Front of the House Systems

Front of the House Systems
Food and beverage information systems may generally be broken down into two types of system: front of the house (FOH) and back of the house (BOH) systems. Front of the house systems are those that involve the maintenance of guest contact. Therefore, FOH systems include the POS system, table management systems, reservation/wait list management systems, and important parts of the labor management system (most often integrated into the POS). By far, the most important of these systems is the point of sale system. The POS system is the core system for F&B operations, managing, among other things, the ordering and delivery of all menu items in one or more restaurants and/or bars. Every food and beverage information system must include a point of sale capability. Therefore the POS must be able to handle multiple menus and pricing structures if a restaurant offers happy hour, early bird, lunch/dinner, or any other varied pricing and portioning options. The essential function is to allow servers to transmit guest orders to kitchen personnel for preparation. To maximize efficiency the POS must allow the server to quickly and concisely enter all information pertinent to the guest order, including side dish choices, salad dressing options, doneness, and any special requests the guest might have. The important thing to remember is that this system should work to keep conversation between cooks and servers to an absolute minimum. © 2009—American Hotel & Lodging Association. All rights reserved. To accomplish this both the server and the cook require hardware, of course. In the case of the server, this hardware is in the form of a work station, often a computer terminal placed strategically in the dining room. Often these stations utilize touch screen technology, although older systems are still in use that require servers to enter numbers corresponding to menu items on a keypad. These systems should not be used if they can at all be avoided. A list of essential and optional functions for a POS system appears below: Typical POS touch screen (Courtesy of MICROS Systems, Inc.) Point of Sale System Functionality Essential Optional Allows management to create menu items that can be sold for different prices at different times in different outlets Allow menu items to be grouped together into combinations with a single price (e.g., quick service value meals) Allows servers to place orders with cooks and bartenders without verbal communication Allows servers to process guest credit card purchases (continued) © 2009—American Hotel & Lodging Association. All rights reserved. Point of Sale System Functionality (continued) Essential Optional Allows servers to modify menu items (salad dressings, temperatures, etc.) Allows servers to place “holds” on food items so they can be prepared when guest is ready for them Ensures that orders get sent to proper personnel for preparation (drinks to bar, salads to pantry, etc.) and specify a secondary location if the primary fails Allows for prices to change based on time of day automatically (happy hour, etc.) Allows for the ordering of off-menu items Keeps and displays counts of special items and short supply items so servers know how many are left to sell Allows for the insertion of comments Interfaces with inventory management system Allows management easy access to menu to change prices, add items, etc. Provides servers with hand-held capabilities User-friendly interface Allows customers to place own orders at kiosks Server log-in security to ensure that nobody can order for another server Allows for “splitting” of checks Allows cooks and bartenders to easily see and understand orders Allows for server use of handheld ordering devices Tracks individual server sales Allows for managers to control employee clock-ins/outs Tracks employee time and attendance and interfaces with labor management system Prints checks with sub-totals by guest or by group. Provides managers with real-time updates of sales and labor Allows managers to track promotional items and/or server competitions Allows for ordered items to be voided or discounted with manager approval Provide a simple way for reordering a round of drinks Prints guest checks on demand Allow checks to be transferred from one server to another Tracks sales by item and by group Allow for the combining of checks Track all check item voids, corrections, and adjustments Provide for the full reporting of tips Provide a full set of operating reports, including cashiers’ shift balances, individual menu item sales, labor expenses, hourly sales, etc. Record the settlement of checks to cash, check, debit or credit card, to a hotel guest’s room folio or to a club member’s account © 2009—American Hotel & Lodging Association. All rights reserved. A few notes about some of these functions: • Make certain that the ordering screens are intuitive and uncluttered. Don’t make servers work to find what they need or use a system that requires extensive training. • Make certain that servers can only order for themselves either by requiring a log-in number for each use or the use of a swipe card. Also make certain the system requires that the last thing a server does is log out. Do not allow servers to leave an open screen for anyone to order on. • It is generally a good idea to have all employees clock in and out using the POS; it allow management to control when they do so and can also require management approval to either clock in or out. Biometric technology is also available that reads an employee’s fingerprint as the identification method for logging into the system. This has the obvious advantage of allowing management to be certain that all orders are placed by the employee in question; there are no code numbers or magnetic cards to fall into the wrong hands. • While it may be inconvenient, it is generally not a good idea to give employees the power to void their own checks or to print multiple copies of the same check; the opportunities for fraud are too great. • Splitting of checks is not a necessary function in quick service environments. • Handheld devices for ordering are not a good idea in fine dining establishments; they detract from the ambience and the added speed they may give you is not at a premium. Handheld capability is best suited to restaurants where speed is important. The hardware capabilities of a proper POS are important. Touch screen terminals for servers must have instantaneous response, given the intense time pressures at peak periods and the need for servers to share workstations. Touch screens are far better than keyboards for server order entry; keyboards should be avoided. The cooks receiving the orders can utilize either printers or video display terminals, each of which has its own advantages. Traditional printers, which merely print out one, two, or three copies of the order onto pieces of paper, are substantially less expensive than video displays (although the cost of video terminals is declining). Printers also take up less space. Video display terminals, using the same touch screen capabilities as the server order entry terminals, are certainly more expensive, but provide management with a number of advantages which make their higher initial cost a worthwhile investment. First, they have no moving parts, making them far more reliable. Second, the order cannot get lost or become illegible due to mishandling. Third, by placing the terminal properly, the order © 2009—American Hotel & Lodging Association. All rights reserved. becomes instantly visible to many people at once. Fourth, it can provide visual alerts (by changing color or flashing) if an order is taking longer than it should. The most important advantage to this technology, however, is that by allowing the POS to track the order from entry to completion (rather than from entry to the printing of the ticket on the cook’s line) it gives management access to information they never had before, namely the amount of time it takes to complete each individual order. This makes it possible for management to effectively identify the causes of bottlenecks or items that take too long to produce to make them profitable. There are a number of vendors available who provide POS services. Generally they will not sell software. Rather, they will provide site licenses for operators to essentially rent the software. These vendors include, but are not limited to, Micros Systems, Agilysis Hospitality (makers of InfoGenesis), Aldelo, pcAmerica, Radiant Systems (makers of Aloha), and Squirrel Systems. Be aware that customer support is not necessarily included with the cost of the site license. There are many different customer support plans available, and some are available from vendors other than the POS provider itself. Be very careful in purchasing these plans. Some limit the type and number of calls covered and others limit the time of day when calls may be placed. Be especially careful when evaluating service plans offered by a third party vendor; make sure they have a proven track record and multiple references.
Trends in POS Development POS systems have developed substantially in the past few years, with the cost of hardware declining rather dramatically. The software systems themselves, through the use of platforms like Microsoft’s .NET, XML, and other Web-based protocols, have become quite sophisticated and can handle essentially all of the functionality required of them. Greater ease of use is the driving force in the further development of these systems. This greater ease of use is not only important insofar as it facilitates the ability of line employees to complete their tasks more quickly and efficiently, it is important in allowing management the ability to interface with BOH systems to provide accurate (and possibly real time) assessments of costs and profitability. There will be more about this later. There are a number of important trends, however, that bear mentioning here. First, now that credit card transactions can be processed almost instantaneously, customers expect to be able to pay with “plastic” wherever they go. There are a number of credit card processing systems available that speed this process while also guaranteeing customer confidentiality. Many restaurants have instituted curbside service to enhance their revenue streams. Wireless handheld credit card processors speed the payment function dramatically. Before investing in wireless credit card processing,
1. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this manual is to collect together all items of information required by those responsible for the Front of House management function during any production at The Place, Bedford. Some of this information describes mandatory requirements, required either by the conditions of our license or by our ëhouse rulesí, as well as important information relating to audience safety. It is important that the designated FoH manager, and ideally also his or her deputy, be familiar with the contents of this document. It is also requested that the Stage Manager and the lighting/sound operator be made aware of Section 11 ‐ Evacuation Procedure. 2. FRONT OF HOUSE MANAGER There must be a nominated Front of House Manager for every production to liaise with the venue management team, technical team and audience in relation to audience comfort and safety. The FoH Manager is also responsible for ensuring compliance with legislation regarding the sale of alcohol. The identity of the FoH Manager, together with their contact details, should be notified to Bedford Players Trust at submission of the Contract or, if not possible at that time, at least 30 days prior to the first night of performance. 3. LICENCES AND CONDITIONS The Place is licensed under The Theatres Act, and this license carries with it the right to sell alcohol in connection with a performance. The following license conditions should be noted: • It is a mandatory requirement that there be a minimum of four FoH personnel in the building whenever audiences are admitted. During the performance itself, there should be a minimum of three FoH personnel in the auditorium, and one in the foyer area. These personnel must be properly briefed in the fire evacuation procedure (Section 11). Briefing details are covered in more detail in Section 10 below. • Normal licensing rules apply (sale of alcohol only to over‐18ís, etc). Note that if alcohol is being served, marked glasses must be used, and only persons over 18 years of age may be behind the serving counter. • Regardless of any local licensing variations, it is a condition of our lease that any bar operates only up to 11PM; if personnel remain on the premises beyond this time, extreme care must be taken to avoid nuisance or disturbance to neighbouring properties, particularly during departure or performance get‐outs. 4. PERSONNEL Common practice shows it is most appropriate to have at least six Front of House staff available to ensure sufficient coverage of all areas. These staff should be committed to their role and arrive within good time to be briefed and positioned before the audience start to arrive. The following role allocation has been found to work best: ● Before the show commences: ! Two members of staff behind the bar ! One member of staff on the box office ! One member of staff selling programmes ! One member of staff checking tickets at auditorium entrance ! One member of staff in the auditorium encouraging audience to use the full range of seating. ● During the performance: ! At least three members of staff in the auditorium (suggested seating positions for these staff is mentioned in Section 10). ! One or two members of staff in the foyer to handle late‐comers and prepare for the interval. One of these should be the Front of House Manager. 5. STORAGE AND CONSUMABLES The Venue provides the required facilities for running a bar/coffee bar. The bar will be stocked before the opening night of your performance, as well as during the production week where necessary. The bar stock is located in the two fridges under the bar counter. A variety of glasses are provided, which can be found on the shelves also under the counter. A freezer is also provided behind the bar for hirers who wish to sell ice creams. This freezer is kept switched off when not in use, so it will need to be turned on before it is used, and emptied and turned off again with the door left open at the end of the hire. There is also a fridge in the backstage kitchen where cast, crew and any other members can keep appropriate items. This fridge must be emptied at the end of a hire. Corkscrews, bottle openers and other items that may prove useful when running the bar are kept in the 'bar box' located in the kitchen. This box also contains two spirit measures. If you are going to serve spirits you need to discuss this with one of The Venue staff to comply with the license regulations. If required, first aid kits can be found in the kitchen, in the green room, in the corridor behind the stage left seating block, and in the equipment room behind the control box. The light switches for the bar and foyer lights can be found at mid‐height next to the freezer behind the bar. Please ensure this are switched off at the end of each night. 6. BOX OFFICE Before the audience arrives the blind on the box office will need to be rolled up, and the lights switched on, which is done by a switch ñ labeled ëLightsí ñ located low down on the wall on the left hand side of the box office. The power for the box office computer will also need to be turned on, using the switch labeled ëTerminalí also on the left hand wall. The computer then needs to be turned on; this can be done by pressing the power button on the top of small black computer unit located underneath the counter. To log onto the computer, select the user profile named ëBox Officeí which will then load. The Box Office system will start up automatically, allowing you to input the log in information for your production ñ this you would have been given for your opening night.