The experience of dining in a restaurant begins for the client as soon as they hear about your company. The next step is the process, whether in person or online, of reserving a table. Next is the waiting time, being seated, waiting for food, and finally, eating dinner. One common thread is that much of the process involves waiting.
Long wait times for tables can clog and complicate the dining process. Customers leave after their meal dissatisfied with their service or don't dine altogether.
What is a Restaurant Queueing System?
Systems like QLESS utilize innovative technology to simplify and streamline the queueing process. It works on three basic levels:
Using QLESS instantly improves the dining experience of your clientele, thereby improving profits and growth. It comes in the form of an easy-to-use system and mobile phone app, as well as an in-store kiosk.
Reduces Walkaways Optimizes Staff ProductivityA quality restaurant queueing system works to reduce lost business due to walkaways by deflating the intimidating lines. Long lines look intimidating even from afar. If you've ever bypassed a restaurant, or gotten out of line because the wait was taking too long, you see the potential for lost business. With a digitized queue, those who want to reserve a table or get on the waitlist can do so from afar. This is how to reduce wait times in restaurants. You can sign in online or at an in-person kiosk, and wander as you wish. Customers can even sign in to the restaurant queueing system on a mobile device. This frees up the front of the restaurant, making it look approachable to potential clientele. A major concern in the restaurant business is staffing. Being overstaffed is a serious monetary loss for all the extra pay. Being understaffed is worse as it means that there are longer wait times, and a higher likelihood of inadequate service. At QLESS, staffing is a major priority to help improve the dining experience. The queue management software can collect analytics regarding customer behavior. A large component of this is when there are lulls and when it is busy. Looking at this restaurant queueing system data as a whole could help restaurant owners predict busy periods and lulls so that they can staff appropriately. The data is also able to inform users of: Client demographicsCustomer return ratesWait timesStaff productivity
This data can help a business to run optimally rather than wasting resources where they aren't needed, and losing business when you could just have an extra employee on the clock.
Improves Client CommunicationProvides Valuable Marketing DataBoosts Online ReputationA key factor that impacts customer experience and how to reduce wait times in restaurants is communication. If the expectation is that a wait will take 15 minutes, but the client still hasn't been seated in 20, they start to get impatient. A good restaurant queueing system can help to set new expectations when things go wrong so that clients don't feel in the dark. QLESS implements bi-directional communication. This means that clients can communicate with the restaurant in two ways: Customers receive immediate updates about adjustments to their wait time via a mobile device. Customers can submit feedback directly to the restaurant via the app regarding their experience. The beauty of this communication improvement is that it further helps to reduce the frequency of walkaways. At the 30-minute wait mark on a wait that was supposed to be 15 minutes, with no communication from the restaurant queueing system, clients often feel dejected. They are hungry, confused, and aren't being communicated with. This is the prime example of someone who will walk away from the line without eating. With direct-to-customer updates, clients know they are being taken care of and can trust that they'll be seated even if it takes a little longer than they thought initially. To promote growth and development in your restaurant and know how to reduce wait times in restaurants, it is important to know who your average customer is, which deals are selling well, and when the popular time for dining is. QLess' restaurant queueing system can tell you all this, and more. With powerful data collection tools, this software can tell you tons of information about customer behavior concerning in-store operations. With this information, you can strategize more profitable marketing campaigns, plan deals in line with your audience, and better promote your brand to targeted consumers. This tangential aspect of a queueing system directly betters the dining experience for future clientele and increases the probability of returning clients. With shorter wait times, better communication, and more targeted marketing materials, your popularity will be seen in stellar online reviews. Your restaurant queueing system will reduce the rate of dissatisfied customers, thereby reducing negative reviews of your business. In addition to the natural improvements that are done to your reputation, QLess helps expedite the review-giving process. Did you know that dissatisfied customers often feel more motivated to leave restaurant reviews than satisfied ones? QLESS sends satisfied customers easy and fast surveys or directs them to Yelp for a review. This simplifies the process for clients so they are more likely to talk about their positive experience. Positive reviews help other new potential customers to decide whether or not they'd like to visit your restaurant. Using a restaurant queueing system to boost your online reputation helps grow your business. If you've ever wondered how to reduce wait times in restaurants, this is it. With this growth comes an even better dining experience for clientele as your company builds into a successful, well-managed facility.
Try QLESS Today For Your Restaurant
Setting QLESS up in your business is simple and takes little time to integrate. The user-friendly interface means that minimal training is required for staff. The system works great for industries like government, healthcare, retail, and education, but is the perfect fit for restaurants. It reduces wait times and walkaways and improves communication, productivity, and reputation instantly. Contact the QLESS team today to get started with your high-tech restaurant queueing system now.