EPoS enhancements: Where you can go for the extras
Touch UK's eMenu system
Touch UK is the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor of the eMenu system, a touchscreen menu display designed to help restaurants optimise upselling, and enhance their guests' experience.
What does it do?
Simple display and navigation - Diners can see images and descriptions of all menu items and even branded merchandise (in the case of Planet Hollywood) onscreen. Tapping the screen in the appropriate areas allows diners to order directly from the screen, choose a game to play or video to watch.
Upsell items - Operators can choose to upsell certain menu items by giving them pride of place on the screen. Touch UK believes that allowing diners to order from the menu themselves encourages impulse orders, which have often increased sales by up to 25 per cent.
Improved table turnaround - By ordering from a touchscreen situated next to their table, diners can order faster than if they waited for a server, improving the restaurant's table turnaround time.
Who should use it?
Either individual restaurants or chains that are looking for a unique selling point for their business may be interested in the touchscreens. Head office sites can update screens across multiple locations from one central terminal.
ResPAK, Dining Reservation Solution
Agilysys' ResPAK Restaurant Management system can be added onto an EPoS system to help restaurant staff manage table reservations and customer flow better.
What does it do?
Manage guest flow - Staff can see on screen where and when tables are booked and can update the system throughout service as it works in real time. The software is set up to allow managers to adjust booking rules for a specific meal period, day of the week or calendar date if they want. The system is also capable of managing a table waitlist for when the restaurant is full, judging wait times on party size, current table utilisation and upcoming guest arrivals.
Make the service you provide more personable - The system allows you to create guest records so you can update details about each customer every time they return, such as inputting the dishes they had or noting details of their service preferences.
Communicates with guests - Restaurants can set up automated email and SMS messages that can be sent out to customers to confirm reservations, thank them for their custom or send out marketing messages.
Who should use it?
ResPAK is ideal for busy restaurants with a quick turnaround on tables because it works on real time and can take the pressure off staff when planning where and when to seat diners without having to keep an eye on the whole restaurant. Equally, its ability to maintain guest records makes it ideal for fine-dining restaurants or higher-end establishments who want to provide good service and encourage repeat business.
Call Systems Technology QSR Connectsmart
Compatible with all EPoS systems, ConnectSmart calls itself the 'missing link' between front and back-of-house, keeping all areas of the business constantly updated on reservations and customer orders via TV screens.
What does it do?
Updates everyone - from reception to waiters and management through to chefs and bar staff, the system is designed to keep everyone up to speed with a table's progress avoiding missed orders, and ensuring tables receive orders on time. Restaurants can even install screens for queuing customers that can tell them how long the wait for their table is.
Robust - The system has been purpose-built for foodservice. For example, the touch-screen technology has been customised so that it can withstand the grease, heat and humidity of a busy commercial kitchen.
Mobile hostess - CST has developed an add-on for the ConnectSmart system allowing staff to access the system from a mobile device, such as an iPod Touch. It means they can make amendments to bookings and check waiting times when on the move, making the process even speedier.
Who should use it?
Medium to large-size, busy restaurants with a high turnover of tables, or those with many areas of the business who want to track the customer journey.
ClarityLive
ClarityLive is already operational in 1,400 restaurants, hotels and pubs. It offers many additions to its PoS such as online booking systems, promotions and will soon be developing a mobile phone application to give customers the chance to manage their own bookings from anywhere in the world.
What does it do?
Central point - the critical component is the POS that automatically posts the various revenue streams to the correct bill and the relevant department, without having to be done manually from paper dockets, eliminating duplicate work and errors.
Flexibility - The system allows many different PoS, from handheld devices to static tills to feed information to one central point. Clarity says it will also tailor-make the system to a business and can integrate retail functions with hospitality ones.
Booking via an 'app' - Clarity is currently developing an application for the Apple iPhone that will enable hotel guests to check in or out via their phone as well as order services while they are there. The technology will also be used to communicate with guests to tell them about up-coming promotions, new services or simply to remind them of bookings.
Who should use it?
Any hospitality business from fast casual restaurants to five star hotels with spas. Its 'multi-channel' function ie. the fact that static and handheld PoS can be used together and that it updates bills immediately at a central point without staff having to update them manually means it is particularly suitable for businesses with many sales and ordering points, such as hotels. Its integration with the iPhone app would be very useful for this sector.
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