Today’s customers are tech-savvy. They prefer communicating with businesses via online forms, mobile apps, and live chat rather than communicating with their call center operators.
To provide seamless booking experiences and maximize customer satisfaction, you need to invest in an online reservation solution.
In this article, we explore how these technologies can benefit your restaurant’s revenue.
Eliminating the Need for Phone Booking Systems
Phone booking systems harm user experiences on multiple levels. They rely on customers calling your restaurant during office hours, which is not always convenient for them.
Also, unless you have multiple phone lines, your phone system can deal with only one caller at a time. There is nothing more annoying for customers than when they call to book only to discover that your phone is busy. Since most of them have neither time nor patience to wait on hold, they will hang up and go somewhere else.
Online reservation systems can help you optimize the reservation process. They are based on the cloud, meaning customers can book tables anytime and anywhere, from multiple devices. That eliminates any bottlenecks within your reservation procedure and helps you land more customers.
Reducing Wait Times
One of the most significant factors in the hospitality industry is the wait time. That is where online reservation solutions help. With them, customers can reserve tables in advance, meaning they do not have to wait in lines.
For example, Red Restaurant Miami offers an online booking system on their website. They let visitors reserve tables right from their website.
Investing in a responsive restaurant mobile app can help you take customer experiences to the next level.
Minimizing the Number of No-Shows
No-shows are a common problems companies in the hospitality sector face. According to statistics, 30% of customers that book tables do not show up. That means you lose 1/3 of your booking profit every evening.
Online reservation systems make the cancellation process simpler. For some customers, calling a restaurant to cancel a reservation is uncomfortable. Therefore, they simply decide to ignore the reservation and do not show up.
Cloud reservation systems allow customers to cancel reservations at the click of a mouse, without needing to call your operators. The reservation system is automatically updated, meaning your staff will be notified in real-time about any changes made.
Also, some online booking systems allow users to make a reservation with prepayment. That way, a customer does not have to wait for their food, while your restaurant will reduce the number of no-shows.
Capturing Customer Information
Irrespective of your industry, personalization is crucial to improving customer relationships. Today, generic offers do not resonate with your customers. They expect brands in the hospitality niche to provide highly personalized and relevant experiences. Most importantly, they want you to reward their loyalty.
However, providing customers with personalized meal suggestions or offering valuable incentives is challenging if you do not capture and keep their data.
With the help of the cloud-based online reservation system, you can easily collect customer information. Most importantly, you can integrate it with a CRM solution to ensure that all customer data is kept in a central location. That way, you can know the preferences and needs of your loyal guests and provide them with highly personalized offers and loyalty programs.
Optimizing Staffing
One of the most significant benefits of the cloud-based online reservation system is the ultimate transparency. Your reservation system is stored centrally, while the data is available to both managers and restaurant operators. Most importantly, when customers book table seats, cancel reservations or update their bookings, your team is notified almost instantly.
That way, you can predict rushes and prepare your team for them. That helps you avoid understaffing or overstaffing, reduce costs, and deliver exceptional customer service.
Lowering the Risk of Human Error
Phone booking systems are prone to errors. Your staff needs to deal with multiple calls every day. So, it is understandable that they sometimes forget to write down customer details or process reservations.
With online scheduling, a customer makes reservations directly via their mobile or desktop devices. The information is uploaded in real-time, minimizing the risk of human error.
Over to You
Online reservation systems benefit your restaurant business in many ways.
They automate manual tasks and eliminate the need for error-prone phone booking technologies. That way, your staff will be more satisfied and deliver better customer experiences.
Your customers will make reservations more conveniently, which boosts their satisfaction with your restaurant business and encourages loyalty.
Author Bio:
Eve Anderson is a marketing specialist turned blogger. Interested in sports and exciting travel destinations. Love to share content that can inform people.
