UKHospitality has warned that the industry continues to face a significant challenge due to workforce shortages, with no positive movement in vacancy levels for months.
According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, there has been no significant improvement in the vacancy rate for the sector, remaining around the 140,000 mark for the fifth consecutive month. The lack of progress in filling the 140,000 vacancies in the sector could lead to reduced opening hours, potentially endangering the busy holiday season.
“Hospitality businesses are now entering the busy summer season but what should be a time of optimism has become one of despair." says UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls “Staff shortages have plagued the sector for years and the labour market now appears to have stagnated at the worst time for hospitality, with vacancies 48% higher than pre-pandemic levels. “The results are stark. Nearly half of businesses are being forced to reduce opening hours per day and a third are reducing the days they open per week. There is no doubt that the sector will be going into the summer understaffed, with significant knock-on impacts for consumers.
With no positive outcome in tackling the challenges, it is no doubt that the industry might be going into "summer slump".
However, for hospitality businesses who are facing front of house operation issue, another potential solution to explore is the use of "Robot Waitress" - BellaBot. In fact, a few restaurants such as Hard Rock Cafe, Ding Tai Feng and TCB Dining have now started adopting BellaBot to resolve front of house challenges, as well as to prepare for this coming peak season.
BellaBot is a premium food delivery robot that is equipped with smart expressions and customised AI voice that will help to improve customer dining experience. Not only it can improve front of house efficiency by taking over repetitive tasks, freeing staffs to focus on other important tasks, the smart delivery robot is also a great solution for attracting new customers.
Moreover, investing in a smart delivery robot like BellaBot can help businesses save on operational costs in the long run. For instance, with a product lifetime of 4-5 years, BellaBot incurs a monthly cost of only £190 over 5 years, resulting in a 90% savings in operational costs over 5 years.
Is your business currently facing the same challenge? Contact us for product consultation or enquiries, our dedicated team is ready to answer any questions you might have.