Managements of multi-outlet restaurants found it very difficult to ensure that menus across all the restaurants in the chain were consistent and accurate. Changes would often be made arbitrarily and incorrectly leading to confusion with customers and even internally with the accounting and audit departments. Further, since the menu cards had to be printed either centrally or at the local level, any changes in the menu had to be decided well in advance and action taken accordingly allowing enough time for the printing and shipping of the paper menu cards. With the arrival of the LED display board, the scenario changed dramatically for good. With the elimination of printing, the menus could be instantly displayed on the signage, but the issue of content standardization across outlets remained unaddressed.
Remotely-Managed Digital Menu Boards – A Paradigm Shift in Sales Communications
With the cost-saving advantage of menus being flashed on LED signage over traditional menus printed on paper being firmly established, it was not long before multiple menu boards began to be linked and networked on the Internet backbone. This facility gave restaurant managers multiple advantages. The first benefit was of course that now the menu content could be standardized over the entire chain. The other significant benefit included easy content management as using the central server, all menus in the chain could be changed instantly and simultaneously. The menus could now be updated at no extra cost at all and without any inconsistencies. Now not only was the lead time for updating menus reduced tremendously but also the menus could be updated with fresh content depending upon the time of the day. For example, a restaurant could have the breakfast menu replaced with a lunchtime special and then again you could have the evening menu displayed at the appropriate time.
More Information at Lesser Cost
Entrusting the information and content management to remotely-managed signage is a very cost-efficient way of managing and disseminating information that is relevant to special audiences. Now if a particular restaurant needs some special promos or deals to be announced, the concerned restaurant manager need not waste time in briefing the service staff or gettin special menu cards printed on paper. He also does not need to have special programming skills to update the digital menu board at his outlet. All he needs to do is to decide the specifics of the special deals with the central management, who will ensure that the digital menu board at his outlet will have the deals announced and controlled from the remote location. Remotely-managed signage also makes it very easy to display the calorific information of the food that is required by Federal laws for restaurant chains with more than 20 outlets. Now the information compilation and display is more accurate and consistent across outlets, leaving no room for r
egulatory violations.
Big-Ticket Cross Selling Opportunities Now Possible
With the advent of LED menu board and signage that can be remotely-managed, the restaurant management can offer a matchless opportunity for cross-selling a diverse assortment of products and services to a large captiveaudience. Valuable advertising revenues can be added to the bottom-line with both national and local advertisers being given the opportunity to display their brands on the menu boards. These boards can now also carry relevant news updates and announcements that will engage the audience waiting for their orders to be filled and reduce their impatience and irritation of having to queue. The signage in the restaurant thus easily becomes a focus point of attraction, and in fact can lead the way in driving sales.
Author bio: Cynthia Adams is an IT professional engaged in developing software for remotely-managing LED display board and digital signage. She has worked on numerous projects on customizing applications for prominent US market leaders in the retail space.