Matthew Clark halves on-trade customers ordering time

Research conducted by the drinks distributor shows that this Christmas, bartenders, waiters, hotel staff and chefs will be running on just five to six hours sleep, and will be working on average an extra 28 hours over the festive period.

The research also revealed that 36% of its customers order outside of normal office hours and as the online service is available 24/7, customers can order at their own convenience.

Matthew Clark marketing director Geoff Brown said: “Christmas is a very busy time of the year for the hospitality industry and striking a work-life balance is a huge challenge.

Christmas is prime time for business​

He added: “The festive period​ is prime time for business and to make the most of friends and family, so we want to help our customers take back some time to spend with loved ones or just catching up on sleep.

“Encouraging our customers to place their orders online is just one of the ways we are helping them save time this Christmas.”

Pubs of Distinction regional manager Ollie Sheridan said: “As a regional manager in London for the Pubs of Distinction group, I am no stranger to long and sometimes antisocial hours and never more so than at Christmas​ where I often miss out on parties and gatherings with my friends and family.

“Despite this, it is the best time of the year to work too, as the pubs are always busy and buzzing, and customers are in good spirits.

Closing isn’t the end of the day for staff​

He added: “Of course, when we do close, as staff, it doesn’t end there. We need to tidy up, cash up and place our orders.

“As I carry out regular stock audits on each site, having this information to hand 24/7 saves me quite a lot of time when compared to sifting through piles of invoices looking for that missing bottle of vodka.

“I will be asking Santa for an extra few hours’ sleep this year.”

The top 10 activities that are regularly missed out on are:

• Dating
• Pampering onself
• Watching films or TV shows
• Exercising
• Learning a new skill
• Cooking new recipes
• Reading books
• Running essential errands
• Holidays