Online booking systems for restaurant reservations

How do online restaurant reservation systems work?

They are websites or apps which allow customers to book a table at restaurants online without any human interaction. They can be on your social media page, website or through third party sites such as TripAdvisor.

There are free systems out there (but likely with less features), though it's likely you'll need to invest - whether it's a flat monthly cost or paying a fee per booking.

Depending on the system and the cost, they can also act as a restaurant management tool - telling you how long a customer has been seated, what they've been served, and when the next party is due to arrive.

With 64% of online restaurant searches resulting in a reservation being made within an hour, customers are ready to pull the trigger when they’re browsing.

Therefore you need to make sure you can capitalise on their impulses to book!

Benefits of restaurant reservation systems

• 24/7 booking
• Increase profits
• Convenience
• Reduce workload
• Better customer service
• Reduce no-shows

24/7 booking

Rather than having to make a call during working hours, patrons can book online any time – whether in the morning before you’re open, or in the evening when you’re rushed off your feet.

This will most likely boost the amount of bookings you receive as you no longer have to choose between taking a phone call or serving the customers in front of you. Nor will you be limited to only taking bookings in working hours.

Increase profits

More bookings = more sales!

The systems will let you know how long a party has been seated and what course they’re on. If there's a particular group you'd like to pick up the pace a little, you can expedite table turnover by utilising tactics such as asking if they want the bill, or clearing their table.

This clears the way for the next party and boosts your bottom line.

Convenience

Convenience is key to consumers in today’s market, which is central to an online reservation system’s selling point – making things easy for both you and your customers.

Customer service

Customers don’t like being left in the dark, waiting and feeling ignored, so being able to keep on top of how long a party has been waiting for drinks or their main will help you keep them happy.

Reduce the workload

You’ll also free up manpower by removing the need for someone to spend their evening on the phone taking bookings and confirming appointments.

Staff are then able to focus their energy on customers who have already walked through the door, concentrating on seating, cooking, serving to ensure a smooth operation.

Reduce no-shows

Online systems make cancelling easy and effortless for diners. The captured data makes it simple for you to spot anyone who makes a habit of cancelling or no-showing, giving you option of refusing their bookings in future.

Do online reservation systems increase customer loyalty?

With a worldwide decline in brand loyalty due to increased variety and competition in the market, keeping hold of your customers has never been so vital. Reservation systems can increase customer loyalty by increasing their satisfaction with the dining experience from booking to paying.

By being easily accessible online (with 95% of smartphone users researching restaurants, having a mobile-friendly website is key) and offering deals to those with your app or who use your website, customers will have incentive to keep coming back to your site.

This encourages repeat bookings and therefore boosts customers' loyalty and affinity with your brand.

By making booking easy, reinforcing the brand digitally, and improving your levels of customer service, you’re sure to be in the customer’s mind next time they plan an evening out.

Avoiding No-Shows

Online booking systems are a great way to increase the amount of bookings you receive. With increased bookings comes the greater risk of no-shows, but fortunately a reservation can help to counteract this.

People booking and not turning up has been a problem for decades, but with less human interaction needed due to the online system, people will find it far easier to avoid letting you know plans have changed. No-shows will also increase simply as a by-product of your number of bookings going up.

A way to avoid this is to insist that parties pay a deposit when they book, which is non-refundable should they not turn up, or cancel without sufficient notice.

Educating diners on the impact of them failing to honour a booking is a wise move, as people outside the industry don’t understand the negative effect this has on your business.

Deposits can be taken online through your reservation system, or even full advanced payment if you offer a full pre-order service, to ensure you fill that table and secure the margin.

Show the human side to your business and inform customers about the losses you incur due to no-shows and late cancellations. Most people aren't aware of the repercussions of not turning up, so making diners aware will help ignite change.

You can consider enabling patrons to cancel a reservation through the online system, if it’s quick and easy then people are more likely to do it – both with booking and with cancelling.

Article: Our in-depth guide on How To Deal With No Shows offers more advice on this issue.

Utilising data

In May 2018, GDPR laws have placed stringent regulation on how businesses use customer data. Ensure you're fully compliant and only contact customers who have opted in to receiving marketing material from you.

You’ll be able to collect a lot of customer data, such as their name, email address, how often they book and what they order. Harvesting this data and putting it to use can greatly impact future bookings and customer satisfaction.

For example, you can contact your Valentine’s Day guests next year to invite them back. The same goes for Christmas parties, you can ensure a large portion of your floor space is filled long before the festive season by contacting those who have already joined you once.

Another great thing about customer data is it helps you get to know your customer better.

Does your monthly table of two like to order a glass of house red and a pint of San Miguel upon arrival? Offer them a complimentary one next time! Or simply recite that order when you seat them to make them feel noticed and valued. You'll also be able to keep track of any special dietary requirements.

Even if it’s not free, this is personable service that might turn the monthly diner into a fortnightly one!

TIP: Using customer data to see booking patterns can help you plan for busy periods. Sourcing the correct amount of ingredients and pencilling in the right amount of staff will ensure service runs smoothly.

Case Study

Industry writer Jackie Mitchell spoke with some of our customers about the impact online booking systems have made on their business.

Gerald Goodridge is the owner of The Swan, based in Felsted, Essex, and uses the ResDiary booking system. He said: "As the system is web-based, I can access bookings remotely. I don’t have to be in the bar to see the main diary. I can take a booking wherever I like. Many customers prefer human interaction so we still get phone bookings. The main benefit of the system is I can manage my bookings and see what’s going on either by computer, mobile or tablet. I pay a flat fee a month – this varies according to the establishment.

“With some systems, you have to pay £2 a cover per booking, so a party of four would cost me £8 already even before they come to the restaurant. You have to do your sums to see if it’s viable.”

Apart from bookings, Goodridge can use the system to track customers from the moment they arrive and this is linked to the kitchen so the chef can see what’s happening. The three waiting staff have an iPad which they use to take the orders and update the table at the click of a button.

"I can see which customer is waiting, who has their main course and so on,” he says.

“I don’t have to ask how table 25 is doing, I can see on the system – are they having dessert yet? Using ResDiary I can see if my staff are looking after the customers. Are they taking too long in clearing the tables and getting the new customers seated? My aim is to give customers ‘silver service’ and by using this system, I can make sure they’re receiving it.”

“With some systems, you have to pay £2 a cover per booking, so a party of four would cost me £8 already even before they come to the restaurant. You have to do your sums to see if it’s viable.” - Gerald Goodridge, The Swan, Felsted

Are They Right For You?

Clearly, there is a lot to be gained from investing in an online booking system. From increased bookings to effective table management, your business can become more efficient to run and in turn more profitable.

They're also a great tool for promotion.

Be mindful of keeping the personal touch. Amidst technological advancements, it's important to remember that ultimately people buy from people - so let reservation systems compliment your customer se rvice rather than replacing it.

Article: See our article on How Social Media Can Help Your Restaurant for more top tips on digital marketing for your business.