Technology: Electronic operations manuals

A newly-launched electronic operations manual aims to automate routine tasks. Phil Mellows finds out more.

One day, they say, we'll all be walking around with a microchip inside our heads. Our brains will become organically enhanced by computer technology. We won't actually need bulky hardware. We'll be integrated with cyberspace. Wow.

Until then, there are some small steps you can take along the information superhighway. Most publicans seem to be still stuck on the hard shoulder, not necessarily through any fault of their own but largely because IT wizards have failed to conjure up software that is relevant to a pub business.

That situation is beginning to change, however. New developments have given a glimpse of a future in which logging on to a computer will become a natural part of a licensee's day.

E-commerce, the practice of buying and selling over the internet, has got a foot in the door and now a new piece of software is about to be launched to the trade which aims to automate the routine tasks of a pub manager.

Until now, Indicater has only been available to multiple operators, but from July independent licensees can give it a try in the shape of the Interactive Operating Manual for Publicans.

CD-ROM-based, it works directly on your computer and is made up of six interlinked modules. You can pick and mix from:

• staff rotas and timesheets (including employee records)
• red tape compliance
• income and purchase analysis (with stocktaking option)
• marketing and merchandising
• menu management
• staff induction and training.

A series of "dashboards" brings together data from the modules you use so you can, for instance, track the cumulative cost of staff sickness to the gross and net profit of your pub.

Each module works independently, or they can be joined together to form an interactive operating manual.

More than that, it promises to save you time and money.

The system was devised by Mike Day, who used to work for hospitality giant Grand Met and set up his own contract catering company in 1991. Eight years later he took a gamble on Indicater.

"I knew that the industry needed technology, but the challenge was to enhance existing technology in a way that would really help managers," he said. "The information was there but more focus was needed how an information system could become part of day-to-day routine processes."

Indicater's business development director is Keith Hufton, the former marketing manager of Unique Pub Company's ill-fated e-commerce experiment Grey Archer.

While, as a result of that experience, he believes that the pub market "is not ready for on-line ordering", he sees an opportunity for an electronic operating manual.

"All the big managed pubcos have operating manuals but in reality they don't use them on a daily basis, they only come out when there's an issue, like when a customer finds a piece of glass in their food.

"At the same time, licensees have PCs but all they use them for is drawing up menus, browsing the internet, emailing their area manager perhaps or doing their accounts and that's it.

"Indicater simply replaces paper-based operations manuals with an interactive system that can be tailored to the organisation's personality and ways of working. Managers and staff don't need to learn a new way of doing things."

There are additional benefits too. The "dashboard" that displays the state of your business, for instance, can show you where your weaknesses are so you can target training. Because the modules are linked it can even suggest an appropriate training package to prevent such problems in the future.

"That's what we mean by interactivity," said Mike. "It's not a bollocking process, it's a manager's friend, enabling you to do things quicker."

Other features include an occasions calendar which not only suggests themes for promotional events but puts you in touch with the suppliers you'll need to run it.

There is also a stocktaking programme, letter templates and staffing rotas which can calculate your labour costs as a percentage of turnover as you go along. You can use this to decide whether it's worth taking on extra staff for a special event.

"It makes the manager feel in control of the pub," said Keith.

The annual subscription per module is currently £60 per year, or £299 for all six including VAT, support, user bulletins and ongoing software updates.

Launch offer​

As a special launch offer, Indicater is offering users of thePublican.com the chance to try out the staff rotas and timesheets module for free.

Just visit http://www.indicater.com/publicanoffer and complete the special "Publican Offer" form using TP478 as your authorising offer reference.

If you have any problems email info@indicater.com or call 01491 842920.

Just Deli gets a buzz from Indicater​

One of the first firms to use Indicater was contract caterer Just Deli which uses the system to communicate with most of its 220 staff based in 40 different company canteens around the country.

It uses several modules marketing and merchandising, health and safety and HR and is working with Indicater on a new menu development module. The whole thing appears to users as Just Deli's own internal website.

"The biggest buzz from the system is from the marketing and merchandising module," said managing director John Duffield. "Because our customers are the same every day we need to keep ringing the changes and using Indicater our people have a tool to help themselves. For instance, we say they must have a theme day once a month but now they can choose what's right for them and everything they need to know is on there."

Introducing Indicater 18 months ago was "a big cultural change" said John. "Caterers aren't techies, they are creative people who don't like systems and procedures.

"But we made it so that there are certain things they have to go into Indicater for or they don't get paid - such as timesheets. So there was some coercion involved."