Throughout this series, we have been exploring the impact of COVID-19 on various industries, and how organizations are recovering.

One sector that was hit particularly hard was the restaurant industry. To date, about 17% of U.S. restaurants have permanently shut down, and many more are struggling to profit due to ongoing restrictions.

Even more troubling is the fact that most new restaurants that closed were not new establishments. On average, they had been in business for 16 years.

Restaurants that have managed to hang on throughout the pandemic are now facing uncertain times, as returning back to normal continues to be a slow process. Many organizations would not be able to survive another prolonged shutdown or unstable conditions much longer without taking drastic measures.

How Restaurants Are Returning Back To Normal With Cloud

A growing number of restaurants are now using cloud communications solutions to improve operations and lower costs. Here are some of the ways restaurants are benefiting from cloud communications in the post-COVID era.

Cost-effective Voice

Budgets have always been tight for restaurants dealing with high rents, exorbitant food costs, and a variety of operational challenges. Today, budgets are tighter than ever leaving less room for excess spending.

Many businesses are switching to cloud communications systems that use VoIP, to lower costs while maintaining open lines with customers, team members, corporate partners, and vendors. Switching to a cloud-based phone system is an easy way to cut monthly communications costs.

Improved Communication & Collaboration

Restaurant owners and managers can’t always be on-site to deal with questions and problems when they arise, like social distancing issues and health restrictions. However, running a restaurant can be very challenging due to the variety of restrictions that businesses are now facing.

A growing number of businesses are now using mobile communication and collaboration apps to help team members work together and maintain operations. Team members can connect over one app for voice, SMS, and even image and video sharing. This type of system can provide a great framework for solving problems keeping restaurants running smoothly.

Curbside Service

One of the most popular cloud technologies to emerge during the pandemic was curbside service. In fact, curbside service kept many businesses running throughout the pandemic, enabling them to process orders and distribute them safely to customers.

Curbside service comes ready to use, guaranteeing easy deployment and management. Deploying curbside service can enable easy SMS and web interactions, with flexible, automated workflows for employees.