Actually, consumers are not separate entities, we are the consumers. And if we think about what we really want from the restaurants, hotels, and any other kind of hospitality institution, we can confidently state that it is trust.
What do consumers want?
Traceability and transparency are no longer a luxury service but a necessity. It has become a new norm for customers to want to know where a product came from, how it came from, what stages it went through, and who was involved in its production.
The first reason for this is digital developments. Because every area of life has this traceability. The state also demands this transparency from us, we either expect the same transparency from our own security company, security cameras in our home, or the security and health processes in our workplace, or we already apply it in our own lives and comply with these requirements.
Consequently, conscious customers who are aware of the possibilities of technology are becoming the majority with demanding similar expectations from fast-moving consumer goods and fast-food chains or large frozen food producers. This is true in all areas. Consumers are more aware of their rights and know that they can solve problems by accessing their internet page when they encounter problems. They also know that a company cannot afford to be disclosed while information is spreading so quickly. Because personal violations in a fast-food chain can quickly be heard around the world and damage the entire perception of the brand.
Second, the fact of Coronavirus affected the food industry and the demands of customers immensely. Not based on customer wishes only, but authorities also demand extra transparency and documentation to ensure hygiene and food safety.
As per Zebra’s latest Food Safety Supply Chain Vision Report, customers are worried about the sources of the food they consume and the overall trust in restaurants is shockingly poor. The COVID-19 pandemic, which occurred after the research was done, also highlights the value of health and food safety at work.
What can be done to ensure transparency in the food industry?
Tracking and recording technologies, powered by robust portable scanning systems and built by the use of RFID tags and tags, will improve the transparency of the supply chain with better insights and a greater flow of information. This approach will benefit you in terms of compliance with regulations but as well as profitability and sustainability. The industry knows this too. The vast majority (90 percent) of decision-makers agreed that innovations in transparency-focused technologies would give them competitive advantage by allowing them to fulfill market expectations based on Zebra’s research.
Including the RFID tag system in food production from raw material to purchasing will both give confidence to organizations such as cafes, restaurants, and hotels that serve end-users and provide efficiency to intermediary and manufacturer companies. Increases in revenue with enhanced inventory management, reductions in worker costs in storages, decreases in the number of stocks due to only-in-time delivery are rising as benefits. However, by the designing of RFID systems in general, unnecessary disruption can be avoided by the data available during product returns.
Mostly in a general process of supply chains, the route, lot number, pallet number, container number, change in atmospheric conditions (temperature, relative humidity, etc.), truck info (GPS data, distance, location, etc.) and delivery information will also be registered in real-time so that immediate response to the problem becomes practical.
If we lastly look from the end-consumer perspective, knowing that the food came to your plate is monitored in every step with care and attention, it will naturally build trust and loyalty to the service provider of that moment. That’s why during these hard days, food company or restaurant owners are more and more becoming interested in digital solutions such as RFID tag systems for their organizations.
