The world has become an online place. Whether it is shopping, banking or communicating, there is a website for you.

This has also had an impact on restaurant booking. More and more customers are choosing to use an automated restaurant booking service rather than calling the restaurant directly. Not only does the restaurant booking system need to be incredibly easy for customers to use, but it needs to be simple for the restaurants too.

It can be hard to create the perfect automated restaurant booking system. Especially if you have several different restaurants that you want to manage on one system. However, it is possible.

We have put together our top tips for making sure that restaurant booking is as simple as it can be.

What will you want to achieve with your automated booking system?

There are some things that you are likely to want to achieve with your automated booking system. This includes having a central system that acts as a communication tool across several different sites. You want to make sure that it can handle the entire booking process from the initial confirmation to a post dining survey too.

It is also important to give a single view to your customers, making sure that it is uniformed across the different restaurants.

How can you make it easier for you?

Whilst you will want to make sure that your booking system is perfect for your customer, you will want to also ensure that it is easier for you too. After all, an automated booking system is designed to make your job that little bit easier.

Many systems will work in the background, making sure that all of those all important bookings are handled smoothly. 

How can you make it better for customers?

There are 5 main aspects to any automated booking system. This ensures that your customer stays informed throughout the process. Not to mention that you can make the most of any marketing opportunities.

The process includes:

  1. A confirmation email- to make sure that they know when their reservation is.

  2. A secondary confirmation email if there any changes- perfect for if they change time or numbers.

  3. A notification email if the customer fails to appear- you could tailor this to appeal them to make another booking.

  4. A request for feedback email after they have dined- perhaps ask them to post it on your Facebook page?

  5. Further email marketing emails as part of a database- ideal for any deals, promotions or discounts.

By making sure that each stage of the process is smooth and that they receive a timely email. You can boost your chances of seeing a rebooked table in the future.

So, there you have it, some of the reasons why automated booking systems are the ideal addition to any successful restaurant. Whether a chain, or a single site!