What’s the Difference?

Tuesday, June 18th, 2013

Every day we take calls from prospective customers asking questions about our dining reservations, table management, catering and event management software portfolio as well as the services we offer.  In many instances, people want to know what makes us different from other hospitality management software systems on the market today.

Well, in terms of the software itself, it is built on an intuitive platform, which means that the software is designed to do the thinking for our customers. It’s designed to follow the logic they would use to book an event, capture a reservation or run their dining room. It was developed from the users’ perspective rather than a software company’s perspective.  We also use customer input to help us enhance our products’ functionality and benefits so our customers get the right solution and the results they expect. We know that our products and services are only as good as the real improvements they make possible for our customers.

In terms of what makes our company different, we’d like to think that our customer service stands above the rest. We still believe in a handshake and a voice at the other end of the line. Our goal has always been to make our customers’ lives easier, so providing them with hands-on training and live support is just as important as the features of our software.

When people ask us what makes us different, we let our customers do the talking.

Reserve is going well, as usual. I am beginning to wonder how they ever got along without it! I will always bring Reserve wherever I go, as it makes my job so much easier.  - Royal Palm Banquets and Events

I love, love, love ReServe and am so happy to be using it again! The customer service is absolutely top notch. – Tra Vigne Ristorante

Fast, reliable, and trustworthy advice and service… Beautiful! – North Bowl Lounge and Lanes

How Far We’ve Come

Wednesday, May 29th, 2013

When the idea was sparked for our software, co-founder, Beth Goodell, was working for Wente Vineyards in Livermore, California, managing retail operations, including restaurant sales and marketing, catering services, visitor center and golf course events, as well as the vineyard’s concert series. With a desk overflowing with file folders and sticky notes, pads of paper and pink phone message slips, Beth was overwhelmed, to say the least, so she began researching different software products to help her automate processes.

At the time, most products available were costly and geared toward the hotel market, so it was hard to find a good fit. When she finally selected a product that she thought was one of the better solutions, she found it difficult to use and time consuming. After endless hours of struggle to make the software work, she ended up calling her sister, Lynn Carter, who was running her own consulting business in Wisconsin specializing in the design and development of effective user interfaces for high-tech products. Beth explained her frustration, knowing there had to be a better way.

Lynn flew out to California and together they analyzed the different facets of Beth’s job and the roles of the various departments responsible for managing on-site dining and events. Beth explained how she wanted things to work, what would make the most sense for the staff, and what elements of the day-to-day operations needed to be made more efficient. With Beth’s hospitality experience and Lynn’s technology experience, they began developing the earliest versions of ReServe Interactive software.

That was in 1994 and 1995. In 1996, they formally launched Efficient Frontiers, Inc. and began selling ReServe Interactive Catering, Event Management, Dining Reservations and Table Management software. Their first customer was Wente Vineyards.

It’s been more than 17 years since the launch, and so much has happened since. ReServe’s product offering has grown to include a table management solution for the iPad™, a web-based platform; mobile-friendly tools; more than 10 interfaces with industry-leading applications; and a customer base of more than 10,000 users across 14 hospitality markets. And it all started with a single phone call.

We’ve come so far and we’re not done yet.

Using New Technologies – Table Management for the iPad

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

The restaurant industry has seen an increase in the use of mobile technologies to manage everything from dining reservations to online ordering to guest payments. Mobile devices like the iPad® are becoming valuable business assets that are improving staff productivity, front of house efficiency and overall customer service. And now, you can use the iPad for robust table management.

The launch of Table iQ™, our Table Management Solution for the iPad, is just around the corner. With Table iQ, front-of-house staff benefit from our cutting-edge table management platform, and the ease of use and mobility of the iPad. The result is increased operational efficiency and enhanced customer service.

Taking advantage of the intuitive nature of the iPad, Table iQ responds the way you would expect an iPad application to respond, including scroll, swipe, pinch and zoom, and drag and drop functionalities. With Table iQ on the iPad, a hostess can welcome a guest, check them in, quote an accurate wait time, and pre-assign them to a table. When the guest’s table is ready, the hostess can page and seat them. Add to that, the ability to move throughout the establishment monitoring table status, interacting with guests, and communicating with wait staff, all with the information they need at their fingertips. Intuitive, engaging and powerful, Table iQ provides intelligent table management that automatically maximizes seating capacity and table turns while minimizing table idle time and improving customer service.

ReServe Interactive is in the business of helping our customers improve the way they do business. We know that new technologies will continue to appear on the horizon and we are excited to provide you with the tools you need to take advantage of what these new technologies have to offer.

iPad® is a trademark of Apple Inc.

We’ve gone social!

Monday, April 8th, 2013

Now you can keep in touch with us via social media. Check us out on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter! You’ll learn more about upcoming product releases, software tips and tricks, news and more.

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ReServeInteractive

Check in with us on Linked In at http://www.linkedin.com/company/reserve-interactive

Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ReserveInt

It’s a New Year and There’s Plenty to Share!

Monday, January 28th, 2013

We are happy to announce that 2013 is going to be an exciting year for ReServe Interactive and its customers. We have several new initiatives planned including some new product launches that will help change the way our customers do business. The industry is evolving and we are ready for the challenge. Keep an eye out for some new web-based and tablet applications, industry collaborations and major platform advancements.

Our first exciting initiative will be the second quarter launch of Table iQ™, a table management application for the iPad. Table iQ will offer customers the ability to add guests to a reservation waitlist, page and seat guests, monitor table status and so much more. Table iQ’s intuitive, state-of-the-art user interface will work as a standalone, as well as integrate with both the ReServe Interactive® Dining Reservation & Table Management software system and ReServe Q™ online reservation software. Watch for more information in the coming weeks!

We believe our software sets a standard for how technology should work for hospitality professionals. Their work is unique and their needs are varied. The initiatives we have planned for the year will provide our customers with the right solutions for their businesses and, most importantly, continue to provide the results they’ve come to expect from us. Here’s to an exciting and successful 2013!

Happy New Year!

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

The end of 2011 was an exciting time for us. We were busy launching ReServe Q™ online dining reservation software and gearing up for a busy New Year. We have quite a bit planned for 2012.

We will be expanding our technology platform through new and enhanced catering, event management, dining reservation and table management products, new systems and new platforms. We have hired new employees and built new partnerships. We are focused on enhancing the user experience with increasing product and support performance. And that’s just the beginning!

We have so much to do in 2012 and we look forward to sharing it all with you. Keep an eye out for upcoming posts, announcements and news throughout the year.

The Best of the Best

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

We’ve always prided ourselves on our ability to offer superior technical and product support to our customers. Our employees have proven over and over again that they are among the best of the best, and our customers say the same. From training to product support, development to sales, absolutely everyone in our organization is critical to our overall success and each and every person has gone above and beyond to make a difference.

“Lynn is very knowledgeable and understanding of the experiences we face with customers.  Once I started working with her I was completely put at ease about having made the right choice with the ReServe’s software.  She is an asset to your company!  Thank you Lynn!”

“Joe and Keith are 1st class employees. You should feel blessed to have them on your team. It is because of the type of service I receive from them that we continue using ReServe and recommending it to people. Another job well done!”

“Beth was very helpful. One question required some more info on her part, so she opted to call me back rather than have me hold. Very prompt in her return call. Super great customer service! Thanks!!!!”

“Leslie is the epitome of both great service and professionalism and I wanted to let you know that as long as she is representing your company I have no doubts that your business will continue to grow and grow.”

“Melanie is a rock star! She is incredibly responsive and an expert at her job. We can’t thank you enough for the great support!”

“Our trainer was very knowledgeable and really took the time to make sure we understood each step in the event life cycle. All our employees have given me positive feedback about their training session and about the capabilities of the ReServe software.”

“The representative I worked with was so helpful and kind. I so appreciated his ability to quickly resolve the issue so that I could get back to my work. I was working for a few hours at home on some things that HAD to be done right away. Thanks again!”

Intuitive revisited

Thursday, May 12th, 2011

I was watching TV the other night and heard the word ‘intuitive’ used in reference to a computer, a car and a healthcare system, all within a matter of 15 minutes. It’s a word that bubbles up more and more frequently. The companies in these commercials can more than likely back up their claims – their reputations are built on them. However, there are some companies that make the claim, but fall very short.

For example, other hospitality management software products on the market today offer to collect tons of information, as well as interfaces that look like other well-known software products, and tout their ease of use. Many of our customers have used these products in the past and have willingly shared their experiences with us. After listening to their evaluations, intuitive wasn’t a word they used to describe the products. Functional? Yes. Easy-to-use? Sometimes. But just because a product looks like Outlook, doesn’t necessarily make it easy to use.  More importantly, it doesn’t make it intuitive.

At ReServe Interactive, intuitive means that we understand our customers’ businesses inside and out, top to bottom, and with that knowledge we’ve created a smart software system that is designed to become an integral part of a company’s day-to-day processes. It means we’ve built our software on a proprietary platform that was developed by professionals with years of experience in the design and development of effective user interfaces for high-tech products in a variety of industries. These individuals have an instinctive knowledge of user-centered design processes and, partnered with people that have extensive hospitality experience, were able to design a product that incorporates human interface technologies with the specific, real world needs of the hospitality industry. Our software was created by people who have stood in the customer’s shoes. We know what our customers need because we know what we needed when we were standing at the hostess desk or taking calls in the sales office. Our software speaks their language, understands what they need moment by moment, and anticipates what they will need down the road.

We know that when we say intuitive, we mean it, and we can prove it.

The Gateway

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

Check out our latest press release:

ReServe Interactive Launches ReServe Gateway - Web Services Enabling Third-Party System Integration and Aggregated Data Analysis

ReServe Interactive, an industry leader in hospitality management solutions, has launched  ReServe Gateway™, a robust web services platform enabling enterprise customers to integrate and share operational and financial data stored in their ReServe Interactive software with third-party software applications to streamline operations, improve productivity and enhance guest services.

“Many of our customers require our software to share information with other systems that help them manage their business such as POS systems, CRM programs and financial applications,” explains Mike Edmeyer, Vice President of Sales for ReServe Interactive. “ReServe Gateway is a reliable, responsive and cost-effective engine that enables on-demand communication with any of these services and is seamless in even the most PCI compliant environments.”

ReServe Gateway supports ReServe’s entire software suite including Reservation Management functions such as the facilitation of checking dining availability, making and cancelling reservations, and reporting reservation activity; Table Management services including the checking of wait times, changing table status, recording dining preferences, and reporting turn rates; Event Management services that facilitate the reporting of event scheduling activity and financial details, and checking availability and booking events, as well as Contact Management services that facilitate account and contact detail management.

“Web services is a standard communication protocol used across a variety of industries which means it’s proven, efficient and effective. And it’s easy to integrate with any desktop or hosted application,” explains Lynn Carter, Chief Technology Officer. “It enables us to focus on our core competency, which is designing productivity software for restaurants and catering operations, and efficiently sharing important data that our systems accumulate with other business functions. ReServe Gateway transforms how our software is used within an organization, and we expect the resulting links between ReServe and other systems to expand rapidly, providing great value to our customers.”

On my honor…

Thursday, March 31st, 2011

When you make a commitment, you stick to it, right? We’d like to think that everyone follows that mantra, but the truth is, life gets in the way sometimes. Or, sometimes it’s as simple as completely forgetting about something you’ve committed to.

Take restaurant reservations, for example. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there that have made a reservation at a restaurant and then completely forgotten about it. Some people are even known to book a reservation at a couple of restaurants to ensure themselves a table, but then forget or decide not to call and cancel one of the reservations.  Sometimes it’s as simple as an inconsideration and the guest doesn’t think about the impact their no show will have on the restaurant.

To guarantee the maximum level of business in a given night, it’s important to take steps to make sure your guests honor their reservations.

Start with a “call-ahead” or “wait-list” system in addition to or instead of taking reservations. Guests can call twenty to thirty minutes ahead of their desired wait time and leave their name. Your reservationist can let the guest know the anticipated wait time.

If no shows are a recurring and troublesome problem, consider asking guests for a credit-card when making a reservation. Establish a deposit policy that lets guests know they will forfeit their deposit or be charged a fixed amount if they do not show up for their reservation. If you are not comfortable asking for a deposit on a regular basis, consider implementing the policy on holidays or other high-volume occasions. Remember, if you request a deposit on a reservation, make sure you seat guests as soon as they arrive so you honor the guest relationship and avoid losing future business.  Consider holding a table for 10 to fifteen minutes before declaring a guest a no-show. If a guest shows you the courtesy of calling to let you know they will be late, hold the table for 30 minutes to acknowledge their consideration.

If you are dealing with a VIP guests, waive their deposit fee or credit card charge to show them you appreciate their loyalty. Consider developing a frequent diner program to help you keep track of your VIP guests.

In addition, follow up with guests who lost their deposit or were charged on their credit card with a phone call or email restating the no show policy and informing them that they were charged because they violated the agreement.

Taking some of these steps can drastically reduce the number of no-shows that occur on any given night and guarantee that you maximize your entire table inventory.