tomer and the brand,” says David Whyte, Logit’s operations director and a former chef. “Where technology steps in is that it empowers the team to complete food safety tasks in a consistent and compliant manner. If there is an issue, technology can ensure a resolution by the team before it becomes a food safety problem.” Digital systems are accessible from any


device, providing live, up-to-date guidance. Logit’s system, for instance, automatically gen- erates reminders to the team about upcoming tasks and will prompt managers when tasks are overdue. Predefined questions and quick- fill responses reduce the time staff spend filling in paperwork manually and set toler- ances against the response that prompts the team member to take corrective action. “For managers, this technology provides real-time reporting – from tasks completed and outstanding to performance by site and trends and improvement opportunities. Instant access to data also gives managers the information they need to respond quickly to investigation queries while receiving live alerts on non-compliance and daily summaries of all active tasks,” says Whyte. The software can even guide staff if they face


an unexpected issue. For example, if pest drop- pings are found in the food production area, the technology sends an automated response to alert the management as well as the pest controller, while instructing the team member on what steps they should follow.


SPEED AND SAFETY The technology may seem daunting, but it can be configured to manual processes, ranging from open and close procedures to equipment temperature and condition checks to probe calibration, incident and sickness reporting and much more. Logit’s system, for instance, can digitally replicate and upgrade any cur- rent manual processes. All records are time- stamped, providing an auditable trail, and can be stored and instantly accessed in one place. “We are looking to reduce the cost in pro- ducing paper documentation along with time


30 | Technology Prospectus 2024


“Getting a five-star food hygiene rating isn’t about never having problems, it’s about how you handle them and providing evidence to show


that you did” Champa Magesh, Access Hospitality


spent on completion and storage. However, the key focus is to ensure that the hospitality business is compliant and safe, reducing the risk of brand impact and enforcement notices and fines,” says Whyte. Covid spawned further advancements in


cloud technology. “Post-Covid there have been many new technologies with a focus on opera- tions rather than finance,” says Whyte. “These solutions typically use cloud technology and tend to be relatively low cost in comparison with the older tech.” One of the negative side effects after Covid


is that hospitality employers have been facing high staff turnover, which has put pressure on training – including around food safety procedures. Happily, e-training can help. “It’s an important part of the jigsaw. If


I were to prioritise anything, that would be it,” says Barnes. “Surveys have shown that the public’s views on hygiene were heightened after Covid and that mindset is likely to carry through when they visit restaurants, so it’s important that staff are seen to be doing the


right things, and technology feeds into that.” He does caution, however, that while e-train-


ing and the use of digital technology are useful food safety tools, they are not failsafe – staff still need to be diligent. “If your staff are not trained, the whole


pack of cards falls down. If I were a business, I would digitise all my checklists. It is easily done and gives you a record and demonstrable data across a business that effective opening and closing checks are being carried out and other critical controls are in place. You could probably better cope with high staff turnover if you can be confident and see that staff under-


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