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.

Unique is as Unique Does

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

There’s something to be said for a product that can be multi-dimensional in its functionality. From kitchen utensils to power tools, more and more products are being designed to meet a variety of different needs in one convenient package.

At ReServe Interactive, our software is built on a flexible platform that allows it to meet a variety of unique needs across all types of venues. Here are a few examples of customers benefiting from our distinctive platform:

Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge- Lucky Strike’s front-of-house staff uses our Dining Reservations & Table Management software to book group bowling activities just like a restaurant would book dining reservations. Our Smart Reservation Technology™ and Graphical Floor Plan interface allow their staff to view space availability and book reservations by floor and lane-by-lane. ReServe also helps them gather customer preferences, contact information, purchase history, cancellations and no-shows.

Sega GameWorks USA- To effectively manage group event packages, which include food, beverage and game play options, GameWorks utilizes our software’s Set up & Service Wizard to populate Event Orders with pre-defined package descriptions. Once the Event Order is complete, detailed pricing, including taxes and gratuities, appears at the bottom of the contract. This is different than their previous system where the event order and invoice, each with different pricing, were printed and presented to the guest separately. GameWorks staff is now also able to view an itemized Event Order when needed to review food, beverage and game play costs.

Icon Estates/Robert Mondavi- Icon Estates, the fine wine business of Constellation Wines U.S., manages more than 13,000 tastings, tours and large-scale events each year at 13 company properties across the country. With a corporate goal to reduce costs and increase efficiencies, Icon wanted to centralize event management at five California properties, including some belonging to Constellation’s Centerra division, while improving guest experiences. To streamline processes, management centralized reservation and event operations, including winery tours, into one fully-integrated system using ReServe Anywhere®, the web-based version of our Event Management software.

Click on any of the links above to read each customer’s case study and learn more about how ReServe Interactive has met their unique operational needs.

Sega GameWorks USA – Another Success Story

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

As I mentioned in my last blog, we’ve been fortunate to partner with some of the industry’s most renowned hospitality venues and food and beverage professionals.

We just recently partnered with Sega GameWorks USA, a unique dining and entertainment venue that offers its guests food, fun and gaming entertainment, including interactive games, simulators, attractions, pool tables and darts, across seven locations throughout the United States.

In an effort to simplify event booking and improve operational efficiencies, GameWorks phased out their existing event management software and implemented ReServe Anywhere®, ReServe Interactive’s web-based Catering & Event Management solution to effectively manage large group, corporate and individual event packages.

ReServe Anywhere allows GameWorks to simplify the booking and execution of food, beverage and game play events on a site by site basis, manage operations on an enterprise level, as well as provide enhanced customer service to a wide variety of guests booking events.

Tracy Thornton, one of the company’s Directors of Sales said, “ReServe’s software is a user friendly, easy-to-use, intuitive system that makes sense for our unique business offering. And the fact that ReServe Interactive is still growing and has a well-recognized client base hasn’t taken away from their ability to offer personalized service.”

Click on the link below to learn more about our partnership with Sega GameWorks USA.

http://www.reserveinteractive.com/downloads/case-studies/Sega-Gameworks.pdf

A special thank you to Sega GameWorks USA for sharing their unique story with us. And thanks again to all of our customers for their ongoing partnership. We appreciate you and look forward to a working together for years to come.

Gaylord Entertainment – A Success Story

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to partner with some of the industry’s most renowned hospitality venues and food and beverage professionals. The list is long and the relationships we’ve cultivated are important to us on so many levels.

Just recently, we partnered with Gaylord Entertainment, a leading hospitality and entertainment company, that owns and operates Gaylord Hotels, the award-winning leader in the meeting and resort hotels industry and the Grand Ole Opry, the legendary music showcase in Nashville, Tennessee.

When the company’s existing dining reservation software provider was bought out, Gaylord Entertainment selected ReServe Anywhere®, our web-based Dining Reservation & Table Management software with ReServe It™, our web-based dining reservation interface, to manage reservations across all four properties and the dining rooms of 16 fine dining restaurants.

By working together, we created a solution that centralizes Gaylord’s dining reservation process, makes reservation and customer data accessible to individual restaurants, multiple call centers, and hotel concierge staff; as well as accepts reservations through the company’s website. In addition, their staff communicates more effectively within each location and continues to provide superior customer service.

Click on the link below to learn more about this partnership.

http://www.reserveinteractive.com/downloads/case-studies/Gaylord-Entertainment.pdf

A special thank you to Gaylord Entertainment for sharing their story with us. And another thank you to all of our customers for their ongoing partnership. We appreciate you and look forward to continuing business together.

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

Multi-Unit Management – The Power of ReServe

Thursday, October 7th, 2010

Multi-unit restaurants often struggle with managing operations across all of their sites. Some restaurants rely on the GMs to turn in accurate reports so that corporate management can analyze activity on an enterprise level. Other companies send district managers out to each location to gather information and some corporate offices wait patiently for Excel files to be e-mailed in.

The point being, in order for these customers to successfully manage operations, they need a solid handle on activity in each of their locations and an effective way to gather that information. That’s where ReServe comes in. From reservations to financial reporting, we’ve helped our multi-unit customers observe, gather, analyze and report on activity across 2 or 200 locations.

For example, McCormick & Schmick’s uses ReServe Anywhere®, our web-based Catering & Event Management software, to manage private dining events across more than 90 locations. Brunswick Entertainment Centers manages events at 14 locations, Wolfgang Puck Catering implements across 12 sites, Gaylord Entertainment manages 11 restaurants across four venues, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises uses ReServe Anywhere across 40 plus locations, and Palm Restaurant Group manages events for 27 restaurants.

Here’s what they accomplish with our software. They manage multiple event books from a headquarters or corporate location; reporting is centralized, so they can report on the enterprise, region or a specific location; and they improve communication between employees and across venues. And that’s just the beginning. They use our software to keep a finger on the pulse of their business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

So, when a multi-unit customer needs to keep track of all everything across all of their locations, the solution is simple – ReServe Anywhere.

Surviving or thriving?

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

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?

Does anyone really like change?

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

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?

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

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.

Inquiring minds want to know…

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Every day I take calls from prospective customers asking me questions about our software and the other services we offer. Lately, a lot of people want to know about ReServe Anywhere® and what makes a hosted solution different from a client server application like ReServe Desktop. Basically, it comes down to this – ReServe Desktop is installed via CD-Rom directly onto your existing PCs or network. ReServe Anywhere® is web-based and remotely accessed through a password-protected Internet connection. We host it on secure, centralized servers. ReServe Anywhere users can manage their business and access real-time company information from anywhere at any time.   Having a high speed internet connection is the only requirement.  We take care of upgrades, support, backups and a highly redundant environment. 

People also want to know what makes us different from other hospitality management software systems out there. Well, from a software standpoint, our products let users manage their operations on an enterprise level. We have customers with two units and customers with 200 units. No matter what their size, our software lets them centrally manage and report on activity across all of their locations. We’re also 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 or capture a reservation. It was developed from the users’ perspective rather than from a software company’s perspective.  We also use customer input to help us enhance our products’ functionality and benefits.

From a company standpoint, I’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 our software offers.

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

“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 from The Charcoal Group of Restaurants.