Senior Living dining programs are impacted by significant challenges today including dwindling numbers of people in the workforce and inflation. These factors can make it difficult to maintain the same level of service we provided in the past if we continue to do things the same way.
Because finding and retaining qualified staff is more difficult now, employees can feel overworked, potentially decreasing morale and quality of service.
Nichole Wollmuth, Dining Manager at Western Home Community’s restaurants, Gilmore's Pub & Table 1912, is an effective leader at thinking outside of the box and using innovative tools to face these challenges. One of these innovations is the introduction of Gilly the robot, who has become a great asset to staff.
Gilly assists with tasks such as:
• Carrying plates, cups, etc. from the kitchen to the tables
• Bussing dirty tables by taking the dirty plates, cups, etc. back to the kitchen
• Supporting servers who have difficulty lifting heavy trays
By handling these tasks, Gilly enables the human servers to stay focused on their tables and the customer experience. Gilly boosts productivity, which makes the staff’s job a little bit easier, thereby creating a better experience for the customers, as well.
Nichole comments that residents enjoy interacting with Gilly, who has become a local celebrity. Gilly’s presence adds a fun, social dimension to the dining experience, with residents often saying hi or waving at Gilly as he goes by their tables and taking pictures when Gilly delivers food. Some residents have even had their grandkids pose with him! These photo opportunities and interactions with Gilly also serve to provide a positive social experience for residents.
If you would like to learn more about how robots can improve your dining program, please contact your Martin Bros. Solutions Specialist or Martin Bros. Representative or click here for more information.
