In an era of online reservations, many people continue to connect by phone to a restaurant to make a reservation. Be it a way to ensure they get that particular request or the ease of dialling from a Google search when on the move, rather than going through the whole online process. Whichever the case, the day of the reservationists in your restaurant is still ongoing.
Let’s get this straight. I am not saying that you should remove your online booking system. However, a restaurant call centre or reservationist can benefit your business model. I am all for new technology and use all my tech toys everywhere, anywhere; it can make my life more efficient. But I see the advantages of having a top-performing reservationist in your organisation. However, your online booking system has limitations; a reservationist is more than a person who takes bookings. Therefore, moving entirely to a digital booking option could mean a loss of potential customers.
Of course, there are many positives to an online reservation system. However, it should be one of many tools in your outlet. In this technological time, we crave simplicity and efficiency from a smartphone and aim to do everything from this one device in the shortest time possible. However, what becomes more frustrating with technology is when it does not go to plan due to constraints from software. The booking software still needs to arrive. The software cannot upsell as a person can, it cannot recommend menu items from personal experience, and it cannot give locality information during the booking process. Simply, an algorithm cannot always replace a human.
Bringing back the reservationist and adding what I would call a ‘retro’ approach to bookings will make you stand out from the crowd.
Your reservationist must be trained to be the ‘know it all’ about your business. They are the voice of your organisation and the first point of interaction with the public. They must be able to manage a complaint, respond effectively to a marketing or PR request, direct an HR and recruitment request, and so on. When a reservationist is focused exclusively on taking bookings, you can only imagine what the response will be when someone calls seeking employment within the organisation. “Email HR at this email address, goodbye” End of call. Meanwhile, your restaurant lost a fantastic barman to the next restaurant, which took the call more effectively.
I know the idea of a call centre and a ‘human’ on the phone may sound a little archaic to some people, but at least read the below and then judge to see if you are doing it right.
Below is a list of best practices your restaurant reservations team can use.
It’s interesting to consider what differentiates a top-performing reservationist from the rest of the team. Generally, it’s because they truly understand your brand and apply several best practices they have mastered into their daily routine.
1. Being prepared for differentiating the calls.
It is essential to understand that not all calls will be a reservation. It could be a call that is a complaint or a compliment from a previous dining experience in your outlet, or it could be a question for an event, menu options, capacity or room size. A good reservationist will know precisely how to respond to any of these cases and more, with one outcome: a satisfied guest. This is a prime example of the limitations of online booking software. Yes, you can click here for HR, click here for PR, or click here for others. Meanwhile, the writer for Conde Nast, who wanted a last-minute article on a restaurant, went to your competitor, who took the call. What did that cost your business?
2. Listening carefully to the customer’s needs and asking the right questions
Most people stop listening and start planning a response before understanding the request. We are all guilty of doing this. As a result, the core question, problem, or compliment is only sometimes understood. A top reservationist will listen to the customer, make notes and then carefully respond appropriately, understanding the customer’s feelings and position. You can ask all the questions in the world, but if you don’t hear what people say, you won’t be able to present the proper solution.
Let’s take a complaint as an example. The disgruntled customer calls the restaurant and asks for the Manager. Without any questions, the call is transferred to the manager, who is then bombarded with the complaint and has zero information to find an amicable outcome. Regarding complaints or the like, the top performer will ask the right questions that probe the issue’s heart. This sounds simple, but most fail and ask weak, feeble questions. Top performers are comfortable asking the right questions to find the solution. “May I ask what this is regarding” “When did you dine in?” “Please explain to me your experience so I can ensure the appropriate person handles the matter, ” etc.?
A top performer will also have specific KPIs linked to what discounts, complimentary offers and vouchers they can offer. An idea would be to train your team in effective complaint handling so that calls do not have to go to managers. The manager should be informed; however, handling a call before escalating it should be a set KPI. In addition, the customer needs to be taken care of as soon as possible. Extending the time of handling the matter only agitates the customer more.
3. They ask for clarification and take detailed notes
When a top performer is unclear of what is being requested, they will ask the obvious question: “Can you clarify that for me?”. It sounds simple; however, I have often seen the wrong information sent to departments due to a poor understanding from the call centre. For example, the call could be a PR enquiry that requires information on your venue by the due date to publish in a magazine. The reservations take note of the request without the due date. When the PR manager returns the call, it’s too late; the article is published, and your venue has missed out. The top performer is prepared with a notebook at hand and actions all that is requested of them.
4. They carefully plan their day and schedule
During the day, calls must be transferred to the appropriate departments. For example, event bookings will be passed onto the events manager, HR enquiries passed onto the HR department, and account matters passed onto the finance team, etc. A top performer will have a schedule that will allow for follow-ups to each of these departments to ensure that the call has received the appropriate feedback. The last thing a top performer wants is a second phone call from a customer stating that the problem or request still needs to be handled.
5. They set high KPIs for closing reservations.
Top-performing reservationists do not wait for their managers to issue the KPIs. Instead, they set their own goals that are usually more ambitious than the group KPIs charged by the manager. Rewards programs developed by the management are just a base for what the restaurant wants to achieve. For example, the reservationist may receive £1 per person as a booking bonus after attaining at least 100 pax weekly. However, the top performer will aim for 300 pax, knowing they can pocket an extra one hundred pounds.
In most cases, there is a reward and a penalty. Say that bonus KPIs are deducted if more than two enquiries or complaints in a month are not handled effectively and need to be transferred over to the manager. In this case, the top performer will set their own KPI of a ‘zero strike rate’. The target is to ensure that no calls go to the manager and that all calls are handled effectively. They will analyse past calls and complaints to manage future calls better. The top performers are your assets and, at a minimum, must be remunerated above market rate for this skill.
6. Upselling and recommendations
Having a reservationist allows for the opportunity to upsell during the booking process. For example, suppose a PA is booking a table for their Manager for an important business lunch. In that case, a top performer will take the opportunity to offer the chefs menus so that the meal is uninterrupted from servers asking for choices from a menu. Meanwhile, the average spend on that table has just been bumped up, selling a 3-course menu rather than the guest possibly choosing one course. Another example would be if a guest were to make a reservation for an anniversary. If it were an online system, maybe there would be a small area to write notes. “it’s our anniversary; can you do something special?”. However, with the top performer on the phone, the offerings are only limited by budget. “We can arrange flowers on arrival, a glass of champagne, a special menu, ” etc. And imagine how many people do not even write in their notes when booking online. Instead, the top performer will pry and ask every reservation if it’s a special occasion, taking every opportunity to upsell.
7. They know their product
They know the restaurant layout, the menu, the staffing structure and the operating procedures exceptionally well. This allows them to sell or offer their product, service or solution to any call. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people fail miserably at this. They usually discuss aspects of the development or offer solutions irrelevant to their customer’s situations. A top performer will spend time with the operations team to understand the guest experience. So, I know any situation at hand. They study the wine list, food menus and event packs to offer the correct information to the guests.
8. They are ready for objections.
On many occasions, they cannot satisfy the customer’s request. For example, customers may ask for a table at 7:30 pm on a Saturday, when policy states two sittings to maximise capacity, hence needing a 6:30 pm or 9 pm booking. Top performers anticipate objections and plan their responses before the call. They assist with solutions, such as 8 p.m. entry and a drink at the bar until the table is ready, or recommend after-dinner venues nearby if the guest chooses 6:30 p.m. when they have a theatre show at 10 p.m. They study the area and offer pre and post-dining solutions if the restaurant cannot cater for their needs. But most importantly, they do not lose the booking.
9. The critical follow-up call
As mentioned in point 5 in planning the day, the top performer will follow up on essential and valuable bookings, events or complaints. For example, if a complaint guest has been re-invited for dinner, the top performer will follow up with a call after the event to ensure the guest has now been satisfied. If a significant event has been requested through the top performer and passed to the events manager, the top performer will follow up with the events manager to ensure the booking is complete. They will even follow up on simple reservations for two people, such as a special occasion for which they took the booking: engagements, birthdays or wedding anniversaries. The special touches bring back business and make the experience even more memorable.
The reservationist is more than just a phone operator or reservationist, And considering the above, we should consider a better title for this role. I know I have referred to the role as a reservationist, but it would be good for you to have your establishment and structure. What could the title be, you ask? Please look at the role in detail as to what you want to achieve in your outlet. From the hotel organisational structure methodology, an option could be Guest Relations.
One final point: Focus is on reservations.
Although I have mentioned several other reasons why the reservationist is more than just a person who takes bookings, we all understand that a large percentage of the role is to do just that: take reservations. Therefore, your ‘Guest Relations team must recognise that there are explicit operational considerations that assist the restaurant operations.
Reservations help the restaurant estimate demand and allow the Restaurant Manager to schedule their staff better. Reservations also help manage the workflow and plan the mise en plus. As previously mentioned, the restaurant manager can ensure that the kitchen or floor staff can handle all customers arriving at once by staggering the reservations or creating two sittings on peak evenings. Swamping the bartender with cocktail orders and burying the kitchen with food requests is the last thing any restaurant needs. Your online booking program can do this to a certain extent. A clever algorithm that states how many bookings can be taken at a particular time. However, it takes a top performer to maximise your bookings and offer more than an online system can ever do.
