Q1.
How will I know if someone has made a booking?
Answer:
Every time a booking is made an email confirmation is produced and sent directly to the customer and a copy sent to the restaurant. You can also be notified by text to your mobile or fax.
Q2.
My staff don't use computers - will that cause a problem?
Answer:
No. restaurantdiary™ can be used by pretty much anyone - even those with little or no computer experience. In fact it will probably be far easier - and more intuitive - to use than a paper-based system by helping you allocate bookings and showing precisely what’s available and when.
In fact, one of the major benefits of restaurantdiary™is that it enables your staff to act like highly experienced restaurant managers by completely managing the bookings process for them. Unlike a real restaurant manager though it never gets stressed or tired!
Q3.
How will restaurantdiary™ make my restaurant run more profitably?
Answer:
restaurantdiary™ increases efficiency, occupancy and profitability. Using a flexible, rules based system restaurantdiary™ books out tables in a way that maximises the resources you have available - a simple example would be to only allocate parties of 2 to tables made for 2 on busy nights.
You can create endless parameters such as these so that restaurantdiary™ AUTOMATICALLY fulfils the job of a highly experienced restaurant manager whether your booking comes from the web, telephone to your most junior member of staff or as a walk-in during a busy service.
Put simply, it reduces the margin for error in your bookings process to virtually zero.
But restaurantdiary™ doesn't stop there - as a industry-leading CRM system it allows you to create a dynamic customer database that allows you to undertake sophisticated marketing to your customers based on preferences and booking history so you can improve customer loyalty, increase repeat visits and fill "off-peak" periods with bespoke events and promotions.
Q4.
How do I set up the system with my own information?
Answer:
The short answer is: we do it for you. For most restaurants we can take all their information (table details, covers, opening times etc) and have a system up and running for you in 24 hours.
Q5.
I use a third party system to provide my bookings - can you work with that?
Answer:
Another great feature of restaurantdiary™ is our ability to seamlessly integrate with 3rd party booking and marketing systems. For example, if you use systems like OpenTable as a marketing tool but want to use the power and flexibility of restaurantdiary™ to manage your bookings then no problem - we can extract booking data from any email and then place the booking directly, and automatically, into the diary! Sounds clever? Yes...we think so...
Q6.
How does restaurantdiary™ work with my existing website?
Answer:
restaurantdiary™ is unique in the way it plugs directly into an existing website. In minutes we can add your very own web-based booking system and allow you to instantly transform your website into a source of bookings.
That's great news for customers who can reserve their tables at their convenience and great news for you as you can now take real-time confirmed bookings on a self-service basis 24 hours a day!
Q7.
Do I need to have a website?
Answer:
No. Many of our customers don’t and are still reaping the rewards from restaurantdiary™ by using it as their booking manager. Of course, you can add web-based booking integration at any time.
Q8.
Can I accept credit card payments?
Answer:
Yes. We offer an optional extra - secure off site real time Credit Card Processing.
Our system has the ability to take deposits / payments in advance with full reporting with CNP transaction processing - this is included in the system, as specified above.
However, we recommend integration of secure real time (off site) credit card processing by www.protx.co.uk at a development cost ( inclusive of all group units) of £595 plus VAT - this is a "one off" charge to cover all and any new units and includes a day's training.
At present, our nominated supplier in this area is www.protx.co.uk (now owned by Sage). This system is used by Heathcotes and Fishworks and many other clients.
We have no particular allegiance or loyalty to Protx and could equally develop on line payments with Secpay or Worldpay.
How will I know if someone has made a booking?
Answer:
Every time a booking is made an email confirmation is produced and sent directly to the customer and a copy sent to the restaurant. You can also be notified by text to your mobile or fax.
Q2.
My staff don't use computers - will that cause a problem?
Answer:
No. restaurantdiary™ can be used by pretty much anyone - even those with little or no computer experience. In fact it will probably be far easier - and more intuitive - to use than a paper-based system by helping you allocate bookings and showing precisely what’s available and when.
In fact, one of the major benefits of restaurantdiary™is that it enables your staff to act like highly experienced restaurant managers by completely managing the bookings process for them. Unlike a real restaurant manager though it never gets stressed or tired!
Q3.
How will restaurantdiary™ make my restaurant run more profitably?
Answer:
restaurantdiary™ increases efficiency, occupancy and profitability. Using a flexible, rules based system restaurantdiary™ books out tables in a way that maximises the resources you have available - a simple example would be to only allocate parties of 2 to tables made for 2 on busy nights.
You can create endless parameters such as these so that restaurantdiary™ AUTOMATICALLY fulfils the job of a highly experienced restaurant manager whether your booking comes from the web, telephone to your most junior member of staff or as a walk-in during a busy service.
Put simply, it reduces the margin for error in your bookings process to virtually zero.
But restaurantdiary™ doesn't stop there - as a industry-leading CRM system it allows you to create a dynamic customer database that allows you to undertake sophisticated marketing to your customers based on preferences and booking history so you can improve customer loyalty, increase repeat visits and fill "off-peak" periods with bespoke events and promotions.
Q4.
How do I set up the system with my own information?
Answer:
The short answer is: we do it for you. For most restaurants we can take all their information (table details, covers, opening times etc) and have a system up and running for you in 24 hours.
Q5.
I use a third party system to provide my bookings - can you work with that?
Answer:
Another great feature of restaurantdiary™ is our ability to seamlessly integrate with 3rd party booking and marketing systems. For example, if you use systems like OpenTable as a marketing tool but want to use the power and flexibility of restaurantdiary™ to manage your bookings then no problem - we can extract booking data from any email and then place the booking directly, and automatically, into the diary! Sounds clever? Yes...we think so...
Q6.
How does restaurantdiary™ work with my existing website?
Answer:
restaurantdiary™ is unique in the way it plugs directly into an existing website. In minutes we can add your very own web-based booking system and allow you to instantly transform your website into a source of bookings.
That's great news for customers who can reserve their tables at their convenience and great news for you as you can now take real-time confirmed bookings on a self-service basis 24 hours a day!
Q7.
Do I need to have a website?
Answer:
No. Many of our customers don’t and are still reaping the rewards from restaurantdiary™ by using it as their booking manager. Of course, you can add web-based booking integration at any time.
Q8.
Can I accept credit card payments?
Answer:
Yes. We offer an optional extra - secure off site real time Credit Card Processing.
Our system has the ability to take deposits / payments in advance with full reporting with CNP transaction processing - this is included in the system, as specified above.
However, we recommend integration of secure real time (off site) credit card processing by www.protx.co.uk at a development cost ( inclusive of all group units) of £595 plus VAT - this is a "one off" charge to cover all and any new units and includes a day's training.
At present, our nominated supplier in this area is www.protx.co.uk (now owned by Sage). This system is used by Heathcotes and Fishworks and many other clients.
We have no particular allegiance or loyalty to Protx and could equally develop on line payments with Secpay or Worldpay.
