Sunny Lin's passion for the hospitality industry began during high school when she decided to pursue studies in Hospitality and Hotel Management. She continued her educational journey at Chia Nan University, a prestigious private university in Taiwan, where she further deepened her knowledge and expertise in the field.

Dedicating seven years to studying hospitality, she jumpstarted her professional career in sales by working for an artistic dining space for a renowned Taiwanese sales entrepreneur. This opportunity allowed her to apply her skills and knowledge in a practical setting, further fueling her passion for sales and hospitality.

"For four years, I was managing food services for various boutique events for Eugene Huang, the Chairman for TECO, an electrical machinery company, where I organized business or government banquets, and also selected artworks by renowned artists," Sunny says. "That enriched my sales journey and I learned sales techniques and communication styles to interact with people of different levels. Even more important is that I gained a keen sensitivity in accurately assessing customer needs. This is an essential skill in sales."

After that stint, Sunny moved on to work in customer relations in the F&B department. For the next five years, she worked for three five-star international hotels in Taiwan, where she catered to VIPs and hotel owners, managed sales channels, and helped General Manager directors achieve sales targets.

Armed with solid sales experience, Sunny joined TableCheck in 2021 with one objective: to drive sales growth in Taiwan, one of the target markets of TableCheck in the Asian region.

Read our exclusive interview with Sunny below:

1. What strategies have been most successful in your sales career?

While there are various sales techniques and methods in the market to sell similar products, it's when I can genuinely put myself in the customer's shoes and clearly understand their needs and pain points that make a real difference. It makes the customer understand the benefits of what we can offer compared to our competitors and that is "irreplaceable". That's really when customers decide to "choose our product." This approach has consistently garnered positive feedback and recognition from clients throughout my sales career.

2. What do you enjoy most about working in sales and your work at TableCheck?

Both the hospitality and sales fields are my areas of expertise. Joining TableCheck allowed me to participate with a different perspective but within the realm I am most familiar with and passionate about. What makes it particularly special is that I transitioned from being a user of TableCheck 's reservation system to a sales representative, which gives me a clear understanding of how TableCheck can facilitate the operations of the F&B industry.

Having worked my way up from frontline staff to a management position in the F&B industry, I have a deep understanding of what each level requires in terms of direction, challenges, and pain points. Through TableCheck and with experience, I can help share more insights with F&B teams, creating an immediate resonance with them. I speak their language and offer help from the same standpoint.

In the fast-paced F&B industry, every minute and second is precious. It requires precise, fast, and professional service. With the system running automatically, they can realize how much help a professional system can provide them

3. Give us an overview on the Taiwanese restaurant industry. What makes it unique?

Taiwan's restaurant industry showcases a unique charm due to its special geographical location and historical background. In addition to world-renowned delights like bubble tea and beef noodle soup, in recent years, it has also embraced flavors from around the world. This includes the influence of Japan – you can find izakayas, conveyor belt sushi, Yakiniku, ramen, and more on every street. This fusion has made Taiwan a unique culinary haven.

In Taiwan, you can find street food every three steps and a restaurant every five steps. The hotel dining market also stands strong in Taiwan, including both international and local brands. This has earned us the reputation of being the " Food paradise island ".

As a result, Taiwanese customers have become increasingly discerning in their dining preferences. They not only value the taste and quality of the food itself but also place great importance on the restaurant's ambiance and service. Additionally, Taiwanese people have a passionate pursuit of food and are willing to wait in line for over an hour or eagerly anticipate the opening of online reservations at midnight. This demonstrates the love and pursuit of food among the Taiwanese people.

Taiwan's F&B industry is thriving and diverse, catering to customers' refined tastes and preferences. Whether it's traditional Taiwanese snacks or international cuisine, Taiwanese restaurants go above and beyond to provide a high-quality dining experience. It reflects the passion and pursuit of food in Taiwan, driving continuous development and innovation in the F&B industry.

RELATED: Taiwan – The culinary gem shaped by history

4. Why do you think TableCheck has an advantage in the Taiwan market over its competitors?

TableCheck has gained popularity in Taiwan through its functional and practical system features, as well as positive word-of-mouth from users. As a result, we have successfully collaborated with several representative hotel brands in Taiwan. Our success is attributed to the uniqueness of our system and its better alignment with the specific needs of hotels. Initially, many people had doubts, thinking, "It's just another reservation system. Why should I switch systems? What makes it special compared to competitors in the market?" However, the reality is that our system allows for flexible adjustments to meet the ever-changing demands and operational directions of the Taiwanese F&B market.

For example, the TableCheck system offers several advantages. We can incorporate various marketing campaigns and even enable "online payment" functionality for limited-time special offers where guests can prepay an amount and enjoy discounts on-site. For instance, paying NT$1000 online for a voucher worth NT$1200 at the venue. Hotels and restaurants often come up with attractive promotional offers to entice customers. Additionally, our system handles tasks such as seating arrangements based on different time slots for breakfast reservations of hotel guests, shuttle services, DIY class projects, and pre-ordering limited-menu items.

5. Becoming Taiwan's top F&B and hospitality choice, is that the goal?

Using our system, we assist our clients in providing a service and a rewarding marketing experience when customers make a reservation. In the system's backend, we help the F&B department gain clear insights into customer preferences, habits, and data analysis, providing accurate information to our clients. These are the things that hotel clients and restaurant owners care about the most, and all employees, regardless of their roles, can reap different benefits from our system.

I hope to make TableCheck the top choice in the market and have it become the number one preferred system for all Taiwanese consumers because of its aesthetics, practicality, convenience, and efficiency. In the service industry in Taiwan, we truly value every aspect of the customer experience. That's what Taiwan is all about!

6. How are you motivating your team to hit your sales target?

"Team collaboration" is the part of my work I enjoy the most because the "team" is crucial in business sales. It involves trust, mutual assistance, shared goals, and direction within the team. Even a top salesperson still needs the support of their team members to ensure customer satisfaction throughout the service process. The success of business sales is not solely the achievement of one individual, but the collective efforts of the entire team at every stage, working together to bring the product or event closer to the customer's needs. Team collaboration builds trust with customers quickly and instills confidence in your sales offerings.

Building "trust" quickly is important to me because customers will feel the overall experience and bring you more business opportunities.

TableCheck restaurant booking and guest experience platform helps Hotel F&B and Enterprise F&B clients and restaurant owners in Taiwan to deliver world-class dining experiences to guests.