Technology and business have become inextricably interwoven. Technology is the most empowering innovation that humans have acquired. This is why Steve Sidd, hospitality entrepreneur and CEO of Catering HQ, has transformed his whole catering business with the help of technology after COVID-19 disrupted businesses everywhere. As the pandemic dwindled, Steve became enthusiastic about incorporating technology into his business strategy.
Steve loves technology. He uses Hospitality Genie as his purchase ordering system, stock control, and daily cash-up. He uses another software called Deputy for employee scheduling, which allows him to keep teams under budget and have the correct number of staff on hand. He also uses OpenTable, Xeros, and different software to streamline all the processes happening at a time, ensuring that things are efficient. The software that he uses to make his life easier shows that he copes well in a rapidly changing environment – professionally and personally – while having fun at work.
Despite being a busy entrepreneur who operates 26 dining concepts and 40+ event/function spaces, with a staff pool of over 350 employees, Steve doesn’t have a single paper on his desk! He has also enabled his staff to walk around with just an iPad which allows him to check everything without going back and forth to a separate room and logging in to a computer to access a spreadsheet.
The best thing about fusing tech innovation with his catering business and using it for all his venues is how it unifies the process of letting his team know all the essential information from financial to labor outlook. Steve’s teams automatically report back about the standards they have to meet and how much they must improve. He ensures that his team is given all this information every Tuesday, not just at the start of every month. He believes all this is important to drive a successful management team, which he is currently running. He has invested a hefty sum in working with Hospitality Genie to develop and transform it to suit his catering and hospitality business model. Luckily, it has proven successful for him and helped the business tremendously.
