With more and more guests using their smartphones, location apps, review websites, and social media to find a good bar or restaurant, reservation systems are a huge opportunity to boost sales and offer table bookings at the touch of a button.  

Lee Tennant from Access Hospitality shares how to find the right reservation system for your venue to help manage guest flow while maximizing table covers and revenue.

As part of the customer journey, venues also use the online booking space for upselling and communicating upcoming events and promotions. 

Every business is different, and every provider offers a different set of features, so when it comes to implementing an online booking system it’s important that you do your research and find one that’s the best fit for your business. 

1. Make a list of all the features you need – Think through what you want from a booking system, for example, customizing the platform with your branding, external calendar sync, reporting, ability to upsell with packages and promotions, etc. 
2. Compare the different providers – Evaluate the price, and customer support and read reviews from other users.  
3. Sign up for a trial – Get a feel for what the booking system can offer and how easily your team can use it. If you're deciding between two solutions, this is an excellent way to make an informed decision. 
4. Train the team– Once you've chosen the right booking system that works for your business, schedule time and train relevant staff to use it.  

Top Tip: Make sure all staff are fully trained in how to use the online system. No matter how perfect it is, if your staff aren’t trained properly, it will only create issues rather than income.

A booking system will help you tackle people not turning up for their reservations and make sure you're not losing revenue. It will help you to:  

• Email or text guests as soon as they have made their reservations to confirm the details.  
• Issue automatic reminders to guests on the day of their booking. These could include details about specials, deals, or events as further incentive to show up.    
• Provide the option to cancel the booking and free up the table if they no longer require it. 

Top Tip: If no-shows continue to be a challenge, consider taking a deposit or pre-payment when a customer makes their reservation. 

An online booking system does more than manage reservations; the enhanced features support staff so they can provide an elevated service to your customers. 

How to stay connected with your guests online: 

• Birthday, anniversary, or special occasion – Offer guests a voucher to encourage them to celebrate special events at your venue. 
• New menu launch – Let your guests be one of the first to know about a new menu and offer a discount for them to come in and try. 
• Promote specials – Make guests aware of any new or limited-time offers. 
• Ask for feedback – Follow up after a booking with a survey to learn more about their experience and get feedback. 
• Reward loyalty – Offer a discount or special offer to guests who have made a certain number of bookings. 
• Send notifications – If bookings become available, you can update regulars to inform them so they don't miss out. 
• Offer preferred seating – If the guest routinely requests a specific seating area in the restaurant or bar, identify the pattern and pre-empt their preference for their next visit. 
• Make informed recommendations – You can make recommendations based on past purchase behavior, for example, if a guest previously ordered a specific drink, bottle of wine, or snack.

These touches remind customers that your business values their custom, which would not be possible – or would be an arduous task - for restaurants using a paper diary for reservations.

• Implementing a reservation system will boost inquiries and sales. 
• Giving customers the option of booking online will ensure you never miss a booking. 
• Use communication options that the reservation system provides to diminish the number of no-shows. 
• Manage capacity using your online booking system by planning your table layout virtually. 
• CRM features will help your business stay connected with guests and build loyalty. 
   

Reservation systems are integral to the smooth running of a venue. They can help manage guest flow while maximizing table covers and revenue and perhaps most importantly, save time which you can use to deliver excellent service to your customers.