Learn how to avoid lines and improve your service

It is Saturday, the weather is nice and a customer decides to go out to eat or have a drink. He chooses your establishment and the receptionist informs him: “Sir, the demand is a bit high and the waiting time is nearly one hour”. 

The scene is common and happens in the most varied places of the world. The processes that contribute for the formation of line, losses in time and productivity, as well as financial losses, can be studied and scaled in search of solutions. For this, organization and creativity are the keywords! 

To get around situations like these, having a good restaurant management makes all the difference, since the main point of successful management is knowing how to control whether what has been planned is happening, whether everything is going well, and what factors can be adjusted. In this way, it is important that each step (from the order to the kitchen, from the cashier to the stock) is aligned with the company’s mission on how to achieve its purposes and, in particular, to anticipate any problems that may arise.

Some strategies can avoid discomforts, making the waiting time more enjoyable or even eliminating it. It all depends on how you manage the issue. The key is to understand how this will influence profits. Learn some tips that may help you!

# Make the wait less apparent

Betting on entertainment tools can be extremely positive. Televisions, music – live or not – and playground area for children are some examples that help distract customers and decrease the perception of time.

Offering drinks and serving a few complimentary snacks are also worthy initiatives to captivate and brighten the expectation of a table. Thinking this way, restaurants renowned for both good food and long lines have come up with simple measures, such as allowing customers to enjoy appetizers while they wait their turn.

Another good idea, for example, is to invest in a store selling products, which, in addition to distracting the visitor, can generate more income for your place.

# Learn to manage the customer

The way in which the consumer perceives the passage of time can be influenced, giving the impression that it is longer or shorter than reality. A well-explained delay may seem smaller than it is. In such cases, the person in charge must deal directly with the anxiety and annoyance of the customer. Being cordial, calling by the name and emphasizing your concern, going from time to time in the place, in addition to informing the time remaining for the attendance are details that convey consideration.

Very common, the annotation of arrivals on drawing boards should also be strictly controlled to avoid possible confusion.

# Prioritize self-service

The practicality of requesting the order can be a great differential and is a determining factor for most consumers. Through totems, features like Linx Self-Service Degust make it easy to access the menu before the customer arrives at the table – an interesting alternative so that no one is wasting time.

To make the service faster, the solution mainly aims to enable people to make their choices in a terminal, on their own, and already make the payment right there, avoiding the queues in the cashier.

# Commemorative dates

The vast majority of restaurants has had problems with waiting times and complaints on commemorative dates. To mitigate these issues, plan your staff better to serve more quickly and satisfactorily these days.

# Use the technology in your favor

Today, several technological tools available in the market can improve the experience of those who desire a table. Providing mechanisms that allow people to get around while waiting, making reservations online and accessing the waiting list are some artifices that lessen irritation with the delay.

Solutions do not eliminate lines, but offer a smarter management tool for the establishment. This is because investing in a commercial automation system in service brings more agility and allows any establishment to make decisions with more assertiveness.

In addition to automating the analysis of the provided service, some solutions offer valuable information for the administration of the establishment, such as information on the flow of purchases and access and sales numbers. With this type of tool, the company can improve its image and control the flow of people.

The Achilles’ heel for many, lack of care with this moment of waiting can lead to loss of customers and financial loss to the restaurant. To help with this, Linx is always thinking about strategies that can help with its management. 

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