Surviving or thriving?

Written on August 25, 2010 at 10:01 am, by Beth Goodell

Your Catering Sales Manager takes a new job and leaves the company with little notice. As her assistant, your feelings toward her departure are bittersweet. She’s happy about her new position, so you are happy for her, but you will miss her. Above all else, you realize that until a replacement is hired, you are left to do her work as well as your own. After a brief meeting prior to her exit and a lone assessment of the entire situation, which scenario most likely represents your situation?

• Her desk is loaded with file folders, stacks of paper and an avalanche of yellow and pink sticky notes. You know she manages a few things in a computerized spreadsheet, but you can’t seem to find it on her desktop. Her Rolodex, now ages old, is no longer in alphabetical order. This month’s events, a few names and the occasional phone number are scratched onto a dry erase calendar board next to her desk. You know what you need to do on your end because you’ve kept your own stack of file folders and a legal pad with a long to-do list, but now you need to consolidate her information with yours to make sure all the upcoming events are covered and nothing slips through the cracks. You’re overwhelmed and nervous – how will you organize everything and still keep things moving forward?

Or…

• You sit down at her computer and click on the ReServe Anywhere icon. After you log in - Ta-Da! Everything you need to know about this month’s events (as well as any events in the future) is right at your finger tips. You dive in and review the centralized event calendar complete with times and dates, all of your set up, service and labor requirements, menu and pricing information, and a detailed customer database complete with comprehensive contact information for all of your guests. You check the task list, review any follow up reminders and get started. Everything is in order. Every detail has been captured. Nothing is missed. ReServe prompts your next steps so you easily and efficiently keep things moving forward. Everything goes off without a hitch. Job well done!

Our hope is that the first scenario is more of an exaggeration rather than actual truth. However, we know that many catering professionals are dealing with the frustration of paper-based event management.  The second scenario represents where we would like everyone to be – calm, cool and in control.

So, what’s your situation? Are you surviving or thriving?

 

Survey Says….

Written on August 19, 2010 at 9:56 am, by Beth Goodell

After a technical support call is received and resolved by our Product and Technical Support Services Team, we send a survey to the customers requesting they rate the quality of the service they received on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being Excellent. This is done with every support call logged so that we can continually enhance our internal processes and offer the highest levels of customer service.

We’re happy to share that this past July, 98 percent of customers surveyed gave our support technicians a ranking of 5 when asked about their technical knowledge and helpfulness.

You see, here’s where we do things differently. Our Product and Technical Support Services Team is comprised of technical staff, trainers and data customization specialists. That means many of our customers have the added value of working with the same ReServe team members from the time of initial installation. Certain staff members specialize in specific software modules, and the entire Product and Technical Support Services Team has a keen understanding of the hospitality industry. In addition, through close interaction and ongoing partnership, team members become knowledgeable of the specific operational requirements of each individual customer. What results is a level of service that exceeds industry standards and provides our customers with a unique support experience that keeps them productive, efficient and profitable.

And our customers agree. Here are a couple of quotes from those surveyed in July.

“Always a pleasure working with representatives from Reserve. EXTREMELY helpful and kind (patient!). Thank you for the on-the -spot assistance to my impromptu phone call. You made my day easier.”

“ReServe Representatives have consistently been helpful EVERY time that I have called. I have always received an immediate response as well as a solution.”

Thank you to everyone who participates in our support surveys! As always, it’s a pleasure serving you!

 

Introducing…Jackie Zachman, Senior Systems Architect

Written on August 11, 2010 at 8:28 am, by Lynn Carter

We wouldn’t be able to offer our customers a superior product without the dedication and expertise of our Product Development Team. They are a specialized group of individuals with an unrivaled scope of knowledge in all areas of software development.

Jackie Zachman, our very first employee, has been with ReServe Interactive since 1996. Her commitment, passion and dedication to ReServe are as bright today as they were on her very first day. She is a brilliant software engineer that regularly designs creative and unique solutions that exceed the expectations of our diverse customer base.

As our Senior Systems Architect, Jackie has a strong commitment to quality and works diligently to make sure that the software she writes is reliable, but she also drives internal processes and procedures that all of our employees follow. These processes work together to continually raise the bar on our quality, reliability and uptime metrics.

Before she joined the ReServe family, Jackie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science in 1986 from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin. After graduating, she worked for GE Medical Systems for 10 years as a Software Engineer and Software Project Leader. After joining ReServe, she continued to do consulting for GE and several other companies for a couple of years prior to becoming a full-time ReServe employee in 1998.

Jackie’s sense of humor and friendly demeanor enhance the culture of our company. She is a wonderful example for other employees to follow, demonstrating integrity and an entrepreneurial work ethic that has helped to make ReServe the success it is today.

When she’s not busy at work, Jackie enjoys quilting, reading, volunteering for Little League, and watching her kids play in their various sporting activities.

 

When is simple better?

Written on August 4, 2010 at 11:46 am, by Lynn Carter

Easy. When it’s smarter.

Boasting technology that is easy to use can put certain suppliers in a vicarious position. Simplified software can be so diluted or ‘dumbed-down’, that it doesn’t meet the basic needs of the user. Besides touting simplicity, the software may have nothing of real value to offer. Just because it looks like other, more universally known, software products, or has an attractive screen display, or is a plug and play platform, doesn’t mean it’s a fully evolved product. While it may seem appealing to a user at first, they soon realize that with all of the ‘simple’ bells and whistles, functionality has been compromised and a comprehensive tool is nowhere to be found. On the flip side, what if simplicity is positioned as a dominant feature, but the software is so complicated to navigate that the user throws up their hands in frustration and heads back to their pile of file folders or a tattered reservation book?

In our case, the software we design is complex on the development side and user-friendly on the front end. Our development processes are lengthy and detailed. We critically study the work environment of users so that we completely understand the process flow of information and the unique demands of their environment. We gather user input at various stages in the development process to make sure that we’re addressing the subtle details that make all the difference between a usable finished product versus one that becomes simply another obstacle in the way of completing required tasks. This iterative, user-centered design approach results in a product that is truly assistive – easy to navigate, rich with valuable functionality, easily integrated into the normal process flow of the work environment – and simply smarter than the rest.

Our software simplifies user practices without watering down functionality. Our platform is intuitive so that the software does what users need it to do and want it to do, all while prompting them through their own internal, operationally specific processes. The software speaks the user’s language, utilizes their unique business parameters, as well as incorporates industry knowledge and assumptions to help anticipate next steps.

We’ve been known to say that our software is simple to use. We’re not going to deny that. The difference is that we’ve taken simple to the next level and made is smart. We would never assume that the industry is only drawn to pretty screen displays or try to fool them by saying we’re as easy to use as other software products just because we have similar layout. The industry’s needs are diverse and layered with complexity and our job is to make the user’s job easier. Because our software is smart, we become that extra pair of hands, that second set of eyes, that extra reservationist or that catering sales assistant. There’s real value there. We know that. Our customers know that.

That’s how simple really becomes better.

 

Do you want to be everything to everyone?

Written on July 29, 2010 at 12:06 pm, by Beth Goodell

The hospitality industry is so unique. It is highly segmented, thematically diverse and powerfully resilient. On top of all of those things, its needs are vast, from food and beverage to operational needs, financing to marketing resources, and equipment to technology requirements. Suppliers, with a passion for the industry, sometimes find themselves wanting to fill as many needs for their hospitality customers as possible.

The problem is, when you try to be everything to everyone, you lose sight of who you are. And so do your customers. Not only do you lose your competitive edge, but you run the risk of becoming forgettable.

The pool of hospitality suppliers is large and our offerings cross over a myriad of operational needs. With so many choices, hospitality professionals are often at a loss with where to start. It’s our responsibility to make our offerings crystal clear so our customers have the right information to make the best possible choices. By muddling features and benefits or using deceptive language, it’s impossible to stand out and be seen as a viable, long-term solution.

Many successful hospitality professionals have figured this out long ago and can serve as a great example. They are the ones that have thrived through a struggling economy, and quietly boast a solid, targeted and growing customer base. They have honed in on what makes them unique and have built a reputation on that uniqueness that is accompanied by industry accolades and customer ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’. Some examples – Wolfgang Puck Catering, McCormick & Schmick’s and Gaylord Entertainment. They are the masters of their brands and have earned their success by decidedly not trying to be everything to everyone.

While we offer several hospitality management software solutions to our customers, our message is clear and so is the ReServe Interactive offering. We would rather be something incredible to someone than run the risk of being overlooked because we tried to be everything to everyone.

 

Does anyone really like change?

Written on July 22, 2010 at 5:12 pm, by Beth Goodell

There’s a saying that goes ‘The only thing constant in life is change’. Very true. And, in some cases, very hard to accept. When people are used to doing things a certain way, it can be difficult to change their course of action. People get caught up in what they have to give up and what has made them comfortable, versus what they may gain in the long run. You may find that some are eagerly willing to make the change, while some people dig in with their heels and fight you every step of the way.

Technology is often a trigger for significant change and therefore, a potential trigger for resistance. Whether you’re implementing software to take the place of manual processes or replacing one system with another, it’s important to remember that the reaction to that change will vary across your organization. To ease the pain, consider choosing a provider that will take the time to provide adequate training to your staff, as well as remain accessible throughout the implementation process, so concerns can be addressed and minds can be set at ease.  Take a moment to zero in on employees who are eagerly embracing the change and have them assist you in training others. Let their enthusiasm become contagious.

Our new customers are often surprised at how easy our software is to implement, train on and use. It is technology after all.  But our users, regardless of any resistance, or enthusiasm for that matter, are typically up and running, using the software to book actual events or dining reservations within a few hours of training. We work closely with them and provide all of the tools they need to ease any discomfort they may have with making the change.

Paul Pace from Treasure Island Hotel & Casino is a great example of an individual embracing change. When his company’s legacy dining reservation software system was phased out and ReServe Anywhere® was implemented, he said, “I came on board after implementation, and because the system is so user friendly and easy to use, I logged in and taught myself how to use it. I was able to take single and group reservations, make changes to floor plans and update menus within a couple of days.”

Change is inevitable, yes. But resistance to it doesn’t have to be.

 

Have recent economic conditions made you stronger?

Written on July 15, 2010 at 10:43 am, by Mike Edmeyer

Reports vary across the industry – some hospitality segments have continued to show steady growth, some have struggled and are eager for a comeback, while others have remained stable.

Where did your organization fall over the last couple of years?  What changes have you made to position yourself for growth as economic conditions improve? 

Many industry segments have taken this challenging time as an opportunity to improve operations, develop management and build relationships with industry partners. They have focused on improving existing processes and finding ways to save money without sacrificing service and quality. Many have decided to invest in technology solutions developed to help them streamline operations and enhance efficiencies.

We’ve found that more of our newer customers are choosing ReServe Anywhere®, our web-based Dining Reservation, Table Management, Catering and Event Management solutions, because they offer all of the functionality and efficiency-creating features of our traditional client/server software without the costs associated with purchasing extra hardware and investing in additional on-property IT resources. All they need is a high speed internet connection and they can connect to their business from anywhere, at anytime. This allows them to take advantage of tools that help them make great strides in improving productivity, streamlining operations, and enhancing customer service, all while positioning themselves strongly in today’s competitive landscape.

When considered smartly, technology can be an ally in the fight for growth in this touchy economic environment.  Let the solutions you choose give you the added strength you need to thrive.

 

Customer service skills matter just as much, if not more, than computer skills

Written on July 7, 2010 at 8:34 am, by Maureen Remmel

Technology is everywhere – The Ipad and Smart Phones, Twitter, Facebook, Cloud Computing, Software-as-a-Service, new versions of this, expanded versions of that. It’s overwhelming – and very exciting.

Technology has proven to be a valuable resource to the hospitality industry.  Customer facing technologies like kiosks and online reservation systems, as well as front-of-house software applications are helping venues better manage their businesses from the hostess desk to the floor to the kitchen. Businesses using the right technologies the right way are seeing efficiencies, productivity and revenues at levels they haven’t seen before.

One study from the Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University called Customer Preferences for Restaurant Technology Innovations highlights the impact customer facing technologies like kiosks, pager systems and online reservation systems can have on customers, as well as restaurateurs. http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/reports/2009.html.

Here’s a twist – technology, if implemented without thorough examination or simply used incorrectly, can hinder a business’s ability to grow and properly service customers. More time spent troubleshooting software or staff relying too heavily on the tool rather than spending face time with customers can be a detriment that compromises the integrity of your business.

Regardless of the latest technology tools and trends, it’s important to look at your selection from a customer service standpoint. Tools that detract from customer care will hurt you in the long run. Tools designed to help you service your customers and treat them like VIPs is a worthwhile and smart investment for the long term.

And it’s also important to remember that your customers don’t always know, or necessarily care, what technology tools you’re using. Ultimately, they care if the food is good, the price is right and the service is spot on.

 

Online dining reservations – designed with restaurants in mind

Written on June 23, 2010 at 12:40 pm, by Mike Edmeyer

Well, the buzz is certainly intense lately regarding online dining reservation software. There was an article in the Wall Street Journal on May 20 comparing several products including OpenTable, UrbanSpoon and ReservationGenie. The article highlighted restaurateur frustration with excessive fees and the limited availability of cost effective options. I guess I’d be remiss if I didn’t throw our hat in the ring.

ReServeIT from ReServe Interactive allows restaurant guests to book their reservations through a restaurant’s website 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  The difference between us and some of the other applications on the market is that we do not charge a ‘per seat’ or ‘per head’ transaction fee, require excessive set up costs or hit restaurateurs with miscellaneous nickel and dime charges. We offer a solution that puts guests in your dining room and revenue in your pocket.

Also, other systems use simple ‘slot’ technology to book reservations – like a glorified spreadsheet. The user has to make a best guess as to how many online reservations to set aside on a given evening.  What happens when that estimate is off and the online reservation system tells a customer that the dining room is full, even when it’s not? How do you explain it to customers who become frustrated enough to call or stop in only to find that there are actually several seats available? 

ReServeIT utilizes your actual table inventory to determine whether space is available to make a reservation. That means you have accurate, real-time management of your online reservation “pool”.  ReServe will always manage available reservations based on the parameters you define and what is happening in your restaurant in real time. Plus, if a customer’s requested reservation time is not available, you decide where to refer them.  You don’t have to worry about having your potential customers getting sent to your competitor.

Here are some other things to know about ReServeIT:

• You can manage reservations across multiple restaurants within a single database.
• You own your reservation and customer data and won’t get charged to use it to market more effectively.
• Your website and ReServeIT seamlessly integrate so you can customize your links and landing page to present a branded, serviced-oriented image to your guests throughout the reservation process.
• You can use customized short links for social media applications and online dining guides.
• You can add the customized links anywhere you want to accept dining reservations and send branded and personalized reservation confirmations to your guests.

So, to all of you out there that are frustrated with the cost of your current system, know that there are other, more affordable, options available that were designed with your success in mind.

 

Introducing…. Keith Ewell, Strategic Account Manager

Written on June 16, 2010 at 8:20 am, by Mike Edmeyer

Keith joined ReServe Interactive in August of 2005 as an Account Executive, and is currently in the position of Strategic Account Manager, which he admits is a pretty fancy title for a sales guy!  Keith was drawn to ReServe because his position allowed him to couple his five years of experience in the restaurant industry with his 17 years of consultative sales experience, helping hospitality professionals understand and choose effective technology solutions to solve operational issues and take their businesses to the next level. By his own admission, Keith LOVES his job!

Keith grew up in Vacaville, California and began his love of the hospitality industry at the Nut Tree, a landmark restaurant group.  Corporate giant, Chevron, soon lured Keith to San Francisco with the promise of higher income, benefits and “normal” hours.  Ten years later, Keith tired of being “normal” and returned to his one true love, hospitality, joining Paragon, which operated three restaurant concepts nationwide.  At Paragon, Keith was part of a team that travelled to under-performing stores and implemented new service standards and menu concepts, optimized systems and successfully moved the bottom 30 percent into the top 25 percent across the brand.

From there, Keith began his sales career where he found he enjoyed helping people navigate the labyrinth of technology solutions, and seeing their eyes light up when they realized how much easier their lives could be.

When he’s not busy doing demos and servicing clients, Keith enjoys playing golf, collecting fine wine, reading and playing more golf!

“It was a pleasure to work with Keith; he provided the needed info clearly and concisely and was more than willing to provide the referrals necessary to insure our continued partnership for the next year, overcoming a proposed change to the competition. Keith should be considered a valued asset to your operation.” Rita Norman, Holiday Inn Hotel – Odessa