Bar < > Waiter < > Customer: CST bridges the communications gaps
Stand I 40, Bar 08, Earls Court One
Major improvements in customer service in bars and restaurants – that’s the potential held out by paging specialist Call-Systems Technology at Bar 08. With competition on the high street fiercer than ever, prompt table service can give a bar a comparative edge – and this in turn can boost profits. Orders can be taken faster, fewer orders are lost, and tables can be turned more quickly.
At Bar 08 CST is showing a range of paging products that bridge the gaps in communication between the bartender, chef, the waiting staff and the customers. The systems are designed to help speed up food and drink service, improve customer satisfaction and increase turnover and profits.
Also on the stand are a range of two-way radio systems for better floor and premises communications (for instance between door staff and management), and a selection of capacity management solutions for maximising table turnover, reducing lost business by ‘walkouts’ and managing customer reservations.
WaiterCall – increasing efficiency of food and drink service
One of the key products on show will be WaiterCall, a waiter paging system that lets bartenders or kitchens alert the serving staff when orders are ready. With WaiterCall drinks and food are served as quickly and efficiently as possible, and because service is quicker, tables can be turned more quickly and customers are kept satisfied.
EasyCall – speeding up order-taking
EasyCall is a simple but tough and highly profitable table paging system – a simple table-mounted push-button system that the customer presses so that the server know which table is ready to place an order. The signal goes to the light panel, which pages the relevant member of staff.
The EasyCall button is weatherproof, so it can be used outdoors if required, and is extremely useful for larger bars and restaurants with tables out of the main line of sight. It’s particularly suitable for the growing popularity of outdoor smoking areas and garden bars. The EasyCall buttons can be freestanding or countersunk into tables, personalised with a logo or design, and supplied with optional holders for menus or special bar promotion details. The system is wireless, discreet, unobtrusive and inexpensive, with almost no operating costs.
“EasyCall can pay for itself within weeks, just from the extra orders each button generates,” says CST Managing Director Peter Hutchinson. “It saves on labour costs too, especially in the quieter times. If customers can summon service directly, fewer staff are needed on the floor.”
CustomerCall – discreetly calling wandering customers
CST’s CustomerCall makes queue management for bars and restaurants extremely easy. Guests are given a pager when they arrive so they can relax in the bar with a drink while they are waiting. As soon as a table is ready, the pager discreetly buzzes and flashes. One interesting benefit is that CustomerCall can effectively ‘hide’ a queue for tables in a successful bar or restaurant; potential customers are thus encouraged to stay instead of looking elsewhere.
Two-Way Radios
The CST range of two-way radios is designed for convenient communication around bars, restaurants and larger sites. Models are available for a wide range of environments, including for door staff, in multi-room and multi-floor buildings, and with a range of accessories.
CST – Capacity Management Solutions
CST’s successful HostAlert capacity management system is likely to draw a lot of attention at Bar 08. HostAlert ‘intelligently’ predicts how fast tables can be turned to maximise table seating and gives customers a guide to how long the wait will be. This reassures them that it’s worth staying – at which point the CustomerCall paging system can be used.
Using sophisticated programming, HostAlert can be remarkably accurate in judging waiting times. The increased business it generates and the reduced number of ‘walk-aways’ means bars can profit from it very quickly.
CST is also showing a range of other solutions, including the ResPAK advanced reservations management system.
For details freephone Call-Systems Technology on 0800 389 5642, email the company at sales@call-systems.com or visit the CST website www.call-systems.com.