Fiona Lin’s Post

It’s lunchtime, and it looks a bit dicey out there, so are you ready for one of my trademark rants instead? 😂 Airports. 🛫 It’s just dawned on me truly how money-grabbing these are. I’m not really old enough to remember a time when you could turn up shortly before your flight and walk to the gate. But it seems like every time I fly (and believe me, it isn’t very often) the advice is to get to the airport earlier and earlier. Oh, it’s busy. The security queue is wildly long. The desks where they print the boarding passes are rammed, they say. "Better get there in advance!" This causes a panic, and then people turn up far too early, making the queue even longer. 🙄 But you know what, I’ve never spent longer than 30 mins in the security queue, and then I’ll be sat in the waiting area for 2.5 hours, surrounded by people eating, drinking, shopping for stuff they don't need and pretending they aren’t going to be sat in a gravity-defying metal tube full of other people’s farts for the foreseeable. PERHAPS THAT’S THE INTENT. Makes sense to get people there early, doesn’t it? That’s where all the overpriced bars, shops and restaurants are, after all. Because with the tech now in place, all the other stuff SHOULD be a breeze. E-boarding cards, check. Security – well, those machines can see which way you've dressed this morning and how much pocket change you have. It SHOULD be fast. All the queues are a problem of the airports’ making, though. “Oh, we need more staff…” EMPLOY THEM THEN. You’re making huge profits, invest them in the people who are crying out for jobs in your area and train them up. Pay people well and give them the required skills and you’ll never be short-staffed, and the queues will not exist. My nearest large airport supposedly made ONE BILLION pounds in revenue last year alone. Don’t tell me they can’t afford it. They’re fleecing us customers at every turn already. Parking, baggage, ‘airport’ tax, the extra couple of £8 beers you have at the bar cos your plane is inevitably delayed, again. And d’ya know what, it’s going to be their downfall, I predict. It’s not sustainable. We already can’t afford to fly as much, for sure. Airports will end up like cinemas, empty, save for the hardcore few, and constantly putting up prices because customer numbers are lower, exacerbating the problem. Perhaps I’m being too cynical. It’s a more complex issue, and it’s indicative of a bigger societal problem, which I’m not smart enough to resolve (although I have a few ideas, and they will all come at a cost to freeloaders, sorry, I mean shareholders). All we customers want is to be able to be dropped off at the terminal door, get our ticket scanned, drop off a bag and get through security quickly, then enjoy some duty-free and reasonably priced brekkie before we travel, without costing a fortune. Is that too much to ask? Did I mention I’m planning a holiday for the first time in years? 😀 #rant #airports #ripoff #theory #travel

🌞 With summer just around the corner, we're all looking forward to sunnier skies and warmer days! Especially in the hospitality world, it's the season of bustling beer gardens and happy customers basking in the sunshine. But as the mercury rises, so does the flow of customers eager for their slice of summer joy. Is your venue ready to handle the spike? 🍻☀️ The question isn't just about having enough cold bottles of prosecco to serve or extra seats under the shade — it's about ensuring your payment system isn't the bottleneck that keeps your patrons waiting. Too many venues, even those belonging to the largest enterprises, are stuck with outdated payment systems that falter at the simple act of handling transactions outside in the beer garden. The result? Frustrated customers and lost sales. As the leading hospitality payment specialist on LinkedIn, I'm here to ensure your business not only meets but exceeds summer demand. Our cutting-edge payment solutions are designed to keep you ahead of the game, ensuring fast, efficient, and reliable transactions, no matter where your customers choose to relax. Imagine a payment system so seamless that your staff can carry out transactions amidst the laughter and clinking glasses, without ever having to leave the sunshine. That's the kind of service that turns first-time visitors into regulars. Don't let outdated tech be the cloud that covers your sunny season. Let's chat about getting your payment systems summer-ready — because the only thing that should be pouring is another round of your best-selling lager 🍻 ! 🌤️💳 For a personalized consultation and to kick start your summer preparations, feel free to direct message me here on LinkedIn or shoot an email to adam.stanborough@dojo.tech #HospitalityIndustry #PaymentSolutions #SummerReady #BeerGardenBliss #innovatetoelevate #businessgrowth

Today is RUOK day, and I want to take a moment to ask you, dear cafe owners, are you okay? This message is crafted especially for you because we understand the relentless dedication you pour into your cafes. Day in and day out, you're at the forefront, ensuring your business thrives. But the truth is, it doesn't end when you clock off. Managing a cafe entails a mountain of responsibilities – from handling bills to crunching numbers in accounting, and tirelessly marketing your establishment. Sometimes, it can feel like a solo effort, and that can be overwhelming. Alongside this, there's the ever-present anxiety of navigating economic challenges like rising prices and interest rates. Let's not forget those quiet, slow days when you wonder if you'll meet your budget. Emotionally and physically, the cafe business can take a toll on many of us. Despite all these challenges, you show up every day and do it all over again. Your resilience is truly commendable. So, to all you cafe owners out there, Are You OK? This is a big shout-out to those who stand strong for your staff, your loyal customers, and your loving family. Remember, you're not alone, and it's okay to reach out for support when you need it. #RUOK #CafeOwnersRock

Good read: Cafe Life Magazine features five ways a next-generation point-of-sales system from Elavon can help you keep your cool as demand heats up. https://bit.ly/3qbehzY

I find it amazing to watch hospitality operators manage the day to day happenings of their business or businesses. Managing labor, food costs, schedules, customers, logistics, waste AND family is a juggling act that, unless you have done it, is very difficult to comprehend. So we go out to relax ourselves on occasion. Visiting our friends at their places or traveling to resorts to get away. And we charge it on our credit cards. Here is something I imagine most of the public does not consider when it comes to one of these balls being juggled by our #hospitality friends. Did you know there are only 2 major credit card 💳 networks that control 80% of all credit card transactions? So what is the big deal? Well every time a customer pays with a card (like every time) the business is charged an average of 3%. It is like having to pay an entirely separate tax. 💰 Meaning, with that much power these 2 companies can basically: 1) ban anyone else from entering the market 🛑 2) simply charge whatever they want. 📈 Like my good friend T.J. Oakley says in this editorial "In an industry that averages 3-5% profit margins, an extra 3% on everything can easily put you out of business." So I stand with T.J. and Scott Harper, MS and everybody else asking our federal leaders to pass the Credit Card Competition Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation in both houses of congress that would require at least 2 competing credit card networks on each transaction, introducing competition and reducing costs by an estimated $15 billion a year. We all deserve some relief from swipe charges. 🥂 https://lnkd.in/enqtqMdR #swipecharges #relief #restaurants #hotels #creditcardcompetitionact

Tip of the Week: Why is my place not making money? A very common question our dear restaurateurs approach us with. Fortunately, there is hope and we always encourage you to start looking at these three places first: 🥊Poorly designed staff schedules - overpaying wages during quieter times 🥊 Poorly costed menu 🥊 Wastage - from food supplies to general costs eg electricity, water etc . . . #restauranttips #foodconsulting #restaurantconsulting #foodbusiness #lumiereconsultancy

Restaurant owners looking to reduce unwanted fees, Merchant Advocate can help. Reach out today for a free review of your merchant statements. It will be time well spent.

Empty Tables? Your losing money every minute a table is not full. Wy not choose more birthday guests and get more butts in your seats with higher tickets? Did you know many restaurants lose birthday revenue every month? Stop losing birthday revenue, let us do the work for you. https://lnkd.in/dx63WBaF #restaurantowners #restaurantmanagement

“YOU’RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO JUGGLE AND FIND SOLUTIONS… IN THE BACKGROUND, THERE’S SLEEPLESS NIGHTS” Cue Tran opened his restaurant Pho Cue in Chinatown in 2020, amidst the madness of the pandemic, using recipes passed through generations of his family. His banh-mis with dipping sauce became a lockdown smash. His uncle cooks in his kitchen and his mum works with him too. He saw his parents struggle through running their own businesses all the way through his childhood. So he knows about the stakes more than most. He must have thought that emerging from the pandemic was as bad as it could get. But in the wake of all that, things have somehow got worse. Raw materials prices have rocketed - the rapeseed oil alone went from £18 to £44 at its peak, well over double. And that’s just oil. Imagine then everything doubling in front of your eyes, and still trying to keep your business afloat. The goalposts moved, and he couldn't do anything about it. He’s one of the luckier ones. His restaurant is a hit, and he has regulars who eat with him a few times a week. But that doesn’t mean there’s not been ‘sleepless nights’. Reducing VAT to 10% would help relieve ‘stress areas’ in his business, and means he won’t have to pass on price increases to his customers, jeopardising whether or not they’ll keep coming back. You can help this happen. Sign the petition to lower VAT for hospitality businesses here: https://bit.ly/3vVMp5A

This is how every boss/owner/manager should be, if you’re not prepared to do a task or don’t know how to do certain things how on earth can you expect the people working with you to do it. If a colleague sees you getting stuck in from time to time and they know that you have knowledge of their roles, they are less likely to feel contempt and will have a new level of respect. There is nothing worse to an employee than being dictated how things should be done within a dynamic that the one dictating has never been an active part in. Best example is how the standard day works and how reduced staffing numbers may then affect that, either jump in and give a hand or learn that adjustments need to be made, it should not run on 2 people the way it would with 3. Become their 3rd.