January/February 1998

Setting the Pace with Pager Technology

THE CUSTOMER'S ENDLESS wait for a table and the reservationist's scheduling confusion are quickly becoming things of the past. That's because paging and table management systems are providing restaurant vendors and customers with a number of benefits, most notably, enhanced customer service and higher profits.

TABLE AVAILABILITY

Table status boards, such as TABLECHECK SMS from TABLECHECK Technologies, Inc., Austin, TX, comprise small, illuminated, microprocessor driven panels depicting restaurants' exact table configurations, and can be positioned in single or multiple strategic spots.

When an individual's table status changes, the staff person swipes a magnetic pen over the corresponding image. A green light indicates an available table; a red light, that a bus person is required; and an amber light, that a table is reserved. Occupied tables are not illuminated. Data from the panels may be captured and stored in users' computers for analysis of individual or group table performance.

According to Barbara Horan, TABLECHECK president, the system requires 15 to 20 seconds of training and yields payback within three to six months. Wait-time savings on busy shifts is about 30 minutes, she claims.

Mark Gleinser, general manager, The County Line Bar-B-Q on the Lake, Austin, TX, corroborates Horan's estimate, noting that the eatery has shaved 25 to 30 minutes off over-all table-turn since installing TABLECHECK SMS. Harbor Side Cafe-Sea World, San Diego, was able to cut employee hours because the boards eliminate the, need for floor spotters to locate dirty and/or about-to-be-vacated tables, states J. S. Nerenberg, manager.

Immediate access to table status information, resulting in reduced wait-lists and faster patron seating, has improved customer service at La Strada-Eldorado Hotel & Casino, Reno, NV, reports Michael Vertucci, manager. Azteca Mexican Restaurants, Seattle, has seen the average table-wait list decrease in length by approximately one-third during busy periods. One hostess has been removed from each night's schedule, reports regional manager Carey Gutierrez.

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