This yr’s Self-Service and Innovation Summit, hosted by Networld Media Group in Tampa, Florida from December September 11 will culminate with “Thought chief roundtable: Govt predictions,” a panel devoted to serving to decipher truth from fiction and offering sensible recommendation for constructing your small business.
Know-how and enterprise are altering quicker every single day, from superior software program and synthetic intelligence to 3D avatars in self-service kiosks, to call just a few rising applied sciences!
How is an operator to remain on prime of so many adjustments, and the way can they future-proof their operations and buyer expertise no matter what comes subsequent?
These questions and extra are the core of a panel of distinguished trade consultants at this yr’s Self-Service and Innovation Summit, hosted by Networld Media Group in Tampa, Florida from December September 11.
Register for SSIS 2024 immediately!
The summit will culminate with “Thought chief roundtable: Govt predictions,” a panel devoted to serving to decipher truth from fiction and offering sensible recommendation for constructing your small business. Panelists will embrace:
- John Laspia, CEO at Kiosk Operators.
- Ashkan Mirnabavi, founder and CEO at NextGen Kitchens.
- Ishai Reinfeld, director of eCommerce, good answering at SoundHound AI.
- Invoice Stutzman, director of strategic initiatives at Ventus.
I reached out to panelist Ashkan Mirabavi by way of electronic mail interview to be taught extra about among the matters he’s passionate to share with the viewers and to get a preview of among the thought management that can be on show throughout the panel.
Mirabavi is a distinguished enterprise chief and serial entrepreneur. A couple of highlights from his broad resume embrace serving as: founder at CIBOTICA, a food-tech robotic firm; founder and CEO at NextGen Kitchens, a multi-unit restaurant and SaaS expertise firm; proprietor of Nabavi Holdings, a restaurant holding firm.
Q&A with Ashkan Mirabavi, founder and CEO at NextGen Kitchens
Q: What’s the largest change you have seen this yr, notably as AI reshapes expertise?
Mirnabavi: This yr, we have seen “AI” turn into a buzzword, with companies speeding to leap on the pattern. Whereas many of those instruments are nonetheless of their early phases, the velocity at which AI is being developed and applied is exceptional. AI is already reshaping each back-end processes—like stock administration and logistics—and customer-facing programs with extra personalised experiences.
Within the meals trade, the place innovation has traditionally lagged, this modification is especially important. Many operators are hesitant to be the primary to undertake new expertise, fearing the dangers, and a few even exit of enterprise earlier than they’re prepared to vary. This reluctance is compounded by a enterprise mannequin that usually prioritizes cost-cutting over long-term strategic enhancements.
Regardless of these challenges, we’re seeing a shift. Automation and robotic options designed to reinforce worker productiveness are gaining traction. Bigger manufacturers with R&D budgets are investing closely in good business gear and automation, creating extra environment friendly back-of-house operations and lowering the pressure on employees. These instruments, when used successfully, not solely enhance productiveness but in addition improve the standard of life for workers—an element the trade has typically neglected.
Q: What’s your largest prediction for the approaching yr?
Mirnabavi: Trying forward, AI will proceed to rework how meals operators handle complexity. We’re just a few years away from AI changing jobs like drive-thru attendants, cashiers, and different repetitive roles. Even the implementation of those programs is more likely to be outsourced to AI and machine studying instruments that may deal with deployment and decision-making.
POS programs, for instance, are anticipated to turn into much more succesful, specializing in personalization to create a greater buyer expertise. AI-driven insights will allow operators to investigate information from their POS programs, serving to them make smarter, quicker selections. Labor-saving and labor-enhancing applied sciences will dominate, as operators search to enhance effectivity with out sacrificing high quality.
Nonetheless, it is important to suppose past surface-level claims. Many tech corporations tout in depth capabilities, however few ship options that really tackle the trade’s challenges. Creating expertise is dear and tough to execute correctly. The businesses that succeed can be these which are captivated with fixing actual issues, taking an operator-first method to innovation.
Q: What ought to operators be doing to organize for a quickly altering trade?
Mirnabavi: The meals trade has historically been gradual to innovate, typically chasing the bottom value moderately than adopting higher enterprise fashions. Operators anticipate extra productiveness from workers with out investing in enhancing their high quality of life, which is unsustainable.
To thrive in a quickly altering panorama, operators should embrace flexibility and innovation. Whereas expertise is not the reply for everybody, companies with well-established processes can vastly profit from scalable, seamlessly built-in instruments. Options like AI-powered chat options that analyze POS information and supply actionable insights might revolutionize decision-making.
It is also essential to associate with tech corporations that really perceive the trade. As restaurant operators ourselves, we method expertise with a deep understanding of day-to-day operations, guaranteeing it solves real-world challenges. Ardour for the issue and a deal with enhancing each productiveness and high quality of life for workers are key when selecting the best options.
Q: What’s the largest mistake to keep away from proper now?
Mirnabavi: The largest mistake operators could make is resisting change or leaping into an answer with out totally understanding its worth. Complacency—counting on conventional strategies—will depart companies behind, however adopting expertise with out thorough analysis also can result in wasted sources.
On this trade, many companies chase the bottom value or fall sufferer to a worry of lacking out (FOMO), leading to poor selections. It is essential to determine your particular challenges, consider options critically, and associate with tech corporations which are each succesful and captivated with fixing these issues.
On the finish of the day, the appropriate expertise ought to enhance the standard of life for employees and improve productiveness. Operators must steadiness innovation with a considerate method to make sure they’re investing in instruments that really align with their long-term targets.
Q: What’s your largest message to operators on leveraging this second for fulfillment?
Mirnabavi: It is a pivotal second for operators to embrace expertise as a strategic benefit. The meals trade’s capability to drive income by means of expertise has been restricted up to now, however the alternative exists to suppose past the normal mannequin.
Operators ought to take the time to judge inefficiencies, discover accessible instruments, and select options thoughtfully. Know-how like AI-powered platforms not solely streamlines operations but in addition enhances worker satisfaction by lowering repetitive duties and enabling higher decision-making.
In the end, expertise’s worth lies in its capability to enhance each productiveness and high quality of life. Instruments like NextGen Kitchens’ platform might help operators unlock new income streams, ship extra personalised buyer experiences, and place their companies for long-term success. The hot button is to undertake expertise that aligns along with your imaginative and prescient and solves actual issues—as a result of considerate innovation is what is going to drive the way forward for this trade.
