Restaurant Management Software - Reporting and KPIs

When a customer walks through a restaurant's door, you should immediately start collecting critical information that can be used to report, measure and enhance the way your  venue operates. 

Some KPIs that your restaurant should measure include booking numbers, source and volume (overlaid with no-shows and average spend), receptivity to promotional strategies, popular dishes, marketing campaign performance, customer satisfaction, and staff performance. 

However, the powerful insights offered by these reports does require more than jotting everything down in a paper diary, or punching in entries on an excel spreadsheet. With restaurant management software like ResDiary, there are a variety of customisable pre-built reports which help to tell restaurateurs the information they need to know.

Then, there are a number of ways that hospitality venues can maximise the benefits of these reports.

Look at the angles

So much important information is available in ResDiary reports, so read them closely and carefully, and consider everything that is being presented.

Check out the customer list and spending reports, the feedback reports, the amount of vouchers and promotions that are being sold, the menu reports and booking reports. The numbers at the end of the week, month, or year will tell you which initiatives are or are not working, and it would be remiss to disregard data that help to clarify the strengths and weaknesses of the business.

Share the report with others

Reports tell some of the story, but they may not show the why or how behind the data. Share reports with your team and other stakeholders to discuss why no-shows are higher this month than last month, or how whether a menu item is not being sold. These data reports can be a catalyst for discussion and the perfect reason to bring other voices to the table.

A useful benchmark

It can be difficult to make improvements without some indication of past performance. For example, the reports may show a turnover of 1000 specials, 500 group bookings, or the sale of 200 vouchers over a particular month. That can be used as a point of reference to maintain, or improve performance over the following months.                                                                                         

Consider making a change 

If the numbers from a particular report don’t reflect what you are trying to achieve, it might be time to make a strategic change. The trigger for change may be trending feedback from customers or a lower-than-anticipated set of financial numbers. Either way, the information outlined in restaurant management software reports can serve as a necessary wake-up call for adjustments that can help to empower your venue.

Reports can be a powerful tool for hospitality venues in showcasing historic performance, and the impact of implementing specific strategies over a period of time. They can also be a motivational force underlying future actions. But, these reports are only as useful as the hands they are in. So consume them, discuss them widely, consider them reflectively and – if necessary – make a change until the reports meet or exceed your expectations.

Learn more about how ResDiary's restaurant management software will help you make data-driven business decisions through reporting.

 Disclaimer: This guide is general in nature and does not take into account your individual circumstances.  Before acting on any information, you should consider whether this is right for your business.