The Success of Private Dining

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

We have a long list of restaurant customers who offer private dining space to their patrons. These restaurants have found a way to take full advantage of the unique opportunity private dining brings to expand their customer base and boost their bottom line.  

For example, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants, Inc., one of the country’s leading seafood restaurants, offers on-site private and semi-private dining space across more than 90 locations. To support the company’s newly implemented National Accounts Program and accommodate its growing on-site catering and event management needs, McCormick & Schmick’s selected ReServe Anywhere®, our  web-based Catering & Event Management software.

ReServe Anywhere provides McCormick & Schmick’s national and on-site event sales staff with 24-hour access to real-time event and customer information in a centralized database, as well as streamlined local and global reporting tools.

“With ReServe, we have successfully launched our National Accounts Program, an initiative that was critical to growing our business,” explains Becky Dielschneider, National Director of Catering. “Now we have the productivity tools in place to streamline local and national event processes and maximize our banquet and private dining dollars.”

In addition to what the software has allowed them to do, they’ve mastered the art of exceptional customer service. While our products do things like help them manage their group reservations and repeat customers; control their seating inventory; or coordinate and manage labor resources, they restaurants have carefully selected customer-oriented employees that know exactly how to create unique dining experiences that include the perfect combination of service and personal attention.

While we provide an efficient way for them to manage operations, gather valuable customer data and market to their customer base, McCormick & Schmick’s has figured out how to combine the comprehensive functionality of our software with their superior customer service offering to build a profitable and growing private dining business.

To learn more about the ReServe Interactive and McCormick & Schmick’s partnership, click here.

What our customers are saying…

Friday, January 14th, 2011

“ReServe is by far the BEST reservation/table management software I have ever used. I’ve used many different programs and nothing compares! ReServe can basically run the restaurant for me. I would gladly recommend ReServe to others.”  Rick Roberts, The Melting Pot Tucson

“I have been working on Reserve for 13 years. So with new staff coming on board I set them up with the training and decided to see what was new. It was great for me to learn all the new things that have been added in our updates but never really utilized. My staff really learned a lot and April was a great trainer! Thanks and look forward to the webinars.” Janelle Lembeck, Diablo Country Club

“Our experience thus far with ReServe, as far as timely support and response, has been nothing short of exemplary, right from sales through to planning and IT.  Thank you from our team for making this implementation so painless!” Christie Penner, The Charcoal Group of Restaurants

“We’re in the process of fully integrating the program, and our sales staff has been using the software for about 2 weeks & they’re loving it! I’m so happy to have ReServe, and am looking forward to increasing our revenue in the New Year!” Lily Watson, Sterling Affairs Catering

“As a former Delphi user, I find ReServe to be much easier to use, and I especially like the way the customer contact system works.” Sulema Kiekintveld, Wild Fire Grille

These are just a few of our favorite things…

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

1. Happy Customers – nothing makes us happier than a satisfied customer. It’s what makes us tick and drives us to constantly enhance our product and service offering. Making our customers’ lives easier and putting a smile on their faces is our goal and when it’s met, we couldn’t be more pleased.
2. A Brilliant Staff – we couldn’t do what we do without a committed and talented staff that consists of some of the industry’s brightest stars. They come to work every day ready to dive in and give all they have to our mission and our customers. They are the driving force behind our success.
3. A Resilient Industry – we couldn’t be more proud to be a part of such an amazing industry. When dealt hard blows, it comes back fighting. When told it can’t be done, it turns around and proves the naysayers wrong. The hospitality industry is full of creative, forward-thinking entrepreneurs with a passion for pleasing others and we’re honored every day to be considered a partner to them.
4. Smart Software – we decided long ago that if we weren’t going to do it right, we weren’t going to do it all. We didn’t want to just create a product, we wanted to create an experience that allowed our customers to receive the full benefit of our technology expertise and industry experience while allowing them to quickly and easily improve business productivity and increase profitability.

Do you do the resolution thing?

Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

Did you know that 3 out of 4 people eventually break their New Year’s resolutions?  Are their goals too lofty? Are their resolutions too challenging?

There are several ways to help people make their resolutions stick. Some make their resolutions public, so they can be held accountable by more than just themselves. Some write them in journals and keep track of their progress throughout the year.

Whatever your plans to help you stick to your resolutions, remember personal resolutions are just that, personal. But what about your business resolutions? Do you plan on doing some things different in 2011? There are plenty of ideas out there like developing and growing a private dining business or reducing labor costs. How about investing in technology to improve your efficiency and support your growth? What about enhancing customer service across your organization?

We’re going to make some of our 2011 resolutions public. First, we’re going to continue to listen to our customers so that we can further develop our software to meet their unique business needs. Second, we’re going to keep a watchful eye on the industry so that we can continue to be relevant to our strategic partners and prospective customers. Third, we’re going to remember that our customers are the foundation of our success and make sure to frequently remind them of how much we appreciate their partnership. And finally, we’re going to bring new technologies to the table that will serve the restaurant industry in such a way that they can maximize their operations and increase their profitability.

We wish you luck with your New Year’s resolutions and hope that you can stick with them throughout 2011. In the meantime, we’re going kick off the New Year with some special wishes for you. We wish for your personal and professional success. We wish for you to take time to celebrate your family and friends.  We wish for you to be able to look back on this past year with wise eyes, and the determination to make 2011 better. Most of all, we wish you much joy and laughter in the upcoming year and for many years to come.

Why ReServe Interactive?

Wednesday, December 15th, 2010

Here are some simple reasons why:

• Our systems help organizations maximize the use and value of their hospitality assets by eliminating process and resource inefficiencies, and  making it effortless to implement best-practice work flows across organizations
• Our products automatically centralize information in order to give organizations real-time decision-making ability and long-term business visibility
• Unwieldy tools burden your team and leave business on the table–we provide a natural, optimal work flow that enhances efficiency and effectiveness
• Our products accelerate your own and your team’s work by anticipating next steps and automating labor-intensive tasks
• Our systems capture and update information effortlessly to enhance visibility, teamwork and communication from beginning to end
• Our intelligent solutions automatically optimize space to make it effortless for you and your staff to maximize table turns and manage events
• Our intuitive systems are easy to use, easy to train on, and make it easy for you to implement and enforce correct policies and procedures
• Our products integrate the reservation, dining and event information that helps you serve customers better before, during and after their visits
• Our systems make catering, event, reservation and table management effortless for users by automating labor-intensive tasks and anticipating natural next steps
• Our systems centralize, protect and provide secure access to the information that organizations need to make hospitality operations more productive and more profitable
• Our systems are built on industry-standard platforms, and interface with leading business, hospitality and event IT tools

Finally, we are seasoned experts who have been helping organizations optimize their hospitality operations for more than a decade.

The Contract Management Connection

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010

We have several contract management companies as customers that manage food and beverage functions at stadiums, arenas, convention centers, cultural institutions and academic facilities. And the dynamics between some of these organizations is unique.

For example, when the Georgia Aquarium, the world’s largest fresh and marine water aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia, opened its doors to the public in November of 2005, event staff was prepared to execute approximately 200 events through the end of 2006. But demand for the venue was high and more than 750 events took place. Before the aquarium opened, management’s goal was to streamline the booking process in order to maximize the facility’s expansive event space, which includes a configurable 16,000 square foot ballroom, pre-function space and building-wide accommodations, in order to execute as many events as possible while still remaining efficient and profitable.

To achieve this goal, Will Ramsey, director of group sales for the Georgia Aquarium, together with Wolfgang Puck Catering, a subsidiary of Compass Group North America, provider of the facility’s special event catering services, implemented ReServe Interactive’s Catering and Event Management software.

Ramsey and Wolfgang Puck’s catering director worked directly with ReServe to tailor the software to the aquarium’s unique event management needs. The software is shared between Georgia Aquarium staff, which handles back-of-house event operations, and Wolfgang Puck Catering event staff, which manages front-of-house activities, to ensure real-time event information is accessible to everyone from first customer contact through event follow up.

For more information, click here.

Our software has allowed contract management companies to partner with their customers to efficiently manage hospitality operations, as well as reap the benefits of a flexible solution that allows them to share data, manage labor, and provide superior customer service.

Here’s what our customers are saying…

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

Our customers always say it best. Whether it is software, support or just plain kudos for a job well done, our customers are always willing to share their positive experiences. Without them, there would be no us – so thank you to all of our customers for sharing your thoughts and insight. We appreciate you and your partnership.

“I LOVE the software! I’m not very savvy when it comes to computers, but ReServe is so easy to use! It keeps me very organized, and the time I save allows me to focus on bringing in new business and making sure that our events happen flawlessly.” – Maritza Stabile, Mistral Restaurant & Bar

“Your Tech Support is exemplary!  Always courteous, always informative and always very polite. Thank you!” – Euca Burrows White, Desert Willow Golf Resort

 ”Through customizing the software to installation and training the Reserve team was on property supporting the process from start to finish. This has been one of the most efficient business implementations I have experienced.” – Monica Dorsey, Treasure Island Hotel & Casino

 ”ReServe’s software is a user friendly, easy-to-use, intuitive system that makes sense for our unique business offering.” – Tracy Thornton, Sega GameWorks USA

 ”We found ourselves in need of a new tool that offered flexibility, control and a high level of service and support. Our business model is unique and ReServe not only offered a complimentary and appealing web-based model, they provided all of the benefits of having an in-house solution without the overhead.” – Steve Bentley, Systems Analyst for Gaylord Entertainment

Customer Service beyond the Software…

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Our software is designed to help our customers provide the highest levels of service by giving them the tools to collect valuable guest preferences and dining histories. Our customers can greet their guests by name, seat them at their preferred table, present them with their favorite bottle of wine and wish them heartfelt congratulations on their wedding anniversary. Why? Those details are captured in the software and made accessible to the host and wait staff.

But, it’s up to the staff to continue on past those details and carry customer service throughout the entire dining experience so that guests keep coming back for more.

Consider some of the following tips to carry out your high levels of customer service:

Customer Service Training – from the hostess stand to the kitchen, make sure everyone has been trained on your company’s customer service guidelines. If you don’t have set guidelines, consider putting some in place and then conduct orientation meetings to get everyone on the same page. Just one unsavory interaction with any member of your staff can impact a guest’s experience and send them straight for the door.

The Customer is Always Right – when a guest complains, take it seriously. It’s an opportunity to make improvements and show your guests you care. If refunding the cost of a meal results in a satisfied, and more importantly, a return guest, then it’s worth it. Better to have a guest share how you positively dealt with his complaint rather than have him share a failure on your part.  Negative word-of-mouth advertising is very hard to repair.

Do More Than Just Your Job – find ways to go above and beyond in servicing your guests. Pull out a chair, comp an appetizer, top off their wine. Doing that little something extra can change a guest’s perspective and turn them into one of your biggest cheerleaders.

Be Enthusiastic – nothing puts a damper on a guest experience than service with a scowl. Whether you’ve been on your feet all day or you’ve been dealing with a long line of crabby clientele, giving your guests a genuine smile shows them that you care about them and their dining experience. And, we all know, smiles are contagious so you’re sure to get a smile in return.

Survey Says….

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

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!

Do you want to be everything to everyone?

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

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.