Technology Improves the Organizational Health of Healthcare Foodservice Operations
Organizational health encompasses an operation’s ability to function effectively through strong leadership, clear communication, and a solid strategy to respond to change in a way that promotes productivity and growth. Inefficiently managed operations result in staff members being forced to operate on heroics, masking the true pain of working under pressure to push accurate orders out on time, keep floors stocked correctly, cater flawless events, and ultimately ensure customer satisfaction.
CaterTrax conducted a survey of over 4,000 foodservice professionals and found:
- An average of 58% of all invoices are calculated incorrectly
- 81% of the incorrect invoice calculations are made in favor of the customer
- 24% of catering orders are produced with some mishap
The overarching problem lies in outdated, inefficient processes, and unfortunately, many healthcare foodservice operations still rely on handwritten notes as a method of communication. But by implementing foodservice management technology, operators can streamline operations to reduce inefficiencies and improve the overall organizational health of an operation.
Improving Communication
Foodservice operators can’t afford miscommunications that result from outdated manual processes. Let’s consider what could happen after a customer leaves a voicemail detailing an important last-minute order change:
Scenario A: The voicemail is not heard in time to make the change. The order is incorrect, and the customer is understandably unsatisfied.
Scenario B: An employee hears the voicemail and leaves a note about the order change on their manager’s desk, but it’s swallowed up by piles of other paperwork. Again, the order is incorrect, and the customer is unsatisfied.
Scenario C: An employee hears the voicemail in time, the order change is communicated correctly to the kitchen, and the customer is satisfied.
Any foodservice professional will happily choose Scenario C if given a choice, but missed calls and lost notes make this an uncommon outcome. By adding online ordering to the equation, all communication between customers and foodservice staff remains in one, reliable system of record and the stress of losing an important note dissipates. As customers take control of the ordering process, they become responsible for communicating order details and changes in a secure system where they’ll never vanish.
Reducing Waste
Having access to detailed reporting gives foodservice staff deeper insight into operations, allowing them to make more informed, data-driven decisions. Hospitals, in particular, produce an astonishing 11.7 thousand tons of waste a day, and up to 15% of a hospital’s total waste comes from food, according to Foodservice Equipment and Supplies. Being able to leverage historical data like past ordering trends and inventory levels provides the advantage of better forecasting and smarter purchasing habits, reducing the prominence of overproduction and spoiled inventory. Foodservice operators can rest easy knowing that they’re maintaining proper inventory levels, reducing waste, and saving money.
Healing the Pain Points
Healthcare foodservice workers experience a multitude of challenges every day – challenges resolved by implementing technology, the secret ingredient to achieving a positive level of overall organizational health. Foodservice management software heals the pain points of a typically hectic industry by improving processes and creating efficiencies, so healthcare foodservice operators can eliminate the chaos and gain control over their business once again.