(Photo: Paloma365)
In the restaurant industry, time is almost as precious a commodity as the food. Long lines, lengthy wait times, and back-of-house delays can ruin a customer's meal just as easily as an issue with the food itself. With staffing shortages exacerbated by the pandemic, restaurants are increasingly forced to embrace technological innovations in order to remain profitable. Luckily for them, the technology is something that tech experts like Vladislav Golubev have been working on for years.
Golubev is the founder and CEO of Paloma365, a cloud point of sale and inventory for retail and restaurant companies. The company began as a personal goal for Golubev: to make an accounting system that could automate a restaurant anywhere in the world in only 15 minutes. Between 2011 and 2012, he organized a team and created the first cloud accounting system for restaurants in Kazakhstan. By 2013, the company officially launched its first client: a fast food chain.
"We became the first in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) to implement cloud-based catering automation that works on commercial equipment with a cash register," says Golubev. The way it works is simple-the cloud-based system automates a large number of processes within the restaurant, streamlining every part of the business to minimize time and reduce mistakes. Waiters take orders from a phone or tablet. The chef sees the order on a tablet and marks it when it's ready. The receptionist uses the system to view guest accounts and reserve tables. The bookkeeper can enter receipts and write-offs and receive real-time data on inventory. The owner can use their phone to look at earnings and analytics, comparing which goods sell better and how the numbers compare with last week, month, or year. Cloud-based systems can operate offline for a certain period and then sync all data once an internet connection is restored.
With 50% of restaurants reportedly adding new products or services such as QR menus, self-ordering, and online ordering due to the pandemic, products like Golubev's are quickly becoming the norm in restaurants and retail. Customers have greater flexibility in how they can order and pay for items, while workers can automate menial work and spend more time doing more customer-centric tasks such as answering phones and handling customer issues. By using a SaaS (Software as a Service) model, Golubev replaces the need for expensive hardware with a simple and affordable monthly or yearly subscription module.
In the decade since Golubev first founded Paloma365, the company has grown exponentially. Today Golubev leads a team of over 60 employees, servicing over 10,000 restaurants and stores in more than 10 countries. Their clients include restaurants, stores, cafes, clothing boutiques, and grocery stores among others. "We have big competitors with big budgets," says Golubev. "But our solution has a very large functionality, better support, and at a lower price for the client. We respond quickly to customer requests for development and adding new features."
From the success of Paloma365, Golubev continues to innovate and expand-in 2019, with his partner Peshey Sergey, he founded TuviS, a web and mobile app for retail and restaurant businesses. Any business can get a delivery system with its own app and website. The solution integrates payment POS systems into a versatile application that equips clients with the features they need to increase customer retention, loyalty, and sales. According to the company's website, TuviS will develop a mobile application for a client's business in only 5 days, providing them with everything they need all on one system. Owners can implement loyalty tools to attract buyers, while buyers gain access to discounts and bonuses from their favorite brands.
Paloma365 and TuviS cooperate with reseller partnerships that sell the software under the Paloma365 and TuviS brands. They also collaborate with other partners who offer white-label solutions under their own brands, though these are powered by Paloma365 and TuviS.
Vladislav Golubev's companies have played a major role in shifting the way many businesses operate. With efficient, cloud-based solutions, Paloma365 and Tuvis are driving the future of dining and retail. It's tools like these that allow businesses to thrive in a post-pandemic world.
