Red Book Connect Takes Managers Out of the Office and Into the Action
Technology company adds a new mobile app to their suite of solutions for managing restaurants
A restaurant manager moves at a pace so frenetic, covers ground so wide and juggles tasks so varied that few outside the industry have experienced a similar professional challenge.
In a single hour, a manager might order chicken for a dwindling freezer, join the prep line in a backed-up kitchen, revise employee schedules, fill a slot left open by a team member who called in sick, soothe an unhappy customer and call a repairman to fix a broken oven.
Restaurants have been fast to adopt mobile technology for customer facing functions such as marketing, loyalty programs and customer service, but it’s lagging at the point of sale and in the back-of-house systems. These operational functions are making the jump to mobile and coming out of the back office for the benefit of restaurateurs and customers.
In response to these demands, Red Book Connect, a mobile technology solutions provider for the restaurant industry has release their newest product, the Digital Red Book. The company has more than 20 years of experience with industry best practices from its Manager’s Red Book, the iconic hard copy restaurant playbook. Now, they are taking their experience into a digital format.
The new app operates entirely on mobile and is offered with an optional ruggedized iPad that is enclosed in an industrial strength case, built to withstand the harsh operating conditions of a restaurant. Digital Red Book also works on desktops, just in case.
From the corporate office to location managers, Digital Red Book allows employees at all level to participate in real-time communication. The tool allows for the corporate office to communicate goals and best practices instantly to every manager on the front line. Managers have the ability to track the progress of everyday tasks, monitor key performance metrics and document shift and inventory issues while providing immediate communication between shifts, across multiple locations.
“Our goal was to design the Digital Red Book app with a very simple, easy-to-use interface that is similar to many consumer apps, with key patterns and visual cues so the restaurant manager will intuitively know how to use it,” said Anthony Lye, Chief Product Officer at Red Book Connect. “Restaurateurs need better tools and technology solutions for them be more streamlined and efficient and that’s what we’re providing with Digital Red Book.”
James Newell, the Vice President of Operations at Los Angeles-based Fatburger, oversees operations for Fatburger’s more than 150 corporate and franchise-owned stores. When Newell learned there would be a digital version available, he jumped at the opportunity to be an early customer.
Managers who had previously used the print version found the functionality of the Digital Red Book to be familiar and quickly recognizable. “The ability to have a truly customized manager’s log, as well as centralized, online access, is exciting,” said Newell. “They can take notes, see tasks, pull up a contact, take a photo, and contact their staff – all from their phone or tablet. It gives them the freedom to interact with guests and team members and still be on top of everything.”
After a few months of use, Newell said, “The Digital Red Book is an incredibly dynamic tool that has brought us improved communication, seamless consistency and ease-of-use. When it comes down to it, the Digital Red Book is helping up protect our brand.
About Red Book Connect
Red Book Connect is a global mobile technology solutions company providing innovative technology for the restaurant, retail and hospitality industries. The company delivers a comprehensive suite of customizable software designed to automate managerial challenges such as hiring, training, scheduling, business intelligence, shift communication, labor and inventory management. Its world-class products include HotSchedules, Digital Red Book, Mangers’ Red Book, Macromatix, Go Hire and Schoox. Red Book Connect is proud to serve more than 1.2 million users in over 128,000 locations across 26 countries. For more information visit: www.redbookconnect.com and find them on Facebook and Twitter.
