POS

Easing the load: How POS can transform pizza staff experience

The constant stream of information and reprioritization can quickly overwhelm employees, but the POS is one tool that can help in many situations.

Photo: Adobe Stock (AI generated)

December 5, 2024 by Bob Vergidis — Chief Vision Officer, pointofsale.cloud

Picture a busy Friday night at a bustling pizzeria. There are dine-in customers and a takeout line forming out the door. Delivery drivers are weaving in and out and the phones are ringing off the hook. Staff members are caught in the chaos as they prioritize tasks and must stay calm under pressure.

This scene showcases a thriving business, but highlights the heavy cognitive load placed on workers in high-pressure environments. Here, the employees are "drinking through a firehose" of information flying at them from various channels — in-person orders, phone calls, online orders, mobile apps and third-party platforms. While juggling multiple tasks, they must maintain perfect accuracy and deliver excellent customer service to succeed. Over time, demands of the work at this pace can affect staff morale, job satisfaction and the quality of service they can extend.

How cognitive load impacts employees

The cognitive load refers to the mental energy required to process information and complete tasks. In a fast-paced pizzeria, employees constantly need to switch tasks depending on what is most urgent — taking customized orders, using technology to process payments, managing inventory and getting answers to customer questions.

The constant stream of information and reprioritization can quickly overwhelm employees. When the cognitive load exceeds capacity, mistakes happen, staff cannot provide the highest quality of service and, eventually, they may not show up for work the next day.

Partnering with the right technology

While pizzeria owners cannot change the pace of the work environment, they can equip employees with tools that are designed to lighten the workload. The right technology will support employees over the busiest of shifts.

Thoughtfully designed technology allows staff to focus on what matters most: creating a delightful guest experience. For any pizzeria, one dependable place to start is with the POS system.

This technology can transform the staff experience in the following ways:

Streamlining tasks

A shift at the pizzeria comes with a constant stream of decisions. There are orders to take with specific toppings, bills to split and orders to sort, then give to the correct customers across many different avenues for delivery.

An intuitive POS system helps to ease the burden on the employee's cognitive load with a clear, user-friendly interface and by automating repetitive processes. A system that recognizes regular customer preferences, or prompts staff with common orders will reduce the time and effort required for data entry. This allows staff to focus on higher-value customer interactions.

Seamless integration

Miscommunication during a busy shift can be detrimental to the employee's experience as it contributes to stress. A properly integrated POS system streamlines the information the staff needs coming from multiple customer channels — the website, apps, call-ins, walk-ins, dine-ins. With the orders in one place, kitchen staff can prioritize making accurate, delicious orders. The front-of-house staff can also answer customer questions with confidence, alleviating stress and making the restaurant seem less chaotic.

Proactive inventory management

In the digital age, ordering something online that is not in store will not cut it with the customer. With real-time inventory features within the POS system, staff can proactively monitor ingredients and take care of shortages. This prevents having to guess what's low and conserves employee brain power. This proactively curbs customer disappointments, as well.

Automating post-shift reporting

At the end of a long shift, there is no need for employees to spend their time calculating tips or manually reporting revenue. Automated reporting tools within the POS take these tasks out of the equation. Employees can leave the restaurant without having to second-guess the math they did after their brain was burnt out from their demanding shift. As a bonus, a POS with custom reporting features can create transparency in the workplace as everything is tracked in real-time.

More than tools: the human benefit

Beyond efficiency, when employees are empowered with the right tools to do their jobs, they are more likely to be satisfied in their roles. As a fully integrated team, they know they are well-equipped to handle any situation. Staff satisfaction translates into better customer interactions and lower turnover rates. Alleviating the cognitive load and simplifying workplace processes creates a healthier work environment.

As technology continues to grow in restaurant operations, employees also get to train in technological skills as they practice with the integrated POS system. This provides a sense of professional accomplishment and further improves morale with their mastery of restaurant tech.

Building a workplace where employees thrive

Any piece of technology brought into a restaurant should serve the goal of helping the staff do their best work. Pizzeria owners must choose tools that don't just handle transactions, but that enhance communication, streamline tasks and empower employees to work smarter.

The right POS system is more than a tool for taking orders. It serves as a partner to the staff and creates a more positive employee experience. By focusing on alleviating cognitive overload, pizzerias can foster an environment where staff feel valued.

After all, happy employees make happy customers — and a thriving business is built on both.

About Bob Vergidis

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Today, Vergidis serves as the chief visionary officer of pointofsale.cloud and sits on the advisory board of the Interactive Customer Experience Association.

Bob has taught technology and lead change for a diverse list of clients including private companies, universities, the United States military and Fortune 500 organizations around the globe.  He launched one of the first knowledge-based incubators and founded an award-winning school for software development, e-media and design, as well as helped launch several companies and startups. Vergidis developed one of the first food mobile ordering solutions in 2000 and one of the first cloud-based point of sale systems. 

 

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