salmonella was the leading disease-causing bug, however, it’s not just found in poultry. Salmonella can also be found in produce, eggs and multi-ingredient foods.
3. Listeria in deli meats and soft cheeses, as well as Toxoplasma in pork and beef are the combinations that have the most serious affects on women who are pregnant and developing fetuses, causing stillbirth or infants born with irreversible mental and physical disabilities.
4. Norovirus is typically the result of foodservice workers who fail to follow proper hand washing procedures before handling food. Because of this, the report recommends there should be increased funding in efforts to train employees correctly.
5. E. coli 0157:H7 is usually found in contaminated beef and produce. This type of bacteria causes devastating injuries to small children.

It’s crucial to remain in the know when it comes to the safety of the food that you are serving. Source1 Purchasing works to inform you of the latest news and trends so that you are aware and able to adjust your operations accordingly. For more tips, tricks, and trends, check out more Source1 Purchasing Blogs.

We’ve all been there – you look in the refrigerator and grab those leftovers that were hiding in the back, open the container, and take a big whiff. It smells fine, so does that mean that it’s okay to eat? This is just one of many questions that people have in regard to food handling guidelines that are commonly answered incorrectly, and we’re here to bust them for you.

Myth #1: Leftovers are safe to eat until they smell bad.

Fact: While most people would rather not eat food that is spoiled or smells odd, doing so wouldn’t necessarily make them sick. This is because there are different types of bacteria, some of which cause illness in people and others that don’t. In fact, the types of bacteria that do cause illness do not affect the taste, smell, or appearance of food. Because of this, it is best for you to freeze or throw away leftover items within 3-4 days. If you aren’t sure how long the food has been sitting in the refrigerator, don’t take the risk of becoming ill – just toss it!

Myth #2: I use bleach and water to sanitize my countertops and the more bleach I use the more bacteria I kill.

Fact: Using more bleach has no advantages. Actually, the overuse of bleach can do more harm than good because it’s not safe to consume. The recommended sanitizing solution to use is 1 tablespoon of unscented liquid bleach per gallon of water. Cover the countertop with the mixture, allow it to sit for a few minutes, then pat with clean, dry paper towels or allow to air dry. If you have any of the sanitizing mixture leftover, you can store it in a tightly covered container for up to one week. After that point, the bleach will no longer be effective.

Check out our article on Cross-Contact vs. Cross-Contamination

Myth #3: I don’t need to wash my produce if I am going to peel it.

Fact: Whether eating, cutting, or cooking produce, you must always wash the items beforehand under running tap water. Harmful bacteria can be located on the peel of the produce, but while cutting or peeling it, you may be transferring the bacteria to the part that is consumed. Wash delicate produce, such as grapes or lettuce, under cool running water and then pat dry with a clean paper towel. Firm-skin fruits and vegetables should be rubbed under running tap water or scrubbed with a clean produce brush. Never use detergent or bleach to wash fresh fruits or vegetables – when consumed, these products can be very harmful.

Myth #4: The stand time recommended for microwaveable foods is optional, it’s just so you don’t burn yourself.

Fact: The recommended stand time for microwaveable foods actually isn’t about letting the item cool, but rather is an important part of the cooking process. Stand times are usually just a few minutes and is necessary to bring the food to a safe internal temperature. To ensure that you are cooking safely, always read and follow package instructions, know the wattage of your microwave, and use a food thermometer to ensure food has reached a safe internal temperature.

Hopefully these food safety tips help you maintain healthy practices at home or at your establishment. What other food safety myths and facts can you add to this list? As a leading supply chain management group, Source1 Purchasing stays current on the latest news and trends in the foodservice industry in order to keep you up-to-date and help your establishment run more efficiently.

As a hotel manager, your business is built on serving others and continuing to satisfy your guests. With technology being so important in today’s society, keeping communication with your customers through their preferred technological method is sure to improve the guest experience. Those who receive phone calls from businesses tend to feel annoyed, as if the call is bothersome, so why not communicate via text messaging? Text messages are quick, simple, and convenient, and most mobile users simply prefer it to other forms of communication. By implementing the use of text messaging when connecting with your guests, you’re improving guest services in seven important ways:

1. Give guests a real-time connection and become more reputable. Texting your guests is an action that exceeds expectations and allows your customers to send their concerns and questions to the concierge or guest services via text and receive a reply.
2. Increase the number of bookings by allowing guests to text reservations while relaxing at an on-site spa or restaurant.
3. Reduce the number of absentees by delivering reminder texts about appointments and reservations. Many industries, such as airlines, have already incorporated this strategy into their operations to ensure travelers don’t miss their flights.
4. Be a mobile information resource for local events. Send a text message to inform guests about upcoming shows, nearby attractions and experiences in areas near the city in which your establishment is located.
5. Provide a feeling of safety and security among guests. When an emergency takes place, send an alert text message to warn your guests. Because of this safety feature, guests will more than likely prefer your establishment to competitors.
6. Boost customer service by texting guests when their tables or rooms are ready, room service has arrived, or rooms have been cleaned. You can also allow customers to respond with questions about check-in or to let you know if they are running behind schedule.
7. Send special offers and allow your guests to respond to the text with a request to book or reserve.

How have you gone above and beyond to improve guest satisfaction at your place of business? For more hotel technology tips, tricks, news, and trends, take a look at our other blog posts on source1purchasing.com.