Different Sorts of Restaurant Pagers
Have you seen that restaurants across the globe are now using restaurant pagers systems to help organize their seating management and effective serving of customers? If you work in, or run a restaurant see if the following scenario seems familiar.
On a busy weekend a restaurant’s usual lovely atmosphere can be completely changed as a result of considerable numbers of diners gathering about the host or hostess station trying to arrange a table, for the restaurant proprietor this is a double edged sword, on one hand it is great news that their establishment is so fashionable that there is a waiting list for tables, on the other the number of people can detract from the familiar sophisticated environment that is one of the reasons the restaurant is so popular with diners.
A hand written list is the answer for many establishments, but problems can surface when waiting guests frequently come again to the hostess station to ask if their table is ready yet or if their name has been called because they didn’t hear clearly what person’s name the hostess was calling. By and large people will wait a short time to see if they are seated quickly, following this they tend to leave frustrated as the restaurant was to busy or aggravated because they feel neglected. This can lead to upset staff members who are continuously badgered by frustrated guests waiting for tables plus possible guests lost to the competition and not likely to ever grant the restaurant return.
Technology can help organise a restaurants wait list, customer pager systems are now widespread in a lot of restaurants particularly ones that would be classified as “fast casual”. TGI Fridays, Frankie & Bennys, Hard Rock Cafe and Chiquito are illustrations of “fast casual” restaurants operated by some of the larger companies in the UK that make use of customer paging systems to help organise their wait list. Many independently operated restaurants have also adopted customer paging as an efficient way to organise their establishment on busy evenings .
Some of the most up-to-date guest paging systems have built in wait time estimators, this offers the host/hostess the option to keep the waiting guest informed of the wait time when the pager is given to them. With a range of up to two miles on many of the up to date paging systems, staff can effortlessly contact diners who may have wandered into other areas of the facility.
Research shows that even with extended waiting times of in excess of one hour guests tend to be content to wait when they have the freedom a guest call pager provides. Waiting customers are alerted by the pager flashing/bleeping and/or vibrating alert options are chosen by the restaurant when they are required back at the hostess station for seating. Customers feel more valued when offered a pager whilst waiting to be seated, they appreciate that the restaurant operators value their patronage and attach a high level of significance to making the dining experience a enjoyable one.
For the restaurant operator walk aways are reduced and happy satisfied diners will endorse the restaurant to friends and relations and are certain to return. A guest call restaurant pager system is quickly becoming an essential business tool for the modern busy restaurant.
Paging systems are also available for kitchen/waiter communication, wait staff have a small discrete vibrating pager attached to their belt or apron, in the kitchen there is a transmitter numbered with each pager number and waiters name. Once the chef has food ready on the pass they push the correct pager number on the call panel and this calls the waiter by a small vibration that food is ready for collection for their assigned tables. If the waiter has not picked up the food within a set time the pager will automatically vibrate again. Once the waiter collects the food from the kitchen they press the button on the call panel next to their name and the paging is canceled. Systems can even have an alpha numeric pager that the restaurant manager would carry and if a member of the wait staff has not picked up their order from the kitchen after three calls an alert appears on the manager’s pager notifying them there is a problem.
Server call paging systems ensure efficient handling of orders and guarantee the prompt delivery of hot fresh food to the table. Using server paging staff numbers are kept to a minimum and in many cases the requirement to have runners delivering food can be eliminated saving the restaurant proprietor substantial wages bills.
Contented customers that feel valued will tell their friends and relations about their enjoyable experience at your restaurant, employees that experience an efficient happy working atmosphere are more productive and stay for longer. Paging systems are a cost-effective business tool for progressive restaurant operators that are looking to ensure they offer an experience that both diners and staff benefit from.
If you operate a restaurant you should find out more about Restaurant Pagers & Waiter Paging Systems
