Review of Sling App for Online Restaurant Scheduling

Restaurant life is constantly busy and changes from one moment to the next. As the manager, you are an expert at multitasking as you handle customer dining issues and resolve employee conflicts without missing a beat. At times handling all of these tasks at once can be a bit challenging, to say the least. Just when you think that you’ve got a handle on the events of the day, an employee calls in sick. Now you must scramble to find a replacement before the dinner rush begins.

Sling can help you do that in a fraction of the time. The application works to save you the time and expense of locating the work schedule, seeing who is available to work and contacting the individuals on that list to see who is willing to come in and work for you. That only begins to scratch the surface of what the Sling app can do for you and your restaurant. The app is available as a free download from the Apple or Android application stores and offers several other features as well.

Scheduling

Sling allows you to quickly set up shift schedules for the upcoming week. Once those schedules are complete, you can send it out across the network connection straight to staff smartphones. They receive the notification detailing their work schedule for the next week and can make plans accordingly for time outside of work. You can customize the display to show shifts by day, week or month.

The application also helps you avoid scheduling conflicts by displaying employee time off notifications on the scheduling screen. You can set the specific times that each employee is available to work which will help you recognize who can cover a shift when necessary. When two employees want to switch shifts, they send a notification to you through the application. Once you approve that switch, it appears on the schedule for that particular day.

Messaging System

Keeping in touch with your staff is easier with the Sling app. It allows you to send messages straight to an individual employee or to the entire staff in the same way you would send a text message. Keep morale high by easily sharing funny photos or videos that highlight the rigors of working in the restaurant industry. Take time to say ‘thank you’ to your staff for their hard work with a quick group message.

You also have the ability to send work files and other forms of communication through the Sling app messaging system as well. It saves you the trouble of scrolling through your contact phone book and adding everyone to a group message one at a time. By using this app, you can add the entire group with the touch of a button.

Newsfeed

The Sling app gives you the opportunity to create a small-scale social media channel for your restaurant staff. You can post images, videos or other content you want to share with the application and it presents the information to your staff in a newsfeed style display. Staff members have the ability to interact with the content you share and share other content as well. Share an important message with the group by pinning it to the top of the newsfeed for easier viewing.

Create different pages that focus on upcoming menu ideas, staff dress code options or seasonal promotions and give everyone an opportunity to share their opinions on the posts. It opens the door to a positive work environment as everyone feels that they have a say in what takes place at the restaurant.

Task Management

As a restaurant manager, your task list never seems to stop growing. The Sling app can help reduce that stress factor as well. All of your tasks appear in detail within the app. You can go into each task and quickly delegate responsibility to another staff member. There are no worries about a task going undone because Sling alerts you when the task is complete.

As you assign tasks to staff members, you can give as much information as you would like regarding each task. Provide a description, make a comment, offer a suggestion or attach a picture of what the task should look like when complete if possible. You can assign tasks to an individual staff member or a group of employees if you want. Send out quick reminders to an individual or team members when a deadline is approaching and the task still needs to be accomplished. There is even the option to set tasks and reminders for yourself as well.

Sling is an efficient way for you to manage restaurant staff without taking away from providing award-winning service to your customers. You can focus on the restaurant business and manage staff at the touch of a button. Upon downloading the free app, you will wonder how you survived in the fast-paced world of restaurant management without Sling.