A recipe for success: Food safety tech to help you do more with less

Jane Yuan, Sensors and IoT Product Manager at SafetyCulture, explains how hospitality professionals can tap into tech to manage increasing demand in the sector.

Do more with less. It’s a line that you never want to hear at work, but it’s been the reality for many in hospitality in the past year. We see it time and time again as workers stretch their time to grapple with new rules, new regulations and new ways of working. 

Whether you’re pulling pints or plating up, it’s a common thread — the work is high-pressure and profit margins can be slim, resulting in increased demand for efficiency. COVID-19 regulations present additional challenges to a sector already facing huge demands. Having easy-to-use technology that empowers staff can go a long way towards improving their effectiveness in carrying out safety protocols.

In our line of work, we see the value in simple, effective processes every day. By equipping staff with the tools and autonomy to drive in-store initiatives forward, COVID-safe practices become easier to follow and maintain. Businesses need to take stock of their procedures and hospitality must up its game, all with fewer people on the ground. This is where the next phase of hospitality management comes in — sensors. 

Stop losing time on ‘work about work’

With social distancing requirements in place, the demands on workers have increased while headcount inevitably decreased. 

Instead of physically observing environmental conditions and manually recording the details, companies can use sensors to contactlessly monitor conditions in real-time. The technology can keep track of ambient conditions, potential hazards and even be used as a preventative system. 

Sensors can do some of the heavy lifting for hospitality workers. It’s something we see daily in our line of work. Take Marley Spoon, for instance. They deliver thousands of fresh, ready-to-cook meals to Australians every single week with a little help from sensors, monitoring everything from food temperature to a door that’s been left open. 

The technology allows these conditions to be rigorously tracked, without excess man-hours involved. Wireless temperature and humidity sensors can be easily installed in food storage facilities to automatically push data into web-based applications for a far more streamlined process. 

Recently, an ice cream store in Queensland, Australia lost all its stock when a staff member accidentally left the freezer door open at the end of the day. They’ve since installed sensors, where thresholds can be set to alert staff when the expected temperatures have been exceeded, allowing for immediate action to prevent stock loss.

Technology not only aids in food safety, but also plays a part in the little things that can cause impact to commercial loss, brand damage, and customer loyalty. Instead of waiting for an incident to be uncovered, the technology gives teams far greater visibility of their operations.

Refocus on quality experiences

Here’s the thing about real-time visibility. It’s not just an early warning system in case things go wrong, it’s a recipe for getting things very, very right. Sensors allow you to maintain food safety as part of the process of plating up consistent, quality dishes every time. Handheld food probes are used in the kitchen line to ensure every dish served is at the right temperature, every time.

With rapid technology improvements, gone are the days of requiring hard-wire professional installation for reliable sensors that collect accurate data from the environment. It’s easier than ever now sensors can be installed right out of the box — and less costly too. No drilling, no wiring, no intrusions, no fuss. 

Rather than struggling to do more with less, technology frees capacity so those in hospitality can do more with less. And while re-examining entire business models, rewriting menus, and recalibrating dining spaces has taken its toll, the right tools will give teams the time to focus on what they do best – delivering 5-star experiences.

Important Notice
The information contained in this article is general in nature and you should consider whether the information is appropriate to your specific needs. Legal and other matters referred to in this article are based on our interpretation of laws existing at the time and should not be relied on in place of professional advice. We are not responsible for the content of any site owned by a third party that may be linked to this article. SafetyCulture disclaims all liability (except for any liability which by law cannot be excluded) for any error, inaccuracy, or omission from the information contained in this article, any site linked to this article, and any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information.