Union, a data-driven hospitality engagement platform, has been selected as a preferred technology provider by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (Southern Glazer’s)—the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol. This alignment aims to support Southern Glazer’s bar and restaurant customers as they rebound from the financial burdens of the pandemic and face massive staffing shortages among increasing guest demand. Union also offers brands unique programming and marketing opportunities.
According to research from the National Restaurant Association, the hospitality industry is still down 750,000 jobs — roughly 6.1% of its workforce — from pre-pandemic levels, as of May 2022. The lack of staff has adversely impacted venue review ratings. According to Yelp, in the first quarter of 2022, their users mentioned short staffing in their reviews three times more often than in previous time periods.
“Staffing issues have impacted sales for many bars and restaurants nationwide and as such our alcohol suppliers are also impacted; we believe that Union’s engagement platform is the perfect solution to help our customers to combat the staffing crisis while increasing sales and improving the customer experience,” stated David Chaplin, Chief Growth Officer at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. “Union’s sophisticated tool kit not only gives bars and restaurants the ability to deliver great service and improve operations, but also the platform’s unique data capabilities arm our alcohol supplier partners with unprecedented insights and breakthrough opportunities for their products.”
With the Union engagement platform, bars and restaurants receive an intuitive guest-led mobile ordering app experience that integrates seamlessly with the Union’s POS system, which was built specifically for high-volume hospitality venues. Union customers see on average a 28 percent increase in sales as soon as the platform is up and running. To order through Union, guests simply scan a QR code to start the process and their drinks are delivered up to 6 minutes faster than traditional face-to-face ordering. The platform also leverages its data to offer guests personalized drink recommendations and rewards.
“We’re honored to have been selected by Southern Glazer’s as a preferred technology provider,” said Alex Broeker, Union’s CEO and Co-founder. “This relationship will help accelerate Union’s position as a best-in-class solution for high-volume hospitality locations across the country.”
“Since moving to Union, our venue has been able to nearly double what we thought was our busiest volume night,” said Matt Carter, Owner at Bouldin Acres in Austin, Texas. “Our bartenders love it. Union not only makes our operation run smoother but the guest-led process allows our staff to support more tables and provide a superior experience. Our guests leave reviews about how fast and easy the experience is and come back because of it.”
For More Information:
https://www.getunion.com/?utm_source=SGWS&utm_medium=pressrelease