Online Bookings Versus Phone Bookings

Online booking has a lot of benefits to the end user, but most restaurants/café remain loyal to phone bookings. Not only are phone bookings time-consuming, it requires extra employees to keep track of all the bookings and also coordinate/organize every booking.

Having a booking system in your restaurant/café allows existing and prospective customers to place orders, check the availability of a meal, pay for their orders, and keep your customers glued to your restaurant. 

Phone bookings are still common, but most cafes/restaurants are not open 24/7 to accommodate every phone booking.

Benefits Of Online Booking

Customers believe that online bookings are a vital service in a restaurant because so many things are carried out online nowadays. Let’s emphasize some of its benefits.

1) Reduces The Rate Of No-Shows: No-shows constitute a significant problem, especially when taking reservations at your restaurant. Most times, you book tables for customers, and most of them don’t show up.

Reduction of no-shows is a great advantage of an online booking system; thanks to pre-ordering, the tendency of customers to show up is high. 

With online bookings, you can suggest that your customers make orders online with pre-payment plans; this will now limit the number of no-shows.

2) Provide Greater Convenience For Customers: Every restaurant owner wants their customers to get a seat as quickly as possible. 

Still, it can be frustrating for them to call to book and discover your restaurant phone is always busy. Most of them do not have the patience to wait on hold, meaning they will go for the following available options. 

But with online booking, your customers will provide a few details and tap on the book option; online booking helps you avoid the potential loss of your customers.

3) Improve Cancellation Notifications: One thing that comes with online bookings is easy online cancellations. Some customers feel uncomfortable when they have to cancel a booking. 

When most of them cancel their orders without informing your staff, this can leave your employees uninformed, causing them to turn guests away.

If canceling is made simple as booking, everyone will be happy. With an effective online booking plan, you can always notify your employees that a table is available for future bookings or walk-ins.

4) Keeps Your Employees Focused: Online bookings prevent human errors by ensuring employees deliver the best services. Furthermore, it allows your employees to focus solely on the customers without getting distracted by ringing phones.

Phone Bookings Are Still Important

Some customers are unfamiliar with online booking, i.e., customers without a computer, internet, or smartphone can find booking difficult. 

In cases like this, phone bookings should still be an option as your restaurant’s booking method, especially to suit customers in their 60s and above. 

Through phone bookings, your employees can respond immediately to customers seeking directions to your restaurant.

Also, with phone booking, you can inform your customers of changes to a reservation; this option allows restaurants to be accommodating and flexible to customers.

On A Final Note;

Cafe Solutions has the right furniture to make your restaurant/café stand out. We stock a vast range of quality and affordable chairs in various and unique colors and designs.