Industry News
Reservations Recommended: Why It’s Time to Invest in an Integrated Reservation System
You could save more than $800+ each month compared to per cover fee platforms!
The dine-in experience is clearly evolving. Pre-pandemic, nearly 80% of dine-in guests were walk-ins. Offering reservations was considered optional by many restaurateurs, whose top priority was seating as many paying customers as possible.
While many restaurant owners may have hesitated to accept reservations in the past, changing consumer demands, fluctuating safety regulations and continuing labor shortages have forced many in the food and beverage business to reconsider their stance.
Restaurants of all types need an easy way to book reservations, manage waitlists and communicate with customers, all while delivering a five-star customer experience.
A modern reservations system can help you serve more guests and increase profits while also minimizing crowding and offering specific tools to help ensure the pandemic’s latest health and safety protocols are being met. Using a product like SpotOn Reserve, offered by DCRS Solutions and fully integrable with SpotOn POS, can also save you on average more than $800 a month compared to per cover fee platforms.
An integrated reservations system can …
- Offer online reservations, a must for today’s busy customer. SpotOn Reserve can be easily integrated with Google Search, Google Maps, Facebook or Tripadvisor, making it extremely convenient for guests to plan their visit in a few quick taps.
- Minimize entryway traffic to help keep both your guests and your staff healthy during the pandemic (and also reduce the number of walkaways who might be scared off by a crowded-looking space).
- Reduce cancellations by giving guests up-to-the-minute wait times via text or app.
- Offer two-way texting capabilities with your host stand.
- Maximize efficiency with streamlined server rotations (especially important given ongoing labor shortages).
- Notify take-out customers via text when their order is ready, which helps streamline your staffing needs.
- Capture intuitive data about your guests, which can help you better understand your customer demographic so that you can make informed marketing decisions to target both new and repeat visitors.
- Integrate with your POS system, allowing you to engage customers and improve loyalty by helping you track important guest notes (food allergies, milestones, etc.) with every visit.
Reservations & COVID-19
A fully integrated reservation system can help your restaurant maintain operations and ensure compliance with local public health ordinances. The SpotOn Reserve technology allows customers to confirm their party’s vaccination status when making a reservation, which in turn helps restaurants communicate their specific vaccination requirements and avoid any confusion at the door. Guests can be seated and start enjoying their dining experience right away.
The reservation system also allows you to collect and safely store important customer information that might be needed for COVID-19 contact tracing.
The right restaurant technology will ensure your front-of-house operations are running smoothly while also delivering an unparalleled dining experience. Investing in an integrated reservation system can increase efficiency AND benefit your bottom line.
At DCRS Solutions, we’re here to help you make an integrated reservation system work for your restaurant. Our hospitality technology experts will help with all implementation and training so you can stay open, operational and ready for whatever challenges the industry might face next.