The thought of replacing equipment in hospital kitchens is daunting, but what it can do for retail sales and customer satisfaction is real motivation for hospitals to update their foodservice facilities. Many healthcare foodservice retail customers are hospital staff member who have come from colleges in metropolitan areas, or from schools with more sophisticated dinging programs. These customers are looking for a wider selection of ethnic foods, and fresh produce that is organic and locally grown. Offering more local produce creates awareness of local food sources and drives the demand for fresher, better-quality fruits and vegetables produced closer to home.
In taking the approach that your retail foodservice operation is both an outlet for education and for profit, hospitals have the chance to pique the interests of staff and visitors by educating them about a particular nutrient or culture that is showcased in a menu item. This interaction enhances the dining experience and encourages customers to try new healthy food options and explore new flavors in a safe environment where nutrition and allergy information is readily available. Many healthcare foodservice operations debate whether or not to eliminate the fryer. The consensus is that keeping comforting food choices in addition to offering healthy options gives patients, visitors, and staff an environment to practice making lifestyle choices.
At Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), director of food and nutrition, Tony Almeida replaced a simple pizza station with an expanded salad bar, grill and deli stations, and specialty stations that feature ethnic foods or flavor-themed menus that meet customer demands while meeting benchmarks for nutrition and supporting retail sales. In just over two years of making these changes, RWJUH saw a $400,000 increase in retail food sales. At Hendricks Regional Health, the kitchen underwent a renovation that supported the implementation of patient room service and updated facilities for retail operations. Through equipment improvements and streamlining processes, the department was able to increase productivity enough to reduce its number of full-time employees. Since building a new cafeteria, Reading Hospital in West Reading, PA, has seen double retail sales while adding features like a rotating demonstration station and an in-house bakery.
Implementing software solutions that support room service and help increase customer satisfaction is easy with Vision Software. As the leading provider of web-based healthcare foodservice software solutions in the world, we can help you put together a software suite that will help you reduce food waste, increase productivity and dramatically increase customer satisfaction and service. Call Vision Software today at 629.777.8989 or complete the consultation form in the sidebar or below to learn more about the ways in which we change your healthcare foodservice retail operation.