Simple Time Management

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

Ever find yourself literally spinning in circles trying to figure out what to do next? The list of Things To Do has become so long that it almost seems impossible to get through. There are only 24 hours in a day and with 8 hours or so dedicated (hopefully) to sleep, the rest of your time is valuable and spinning in circles gets you nowhere. Managing your time is critical – not only to achieving your goals, but to building your business and maintaining your sanity.

Where to start? Well, whether you manage your task list in a software system or on a legal pad, it’s important to follow a couple of key rules.

1. Set priorities – Must Do, Could Do, TBD. Start with items that need to be done by you and done that day. Could do’s are items that can be tackled once the Must Do’s are complete. TBD are items that are To Be Delegated to someone else.
2. Complete your daily tasks first – these are the Must Do’s mentioned above. Focus and complete these first as they are required to meet your job requirements.
3. Eliminate distractions – distractions vary – phone calls, e-mails, unscheduled meetings, Facebook/Twitter/Browsing (yes, we all have been guilty of this at one point). Set aside specific time throughout the day to accomplish or tackle these items. Check e-mail when you get to work, over lunch or a break, and at the end of the day, put non-critical phone calls into voicemail and schedule a time to return them, accept meetings during certain hours and try to stick to it. Keep social media and Internet browsing to your off hours or breaks.

Now, these steps can easily be achieved in ideal circumstances. But, we know there will be days that you are thrown off course. Remember, tomorrow is a new day and a new opportunity to institute more effective time management skills.

We’re all about efficiency and time savings here at ReServe Interactive and we know that every minute counts for our customers. Hopefully the steps above are a helpful tool for you become more efficient.

Our 15th Year

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

It’s almost hard to believe that we are in our 15^th year of business. So much has changed since we introduced ourselves to the industry in 1996.  What started as an idea to help ourselves has become a force within the hospitality industry. We are literally changing the way our customers are doing business.

Since 1996, our catering, event management, dining reservation and table management product offering has grown to include a web-based solution; we interface with more than 10 industry-leading applications; and we service more than 8,000 users.

And now, in our 15^th year of business, we’re going to take our offering even further by introducing several new features and products including easily implemented web services designed for sharing data between different applications. We are also developing a system designed for publishing restaurant wait times on reader boards throughout a hotel property, as well as features for sharing customer data with a centralized CRM database. Most importantly, we will soon launch a dining reservation focused mobile platform to support iPhone, Android and Blackberry devices.

As time has gone on, we’ve continued to progress and remain a valuable tool for our customers. We’ve helped our customers increase efficiency, enhance productivity and boost revenue. Our platform remains current, ensuring users are able to use the most updated technology solutions to manage their businesses.

This year is a milestone in many respects and we are so grateful for the many customers, industry partners and loyal employees that have brought us to this day. We look forward to making 2011 an unforgettable year.

What’s ahead for 2011?

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

Here at ReServe Interactive, we’re very excited about the year ahead.  We’re directing our efforts toward the ever changing needs of our customers and the hospitality industry as a whole.  We’re focusing on web services, data integration and state-of-the-art technology advancements that not only benefit our customers’ productivity, but increase their profitability.

Keep your eye on our blog and watch for industry buzz on our latest catering, event management, dining reservation and table management product enhancements and offerings. In addition, you’ll learn more about some of our customers and the ways we’re making a difference in the way they do business, as well as select industry partnerships.

At ReServe Interactive, we embrace change and live for technological advancements. Especially when they enhance the way we serve our customers and the way our customers do business.

By the way, the first half of 2011 will bring the much anticipated launch of a new product designed for the restaurant industry. We’ll be sharing some more information soon, so keep tuning in.   

Here’s to a new year!

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

10 ways to work smarter with ReServe Interactive software

Friday, December 10th, 2010

The benefits of ReServe Interactive’s Catering & Event Management and Dining Reservation & Table Management software make for a long list. Below are just 10 benefits that enable hospitality professionals to work faster and smarter – improving their efficiency and increasing profitability.

With ReServe Interactive software, you can:

1. Build consistent business practices, improve communication and reporting accuracy
2. Enhance efficiency and effectiveness by bringing natural order to on- and off-premise operations while supporting best practice processes
3. Interface with leading business, hospitality and event technology tools to provide superior functionality and control
4. Ensure accuracy in the planning and execution of events on-site, off-premise or across multiple properties
5. Control the reservation process, eliminating costly errors and increasing profitability
6. Optimize your use of table inventory and track customer seating and dining preferences
7. Quickly and easily enable your staff to offer superior, personalized service while maximizing dining covers
8. Maximize table turns and seating inventory to increase profitability
9. Effectively manage server requirements and covers while enhancing customer service
10. Optimize server performance

What are you waiting for? Isn’t it time you worked smarter?

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.

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.

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.

Online dining reservations – designed with restaurants in mind

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

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

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

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