In the Big Data age, it’s easy to see technology as a miracle solution for everything. And in one sense that’s true, as we know that putting the right platform in place can deliver measurable improvements.
2. Technology can be a glass
half-full/half-empty scenario.
When the tech stars align and
business is booming, you
marvel at the minds who have
created systems that make
your life so much easier.
3. But when the tech gods
stop smiling at you and your
systems don’t communicate
with each other or give you
the information you need,
you fail to see the value in
your investment and feel like
banging your head against
the wall in frustration.
4. Of course the truth is that we
control our own technological
destiny.
The success or failure of your IT
isn’t down to fate; it’s governed
by the choices you make when
you choose which technology to
use in the first place.
5. So how do you know which
systems will drive your
hospitality business forward,
and which will tie one hand
behind your back?
Here are 10 key technology
questions you need to ask.
6. DO YOU HAVE SOLE
OWNERSHIP OF YOUR
CUSTOMER DATA, OR IS
IT SHARED?
1.
7. The more you know
about your customers
the better, as you
can target them with
personalised offers
that incentivise them
to become repeat
visitors to your venue.
8. Data concerning your
customers should be 100%
yours, but some third-party
booking platforms will keep
this data for their own
purposes – such as
recommending rival venues to
your customers!
9. IS THERE A PER
COVER FEE IN
ADDITION TO THE
MONTHLY FEE?
2.
11. Wrong.
Some booking
platforms will charge
you a hefty
commission for each
reservation they send
your way, resulting in
a nasty surprise at the
end of the month.
13. Research shows that 90% of mobile
users browsing for somewhere to eat
convert into paying customers by the
end of the day. They’re a great source of
walk-in revenue.
90%
14. But your site needs to be
optimised for mobile.
When faced with poor
layouts and illegible text,
almost two-thirds of users
will give up and look
elsewhere.
16. Generic promotional offers will
only appeal to a certain
percentage of your customers.
Send irrelevant offers to your
diners and they’ll assume you
don’t understand or know them
very well.
But when you target it according
to their traits and preferences,
they’ll feel like your venue is a
perfect match for them and
return again and again.
18. Did your market campaign
perform well? Can you
demonstrate redemption
rates directly linked to
your marketing initiatives?
Your systems should be able
to talk to each other and
share data. Otherwise
working out whether a
campaign was successful or
not is left to guesswork, and
there’s no way for you to
learn and improve.
19. 6.
CAN THE TABLE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM LINK TO YOUR EPOS
SYSTEM IN ORDER TO REDUCE
OPERATIONAL DUPLICATION?
20. This is another area where
connectivity is key.
When you link your systems together,
information only has to be entered
once and it is automatically shared
through EPoS integration.
21. So when tables are shifted to accommodate
walk-ins, or if a party changes in number,
your table management software will share
it across your whole system.
22. 7.
CAN THE SYSTEM DEAL NOT JUST
WITH ONLINE BOOKINGS BUT WITH
WALK-INS AND WAIT LISTS?
23. Advising would-be diners
on wait times can be tricky.
Overestimate and they’ll find
another venue. Underestimate
and they’ll get frustrated with a
longer than expected wait.
Your system should give you
real-time, in-session data on
current diners and combine it
with the average table time to
give a clear and accurate view
on when the next table will
become available.
24. CAN RESERVATION DATA
AND EPOS DATA BE
COMBINED TO ESTABLISH
A CLEAR PICTURE OF
CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR,
PREFERENCES, AND
SPEND?
8.
25. It’s good to talk.
And the more your systems talk to each
other, the more valuable that data is for you.
Knowing a diner was in your venue only
gives you one piece of information; but when
you add in what they consumed
and what their average spend is, you start to
build up a far more comprehensive snapshot
of that individual. This information can be
used for considered marketing offers that
are relevant for each customer.
27. You turn away a walk-
in group due to lack of
availability, but then a
colleague says that another
group cancelled their
booking 20 minutes ago.
The right technology should
automatically update
availability in an instant, so
that any cancellations or
amended reservations show
in the system for rebooking
immediately.
29. You want your customers to
enjoy a seamless experience
when they visit your venue;
and that means brand
consistency and familiarity.
If your tech has intrusive third-
party logos taking centre
stage, it weakens your brand
impact. Look for a white-label
solution that you can
customise with your own
branding.
30. Technology isn’t a blanket solution – you need to put
the right tech in place that will benefit your business
You need to be optimised for mobile to get your fair
share of walk-ins (and 90% of browsers will convert
that day)
When your systems talk to each other, the data you
collect is far more valuable in terms of customer
insights
It also reduces the need for duplication and can
provide operational efficiencies
Smart technology also gives you real-time views
of availability and in-session customers
KEY TAKEAWAYS
