Owning a restaurant is a dream for many individuals, especially for those whose passion is food and at the same time looking forward to being their boss. The restaurant business is a perfect opportunity. This is no surprise at all since the food business is one of the most lucrative businesses around.
Work in the restaurant business is not as glamorous as portrayed in the movies, hard work put in will pay off greatly. However, restaurant owners may fall into the trap of burnt-out or the mentality.
Burnt out and “I can do it all” mentality can go down the drain by enlisting professional help. You can hire someone else to perform the more time-consuming jobs you undertake every day. Restaurant owners can enlist the help of a virtual assistant.
The food service sector is always evolving. There is a lot to keep up with in terms of running a restaurant – from the preparation to the techniques for cooking the food, the waiters collecting orders, and the owners ensuring sure everything is running well. But the market is growing steadily despite the hard work restaurants require. However, a restaurant owner must be sure to anticipate every turn that comes in the game. An extra pair of hands is needed for the difficulties to keep up with the shifting times and make sure everything stays smooth.
Have you considered a virtual assistant to help restaurant owners?
If you are a restaurant owner, here are some of the important restaurant statistics in the United States that you need to know.
- There are about one million restaurants in the United States alone, according to 2020 research by the National Restaurant Association. The fast-food franchises you see along the highway are included in this, as are all of your Michelin-starred restaurants.
- Single-unit businesses account for 70% of all restaurants in the United States. Although a sizable portion of restaurant employees are employed by major chains, there are far more single-unit restaurants than chains in the United States. Beating major restaurant chains is possible, however, it requires a lot of effort and commitment, but there is plenty of proof that it is possible.
- Before dining in or picking a restaurant, 90% of guests research restaurants online. Today’s diners research restaurants before spending money on a night out, reading reviews and checking out menus to get a sense of what to anticipate. Without a decent online presence, it is probable that prospective customers will not find you.
- The two most popular social media platforms for restaurants are Facebook and Instagram. Did you know that 78% of restaurant owners use Instagram, while 91% of restaurant owners advertise their business on Facebook? This demonstrates how actively participating in social media may help your business expand.
- Yelp reviews can increase revenue by 9%. In a study by Harvard Business School, a Yelp star in a restaurant can boost its profitability by up to 9%. For instance, a restaurant with a four-star rating may earn 9% more annually than one with a three-star rating.
The pivotal role of a virtual assistant in a restaurant business
Your presence is almost always mandatory to successfully run a restaurant since that is where the money comes from. Despite the fact that delegating tasks to a virtual assistant may seem like a daunting chore, you could discover that you have more time for the critical tasks and worry less about the less exciting ones. Even if you do need to train a virtual assistant, the time you spend now will pay off later when you have more free time. Nevertheless, many virtual assistants have years of expertise.
Below is the list of how a virtual assistant can play a pivotal role in using the statistics laid out above.
- Your virtual assistant can help you increase your profits by reducing evaluating your menu, suggesting new pricing structures, and overall saving you time and inventory by keeping track of what sells and what does not. With a more focused menu lineup, you can get ahead of the competition.
- Your virtual assistant can help with email and reservation management. Are you overwhelmed by the sheer volume of emails from clients and vendors? A virtual assistant can handle this task for you. They can keep an eye on your inbox and handle catering and reservation inquiries.
- Your virtual assistant can handle digital marketing and improve your online presence. Businesses from all industries are now seeing the importance of digital presence, particularly restaurant owners. Food is a visual and to be able to sell, customers must see it. There are different areas a restaurant owner can ask a virtual assistant to help with.
Development and upkeep of the website
An attractive website will give you a competitive advantage, and more so if it leaves a positive user experience. A virtual assistant expert in website building and maintenance can plan, build, and manage one for your business.
Social media management
Getting your name out there is vital for both new and expanding restaurants because both the consumers and the competitors are always changing. You can truly stand out if you have a strong social media presence which you can delegate to a virtual assistant.
- Your certified accountant or bookkeeping virtual assistant can handle accounting. At the end of the day, you need to balance, process payroll, know your numbers and be government compliant. Accounting and bookkeeping tasks are one of the most dreaded tasks a busy business owner could take. Good thing, accounting and bookkeeping tasks may be delegated to a licensed and certified virtual assistant.
- Your virtual assistant as customer support. Virtual assistants can take care of your business by taking care of your customers. They can take phone calls, take note of customer concerns, and with the right training, resolve most of these from their end.
- Your virtual assistant can handle inventory management. It will require a bit of training on your end so they will be knowledgeable of your processes. A virtual assistant can keep an eye on your restaurant’s inventory and place the required orders when you are running low, all without having to disturb you about it.
VALUE Virtual Assistants is an excellent place to start recruiting virtual assistants for your restaurant business. You tell us what your business needs and we take care of the rest. Our process is straightforward.
- Book a complimentary consultation with us.
To better understand your needs and provide information about our process, we will discuss your questions in a consultation session. Our specialists will consult with you to determine whether the virtual assistant matches your requirements.
- Evaluate the candidate.
Following the initial consultation, you will be given information regarding our recommended candidates. You can ask our team for a different recommendation if the selected individual does not meet your requirements.
- Interview the candidate.
Once you are happy with our suggestion, we connect you with the chosen candidate to learn more about them.
- Onboard your VALUE VA and incorporate it into the group.
At this point, you might have an onboarding conversation with them to go through the role of their position and any communication guidelines you want them to be aware of.
Our virtual assistants can help you take your business to the next level. Book a complimentary session with us today!
