How Ottawa Venues manages inventory, food costs, and reporting with WISK
Desafíos
Metas
Susan MacLeod: La consistencia probablemente sería nuestro problema #1 antes de WISK. Usamos una variedad de productos diferentes, varios niveles de software complicado, hojas de Excel, todas las cosas que suelen usar los restaurantes, y realmente necesitábamos algo que fuera fácil de usar.
Sabemos que todos nuestros empleados trabajan en una supercomputadora con la que caminan en la mano, por lo que era importante para nosotros tener algo a lo que todos pudieran acceder fácilmente.
Susan MacLeod: La consistencia probablemente sería nuestro problema #1 antes de WISK. Usamos una variedad de productos diferentes, varios niveles de software complicado, hojas de Excel, todas las cosas que suelen usar los restaurantes, y realmente necesitábamos algo que fuera fácil de usar.
Sabemos que todos nuestros empleados trabajan en una supercomputadora con la que caminan en la mano, por lo que era importante para nosotros tener algo a lo que todos pudieran acceder fácilmente.
Era muy difícil justificar las inversiones porque habíamos utilizado muchos otros productos a lo largo de los años en los que hemos estado haciendo esto.
Sabemos que los costos de inventario y mano de obra son las dos cosas a las que debemos prestar más atención.
Así que ya sabes, tener la mentalidad de que todo el mundo se sentía cómodo aprendiendo un nuevo software. Porque todo el mundo dice: oh, no; aquí vamos de nuevo, otro producto nuevo.
Además, WISK fue tan fácil de implementar y que nuestros empleados pueden usar sus teléfonos móviles con él, lo que facilitó mucho la decisión.
Lo mejor de WISK para nosotros es que, normalmente, nuestro software generaba los recuentos y los porcentajes y luego todo pasaba a la contabilidad o me lo pasaba a mí y, a veces, a los gerentes.
Pero los gerentes siempre lo recibían después de los hechos en papel. Con WISK podemos darles acceso y ellos pueden verlo en tiempo real.
Por lo tanto, son responsables de su inventario y de la persona que lo hace. Se trata de información en tiempo real que es muy fácil de ver y entender, y que les permite rendir cuentas.
El tiempo de inventario siempre es una ventaja para nosotros desde el punto de vista de la administración, porque obviamente nos brinda la información necesaria para saber si nuestro negocio o nuestras ventas tienen éxito o no.
Lo bueno de WISK es que cuando los chefs o los gerentes presentaban sus proyecciones de costos sobre nuevos artículos y productos, es posible que no se tratara de información en tiempo real.
Y cuando lo revisamos, lo aprobamos y lo pusimos en un menú, luego lo imprimimos y todas esas cosas, los costos eran a menudo muy diferentes.
Con WISK, se actualiza todo el tiempo.
Por lo tanto, aunque nos lleve un mes implementar nuevos productos, podemos ver los porcentajes en ese momento, en todos los períodos de tiempo.
Entonces, tal vez al final no valga la pena, tal vez sea un producto fuera de temporada que de repente se volvió muy caro un mes después.
El tiempo de inventario siempre es una ventaja para nosotros desde el punto de vista de la administración, porque obviamente nos brinda la información necesaria para saber si nuestro negocio o nuestras ventas tienen éxito o no.
Lo bueno de WISK es que cuando los chefs o los gerentes presentaban sus proyecciones de costos sobre nuevos artículos y productos, es posible que no se tratara de información en tiempo real.
Y cuando lo revisamos, lo aprobamos y lo pusimos en un menú, luego lo imprimimos y todas esas cosas, los costos eran a menudo muy diferentes.
Con WISK, se actualiza todo el tiempo.
Por lo tanto, aunque nos lleve un mes implementar nuevos productos, podemos ver los porcentajes en ese momento, en todos los períodos de tiempo.
Entonces, tal vez al final no valga la pena, tal vez sea un producto fuera de temporada que de repente se volvió muy caro un mes después.
El problema
Before WISK, Ottawa Venues faced operational challenges stemming from inconsistent and inefficient inventory management processes. The company relied on a mix of complex software tools and traditional methods, like Excel sheets, to manage inventory and costs. This approach created a lack of standardization across the venues, making it difficult to track and maintain consistent data.
Additionally, the manual nature of their processes also meant that inventory counts were often delayed, and by the time data was reviewed, it was outdated. This led to inaccuracies, especially when tracking the real-time costs of menu items or alcohol, which fluctuated over time.
Moreover, Susan, the Operations Manager, noted that convincing employees to adopt yet another new system was a significant challenge, given their history of unsuccessful software transitions. The lack of user-friendly, accessible tools made it harder to get the team on board and hindered their ability to make quick, informed decisions.
In essence, the process was time-consuming, prone to errors, and ultimately hindered productivity, emphasizing the need for a more efficient, real-time solution.
La solución
WISK helped Ottawa Venues tackle their inventory challenges by offering a user-friendly, mobile-accessible platform that streamlined their entire process. Instead of relying on outdated software and manual spreadsheets, the team was able to access real-time inventory data directly from their phones. This made it easier for managers and staff to stay on top of their stock and costs without the usual delays and errors.
With WISK, inventory became more accurate and transparent. Managers no longer had to wait for hard copies of reports; they could see the data instantly, making it easier to make informed decisions. For instance, when chefs submitted new menu items and cost projections, WISK updated the information in real time. This meant they could track price fluctuations and adjust accordingly, even before the products were fully implemented.
The integration with suppliers like GFS and Summit eliminated the need for paper invoices, allowing the team to check food costs on-demand instead of waiting for monthly or bi-weekly updates. This helped keep costs in line and saved the team valuable time, which could then be spent on more strategic tasks.
Overall, WISK made inventory management simpler, faster, and more reliable, giving Ottawa Venues the tools they needed to improve efficiency and control costs across their operations.
How Ottawa Venues manages inventory, food costs, and reporting with WISK
With WISK, everything changed. "With WISK, we can give them access, and they can see it in real time," Susan says. The shift to real-time data access allowed managers and employees to instantly track inventory and costs, making them directly accountable for the items they were overseeing. "It's very easy to look at and understand, and it keeps them accountable," Susan explains. The simplicity and clarity of the platform meant that staff didn't have to waste time deciphering complicated reports. Instead, they could focus on what really mattered—ensuring inventory levels were accurate and costs were under control.
The ability to view inventory data as it happens created a level of transparency that encouraged ownership and responsibility across the team. "They’re accountable for their inventory as well as the inventory person that's doing it," Susan adds. This helped create a more efficient workflow where everyone could easily track and manage stock, ultimately saving time and reducing the likelihood of mistakes or discrepancies.
Inventory time is definitely always a win for us on the management side because it [WISK]
Susan points out how inventory management is a significant time-saver for the team, especially on the management side. "Inventory time is always a win for us," she says. It’s not just about tracking stock—it's about having the right information to assess whether their business or sales are truly on track. This data is crucial for making informed decisions and ensuring everything is running smoothly.
One of the things that stood out with WISK was how it changed the game when it came to cost projections for new menu items. Before, when chefs or managers would submit their cost estimates for new products, the information wasn’t always up-to-date. "It might not have been real-time information," Susan explains, pointing out how the delay between submission, review, and implementation led to discrepancies in cost. "By the time we approved it, added it to the menu, and got to printing, the prices were often very different."
WISK solved this problem by offering constant updates. "With WISK, it’s updated all the time," Susan says. This meant that cost projections were much more accurate and reflective of current prices, helping the team make better decisions and avoid costly surprises down the line. Having real-time data at their fingertips made the whole process quicker, more reliable, and less stressful.
«Era muy difícil justificar las inversiones porque habíamos utilizado muchos otros productos a lo largo de los años en los que hemos estado haciendo esto. Recomendamos WISK a cualquier tipo de restaurante, ya sea con servicio completo, con mesas para sentarse, discotecas, salones, ya sabes, los hemos gestionado todos. »
Susan MacLeod
Gerente de Recursos Humanos y Operaciones
WISK delivered a powerful solution to Ottawa Venues’ inventory challenges, transforming their operations across multiple locations. The software provided real-time updates on inventory and costs, allowing managers to make quick, data-driven decisions and adjust strategies based on current trends.
The ability to monitor alcohol inventory closely and immediately identify discrepancies helped reduce shrinkage and protect profitability. With WISK’s ease of use and mobile accessibility, the team saved hours on inventory tasks each week, freeing up time to focus on more strategic efforts.
Overall, WISK not only streamlined inventory management but also enhanced accuracy and control, driving overall efficiency and improving the bottom line for Ottawa Venues.
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Maurice, Assistant Manager @ Flyjin
“Before using WISK, we had hesitations due to past unsuccessful experiences with other systems. We often reverted to pen and paper, which required transferring data to Excel, making the process very time-consuming. We started scanning everything, doing the inventory, it went super well, so I was very pleasantly surprised.”
Massimo, General Manager @ Lucille’s
“It took a lot less time to get everyone on board. They were all open for it because it's an app. They could use their phone. You know, at the touch of our phones, we have everything available. We just scan the item, we go through it all in a sequence, so it's very well organized, everything's well counted, and I think it just really facilitates the time efficiency of everything.”
Loyd, Owner @ L’infâme Tittle Tattle and La Gargamelle in Montreal
Before WISK, honestly, inventory was kind of a drag. We had this huge Excel sheet, we have over a hundred products in here, so it's kind of hard to just do inventories. It used to take us about one or two hours every week. Twice a week actually, it was not very accurate with our Excel sheet, but now it takes us like 20 minutes and we're done. And I was kind of surprised it was so user-friendly.