Baycrew's Group seeks to expand its summer BBQ beer garden "The Rooftop" on top of the Ikebukuro Lumine department store in Tokyo, Japan. Can TableCheck help The Rooftop to streamline operations while driving sales and customer volume, and turn the upcoming summer into a smashing success?

The challenge

• Staff is overburdened by phone calls and manages seating with pen-and-paper.

Last summer, The Rooftop accepted reservations primarily by phone, which was cumbersome during peak hours and caused opportunity loss during nighttime when no staff was present. The beer garden managed all bookings via paper and pen, which caused considerable disorganization as customer traffic increased, and the paper records often became rumpled when used outdoors.

The switch

• The Rooftop adopts TableCheck on iPad

The staff immediately grasped TableCheck's easy-to-learn user interface and soon mastered how to handle online and automated phone bookings.

Launch preparation

• The Rooftop directs customers to automated booking channels

As part of its summer launch, The Rooftop publishes its Miseban automated phone number and TableCheck web link in all marketing materials. On launch day, rather than being bombarded by phone calls, the staff now sits back and relax as online and automated phone bookings come rolling in.

Result

• Greater opportunity capture and fewer mistakes lead to a 150% booking increase

TableCheck automatically and efficiently allocates seating in real-time, according to the rules the staff has set, increasing table utilization and turnover rate. Using both online reservations and the Miseban automated phone system, The Rooftop is virtually able to unplug their phone and allow all bookings to be handled systematically. The results are dramatic: The Rooftop services 18,303 customers in three months, representing a 150% year-on-year booking increase.

Next steps

• Baycrew's grows its restaurant business with TableCheck

The 2014 summer using TableCheck was so successful and streamlined that The Rooftop doubled its seating capacity for 2015. Also in 2015, Baycrew's Group launched its second restaurant Farmshop in Futakotamagawa, Tokyo.

Baycrew's Favorite Features

• TableCheck: Online Reservations

  Baycrew uses TableCheck's "timetable" feature so that guests may easily find table openings. When a given date or time is unavailable, TableCheck suggests alternatives to increase the booking conversion rate. In addition, TableCheck allows customers to browse and reserve menu course plans.

• Miseban: Automated Phone System

  Miseban allows guests to book directly from the dialpad and sends an SMS to manage bookings online. The Rooftop uses Miseban as their main phone number to ensure guests book without staff involvement; guests who require to speak with staff are able to do so via Miseban's dial menu.

• Mass SMS & Email

  When it rains, The Rooftop alerts all unarrived guests via SMS and email with a message to indicate the restaurant will close for the day. The message can be sent to all guests in a single action.

Baycrew's restaurants include Journal Standard, J.S. Burgers Cafe, and J.S. Pancake Cafe. J.S. Burgers BBQ Beer Garden "The Rooftop", which opens annually in the summer, is among the most popular beer gardens in Tokyo.