Most of your customers want to book a restaurant online and 60% will make a reservation on a Smartphone app. With this in mind, it is no wonder that many restaurants have embrace reservation technology. It makes sense to make it easier for your customers to make a reservation with you. But as most restaurant owners will tell you online reservations can sometimes lead to an increase in no shows which is not good for business.
But as it is with every tech problem, this one has a solution. Restaurant owners can easily tokenize a credit or debit card during booking to significantly reduce the number of no shows or walk outs. But this is not the only way to go. As a restaurant owner, you can also choose to use an online booking service that will establish communication with the customer. These can send automated emails or SMS to remind the guest to confirm their booking with a press of a button or by clicking on a special link.
Use Online Reservation Services to Drive More Business
There are also some online reservation tools that can help you drive more business to your restaurant at quiet times. They do this by allowing restaurant owners to promote discounts in off-peak periods. But most restaurant owners are wary of these off-peak discounts since a discount on top of food prices, increasing staff costs may not be very good for business.
But there are certain online booking services that have taken this into account and have come up with a great solution. A good example is ResDiary Off-peak where you can set different prices at different times, going higher when its busy and offering a discount for quiet times. The company then promotes the discounted prices via email and social media.
Be Smartphone Smart
Because diners are looking for even easier ways to make restaurant booking, many prefer to make the booking on an app on their smartphone. In 2018, a rising trend has seen diners use Applemaps and Googlmaps to book restaurants directly. Knowing about and finding a way to get your restaurant listed on these apps is one way to ensure you remain ahead of the completion. One of those apps is Quandoo, an app that integrates maps its features, allowing customers to find restaurants easily.
These smartphone apps can also be crucial for to easing restaurant congestion. For example, DineTime Host is an app that will not only allow diners to book a restaurant on their smartphone but will also populate the restaurant waiting list and inform the guest of the estimated waiting time.
Allowing Customers to Pay for Meals Online
Restaurant booking technology has also evolved to allow diners to pay for their meals online. This solution is also designed to make the dining experience as convenient for the diners as possible and with over 67% of 16-20 years olds preferring to pay for their meals online, it is a route you may want to consider especially if you serve the younger generation.
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