FEATURE - Tech and reservations
FEATURE: Increase your footfall with the best bookings systems
You can order a takeaway from your sofa, get a grocery delivery on an app and pay your bills with the touch of a button. So why should organising a pub visit be any different?
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Find your Mojo with Tabology's help
Now operating six sites, cocktail bar group Mojo implemented Tabology's hospitality EPoS system back in 2017, and recently added the built-in bookings function.
Bookings enable Mojo, to forecast and manage demand at its busiest times, as well as to offer added value opportunities such as its popular Cocktail Masterclasses.
Mojo area manager PJ Williams, says: “We switched our bookings from a third-party reservation system, because we’d seen a significant increase in our operating costs, and we’re trying to consolidate the business into using as few systems as possible. We’ve now got a bookings system that integrates in real time with our till system, which is what we were hoping for.”
Sales and marketing manager Naomi Moore says: “For customers, the bookings work well. Simple table bookings are confirmed automatically, while requests for events such as a Cocktail Masterclasses become a booking enquiry.
Mojo is now trialling an expanded pre-ordering offer enabling customers to pre-order drinks which will be waiting for them on arrival. “Pre-ordering will be really useful for us come Christmas time. It’s all about pushing our prepaid packages, so we have the money in the till before the customer has even set foot in the door.”
PJ sums up: “We couldn’t be happier with the way Tabology has delivered what we wanted through our in-house EPoS system. The huge USP for them is the amount of real-time support we get. You’ll never get that from any other service provider, let alone any other EPoS provider.”
For more information on Tabology's built-in bookings system, click here.
Customers are more tech-savvy than ever – many want to book online, then review their dining and drinking experiences on Instagram and social media. Many want everything in an instant and immediacy is the key word.
Let’s be honest, there is still likely to be some pubs where the licensee wants to take their reservations in a diary at the end of the bar and keep that personal service with the regulars.
But with more and more challenges facing businesses and an ongoing staffing crisis, smart pub operators are embracing this technological revolution, incorporating it into their everyday activities, from table reservations, to marketing, events, customer feedback, loyalty to even integrating it with the pubs’ sales and payment systems.
Bookings for drinkers
Phil Neale, managing director of hospitality EPoS specialist Tabology, says: “Some pub customers won’t want to risk turning up and not getting a table at a busy time while others want to ensure there is enough room for their whole group for occasions such as big sporting events on TV.”
Punch-ing high
Punch Pubs: The Filly Inn and the Anglesey Arms
Holly Brydges and Dave Chant own The Olive Pub Company, which runs the Punch pub the Filly Inn, Brockenhurst, in the heart of the New Forest.
They find using these online reservation systems crucial to managing their growing pub company. They use OpenTable at the Filly and Chant says it is an important tool for their business.
“In the industry it is always best to be prepared and know what is coming,” says Chant.
“If we could, we would have 100% of our guests book. It helps you plan. It can factor in your labour costs and make sure you are not too light and very importantly that you are not too heavy.”
The system also allows the pub to send follow up emails to obtain guest feedback.
“When someone has booked with an email address it sends them a prompt to leave a review and you can see how many times that guest has been before and you can see trends,” adds Brydges.
There is also a function to look at past bookings and to send them emails inviting them back to the pub as well as a functionality to set up events.
While no-shows were a definite issue for pubs in the aftermath of Covid the licensees say this is no longer a major issue.
“But the reservation system does allow you to indicate if someone is a repeat offender. You have someone booked for 7.30pm on a Saturday, you can see that the past three times they have not bothered to turn up,” Chant adds.
“You can send them an email and say you have not shown up three times so we are not going to hold a table for you but we will have a walk-in table maybe. That could be £200 we lose.”
Punch pub, the Anglesey Arms, in Chichester, also does not have a major issue with no-shows.
Licensee Shell Roberts says: “We are so busy that even if we get a no-show, we can fill it straight away.”
She does think that using this reservation system provides a benefit to the business in terms of time management.
“For events we put all our pre-orders, allergens and every bit of information we need for that booking so it doesn’t get lost and is accessible to everybody on site. It is perfect for capacity management on how many covers you want to do per slot. It is really versatile and flexible,” she says.
He argues offering bookings for drinkers as well as diners can make the difference between customers choosing one pub over another.
“Encouraging more guests to book also helps the operator because it flags up busy times to help with staff planning. It’s also an opportunity to upsell, for example by encouraging guests to pre-order a drinks package, such as premium beers or cocktails, to be waiting when they arrive,” he adds.
Neale points out that operators can find it a challenge to find a solution that works well alongside their other systems, such as EPoS.
“It’s a common sight to see a laptop opened up on the bar showing bookings for the day. Staff then have to switch between the booking system and the EPoS just to mark guests as arrived, assign to a table, open a tab, and reflect any deposits,” he says.
Its own booking system is part of its wider EPOS system where staff can view bookings directly, have it overlaid on the table plan with arrival and departure times, while any deposits or pre-orders are handled automatically.
“That valuable purchase history is then all stored on the same system as the booking and the customer contact. Our system also incorporates a loyalty platform, so data on booking contacts and loyalty members is stored together, allowing operators to run marketing campaigns and create audiences containing both loyalty members and booking contacts,” he adds.
‘Amazing customer service’
Each business needs to look at these technology options, including booking tables, to work out what it needs for its business. Is it worth having a member of staff removed from the front of house to answer telephone calls and emails for bookings? How much of their time will be spent organising table plans?
“It’s all well and good taking bookings at the bar but if you are 10 deep and trying to scribble it down into a diary, things can go wrong and things can get missed,” says Mark Hayhurst, managing director at Togo, the reservation system.
“Every telephone call we remove is more time for that member of staff to be delivering that amazing customer service.”
Managing labour costs and making sure the pub can deliver service to the customer remains a major challenge for operators. But a system that has the ability to automate planning giving the pub more control over the flow of customers can alleviate bottlenecks and ensure that staff and the kitchen don’t get swamped at peak times.
The Togo reservation system has been designed to specifically focus on pub services so it even automates information such as to whether a dog-friendly table is needed or a high chair, or wheelchair access.
Hayhurst adds: “The system will also manage a table plan specifically such as areas that allow dogs or are better for families.”
Spending insights and getting ‘bums on seats’
When customers make that online booking, they also agree to hand over valuable information, including an email address that the pub can use for future marketing. But the data can be more sophisticated than that enabling the pub to really understand the customer and their habits.
Hayhurst points out there is an ability to provide valuable insights into spending habits and those all-important higher spending customers.
“A lot of places assume that the people they see more often are their biggest customers but that is not always the case,” he says.
“You might find that you see this couple every week and you might assume they are your regulars. But you could have a guy that slips under the radar who is booking tables of 10, 12 or 14 and might come once a month and is quiet. They might split the bill at the end but he is the booker.”
It is all well and good having a system that can take bookings, integrate with the back-of-house systems, conduct marketing emails, and receive customer feedback – but most important is getting those ‘bums on seats’. There is no point having an online booking system if no one is using it.
Zonal’s own research with CGA in 2022 found that almost half of people (48%) use social media to find recommendations on where to eat and drink while a third (33%) of consumers use social media to book tables.
This means social media serves as a pivotal tool for enhancing awareness and bookings.
Booking efficiency improved
Case study: The Old George Inn & Shambles Café
The Old George Inn and Shambles Café (pictured above) in Sykehouse, near Goole, East Yorkshire, is a family-run country pub, serving locally sourced, quality pub meals, while the adjoining café serves breakfast and speciality coffee, as well as hosting private functions. The business has recently added a camping area hosting caravans, motorhomes, tents and glamping.
Owner Rosie Nagaty uses Tabology’s Hospitality EPoS system and has improved booking efficiency by using Tabology’s Live Bookings function, which checks availability in real time when a customer requests a booking online and auto-confirms the booking if there is availability.
Nagaty says: “We operated booking requests, which needed manual confirmation, for a while. That worked, but I felt pressure to confirm requests quickly or the customer might try somewhere else. People want to know that their booking is secure almost straight away. Turning on Live Bookings means we’ve got a lot more bookings coming through that way.”
The business is also finding that taking deposits through the Tabology EPoS works well.
“We ask for a deposit for tables of six or more, and for key events such as Mother’s Day, we’ll insist on a deposit for everyone,” she says.
“We don’t get a lot of no-shows, but if they’ve paid a deposit, you know they’ll turn up.”
Matt Brooks, senior product manager at Zonal, expects social media to play an even larger role in the booking journey in the future. He advises licensees to look at leveraging additional booking platforms and integrating them into the business to help unlock additional revenue opportunities.
For example, Zonal bookings fully integrates with external booking tools including Mozrest and Ambl. Fanzo also enables pubs to tap into the sports fan audience, meaning that venues can easily take bookings for football/sports events and have increased visibility to a wider audience.
“Operators that ensure their social media pages are up-to-date and pages respond to customers in a polite and timely manner, will be key to encouraging people to book direct,” says Brooks.
“Bookings that are made directly, not only provide operators with more control over the booking but also allow them to communicate directly with the guest for personalised requests or offering exclusive deals/promotions, as well as access to loyalty programmes, providing guests with the best possible experience.”
Tackling the ‘no-show’
Once you get that booking then there is the dreaded ‘no-show’. After all that effort securing the reservation, some customers just fail to turn up leaving the unwelcome sight of empty tables and a full repertoire of staff on hand – putting real pressure on pub profitability.
According to GO Technology report from Zonal and CGA by NIQ the number of customers not turning up for bookings hit 12% in 2023, costing the hospitality industry an estimated £17.59bn per year.
While asking for deposits would seem a reasonable solution it is one that does not necessarily sit well with customers or venues.
Quandoo for Restaurants, the reservation system, analysed data from more than 2,000 UK dining venues between January 2022 and July 2024, and found venues that asked customers for credit card details experienced a smaller number of cancellations and no-shows.
However, it was clear that there was some hesitancy about using this as a strategy, with the number of venues that asked for credit card details down by 50% since 2022.
“Implementing a deposit won’t work for everyone but there are other strategies that pubs can take to help maximise conversion rates,” says James Taft, UK country manager, at Quandoo for Restaurants.
“Confirmation emails and reminders are one such tactic. This could involve sending an automated reminder a few days in advance that is then followed up by an SMS on the day of the reservation that prompts guests to confirm their booking. If they haven’t responded closer to the booking, you can get in touch by phone.”
Colin Winning, commercial director of reservations, front of house division, Access Hospitality agrees.
“The best way of avoiding no-shows is to take full or partial credit card payments for high-value bookings to reduce any revenue loss. If venues aren’t keen on this, online bookings can help reduce no-shows by sending out several direct messages reminding them of their booking, checking they are still coming and giving them the option to confirm the booking or cancel,” Winning says.
“Customers are much more used to paying a deposit now, particularly for large group bookings, but obviously venues need to assess whether they think their customers would tolerate being asked for a deposit and whether the benefits would outweigh the negatives.”
Functionality improved with data
Case study: Sussex Inns
Sussex Inns has 15 hospitality sites ranging from hotels to country inns and uses Togo’s reservation system.
James Dunnell-Smith, Sussex Inns marketing director, says a reservation system is a must for any pub serving food with the ease of booking important to customers.
Dunnell-Smith adds: “It also simplified a lot of the organisation, sending out reminder emails and texts to customers, taking pre-orders and deposits and confirming orders to the kitchen – so they could plan in advance – and to the front-of-house team, enabling them to remind customers what they’d ordered if there was any confusion.”
He says that the more information you feed the system, the more functionality it can bring.
“We give it a detailed table plan right down to which tables can be pushed together and it automatically rejigs the layout to accommodate customers,” he adds.
“There are all sorts of variations you can make to suit the style of the venue. For example, you can block off times between bookings so the kitchen doesn’t get overwhelmed and you can programme it to maximise covers or allow customers a bit more time. If there’s a walk in or a customer calls up or books in the pub, it’s easy to input their reservation manually.”
The Park View pub pictured above.
