Guest retention | KRG Hospitality

Restaurant host or manager holding menus and leading guests to their table

July 8, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Welcome: Start the Experience Right

Welcome: How to Begin the Guest Experience Like a Pro

by David Klemt

When you think about the guest experience you and your team deliver, how much consideration do you give the welcome?

I don’t mean just the greeting your front-of-house team gives guests. That’s an important part of the equation, but it’s only one element.

Rather, I’m talking about developing SOPs for welcoming guests into your venue. As importantly, I’m also suggesting that you develop specific onboarding and training for anyone who will greet guests and lead them to their seats.

Luckily, one of the best front-of-house trainers in hospitality spoke at the 2024 Flyover Conference in Cincinnati about this topic. Bethany Lucas, director of operations for Maverick Theory, shared her best tips for starting—and ending—the guest experience in a memorable way.

The tips Lucas shared during her Flyover session “Untapped Potential: How to Transform Your Front of House” will indeed transform your business and guest experience.

Now, a word of warning before I begin. Once you read these tips, you’ll likely find yourself analyzing your next few restaurant visits. Ever since sitting in on Lucas’ session, I’ve been unable to avoid paying more attention to how my restaurant visits have begun.

This has included sharing what I’ve noticed with the people in my group. Some of these friends will also pay more attention to the greeting they receive when walking into a restaurant now.

If you’re an operator or front-of-house leader, you’ll probably benefit from checking out restaurants in your area for their welcome procedures.

Invest in Your Door

Operators need to invest in their doors, because “it really is the brain of your restaurant,” says Lucas.

Therefore, it’s crucial that owners and operators understand what’s going on at their doors. Assuming your front-of-house team knows how to greet guests rather than training them on a procedure is a mistake.

Most operators know that hiring the right leaders, kitchen team, servers, and bartenders is imperative to the success of their business. However, the same attention must be paid to finding the right hosts and hostesses.

As Lucas says, “There is no ‘just a hostess.'” Bluntly put, the person running the door is the gatekeeper of the business. They’ll interact with just about every single guest since they serve as the first touchpoint.

So, Lucas encourages operators to ask a number of questions before initiating the hiring process:

Are the ideal candidates formal and proper, or friendly and casual? (Or something else entirely.)
Will the ideal hosts and hostesses need to be thick-skinned?
When considering the appearance of the host team, what does that look like to you? Lucas seeks out people who are polished and professional when building her teams.

These questions should inspire even more considerations, helping an operator identify who they want to run their door.

Welcome

During her presentation, Lucas provided an example of a less-than-ideal welcome. I think we’ve all experienced what she described.

How often have each of us walked into a restaurant, been greeted, and then led to a table by someone who just takes off? The host or hostess grabs menus, starts walking away toward a table, doesn’t speak to you, and doesn’t even look over their shoulder to see if you’re still following them closely.

I know it’s happened to me more times than I can count. Although, I’m happy to report that this hasn’t happened to me since attending Flyover. Maybe what Lucas put out into the world has had a greater impact than she expected.

A polished and professional host or hostess, per Lucas, will not take off when leading guests to their seats. Additionally, they won’t be silent, failing to engage with the guest verbally. Further, a polished, professional host or hostess doesn’t drop menus on a table and rush back to the door.

In fact, Lucas requires each member of her host teams to ask at least one question of guests being led to their seats. This can be as simple, she explained at Flyover, as the host or hostess turning and asking “How are you today?”

It’s important to note that this attention to the door team isn’t reserved for upscale or fine-dining venues. The beginning and end of a guest’s visit are too important to fail to plan them properly. Regardless of concept and category of venue, guests must feel welcome and valued.

Farewell

According to Lucas, the farewell can absolutely impact how a guest perceives their visit, and the brand overall. While the server or bartender who served the guest should thank them at the end of their visit, so should the person who first welcomed them.

A simple “thank you for visiting us” can go a long way and serve as a cherry on top of the entire experience.

However, there’s another tip Lucas shared that has really stuck with me. A truly a savvy host team will add a question after they thank a guest for their visit: “Can I make a reservation for you for your next visit?”

Doing so requires the ability to read a guest and their satisfaction with their visit. However, if executed well this is a brilliant way to increase your guest retention rate and convert a first-time guest into a repeat guest, and eventually a regular.

If you’ve read this far, I encourage you to consider your welcome SOPs and door team today. You and leadership team should observe the door and note how guests are being welcomed.

If the procedure doesn’t impress you, it’s not impressing your guests. And if it isn’t impressing your guests, ask yourself why they’d return.

Your door isn’t “just a door,” and your hosts aren’t “just hosts.” Remember that, and plan accordingly.

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system.

June 4, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

SevenRooms Announces Powerhouse Ad Board

SevenRooms Announces Powerhouse Advisory Board

by David Klemt

"Good news is coming" sign taped to a pole on the street

One of our favorite hospitality technology platforms, SevenRooms, is back at it, showing off their commitment to growth through an announcement made today.

Regular readers of KRG Hospitality’s industry news section may recall an impressive announcement from SevenRooms toward the end of last year. In late November of 2023, the innovative hospitality CRM, operations, reservation, and marketing platform released not one, not two, but three powerful new tools:

Priority Alerts
Private Line
Word-of-Mouth Referrrals

Those who may have missed this announcement can read about these tools here.

Today’s news, however, isn’t based on the release of an innovative new tech feature. Rather, it has everything to do with SevenRooms looking toward the future. The hospitality tech leader is proud to announce CAB, their Customer Advisory Board.

Images of the SevenRooms inaugural Customer Advisory Board members

At the launch, CAB features five hospitality industry heavy hitters. Each represents a hospitality titan, such as MGM Resorts International, Union Square Hospitality Group, and Black Sheep Restaurants. Each member is tasked with analyzing AI, revenue management, and the future of hospitality, and the opportunities presented by each.

Personally, I’m particularly interested in what CAB members will have to say about AI in the industry by year’s end.

For more details, please review the official press release below.

SEVENROOMS ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF CUSTOMER ADVISORY BOARD WITH GLOBAL HOSPITALITY LEADERS

MGM Resorts International, Union Square Hospitality Group, Black Sheep Restaurants, Australian Venue Co., and MJMK Restaurants join to provide strategic insights on the future of hospitality, emerging trends, and key technological opportunities

NEW YORK (June 4, 2024) – SevenRooms, the leading marketing and operations platform for the hospitality industry, today announced the creation of its inaugural Customer Advisory Board (CAB). Composed of hospitality experts and thought leaders from the United States, Hong Kong, Australia, and United Kingdom, SevenRooms’ CAB will serve as a strategic forum to explore, discuss and action opportunities within the hospitality industry.

CAB members joined SevenRooms executive leadership at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to discuss the 2024 board theme of “Future Proofing to Serve up Success.” CAB attendees gained deeper insight into industry trends and best practices from global markets, discussed the value of loyalty in building hospitality-focused businesses with their peers, and debated how technology can help bridge the gap between guests and restaurants to deliver revenue-driving experiences. Throughout 2024, CAB members will continue to explore the following areas of opportunity:

Future of Hospitality – consumer sophistication, technology consolidation and the preparing workforces for what’s to come
Artificial Intelligence – authenticity and the importance of maintaining human, hospitality-focused connections
Revenue Management – data storytelling and how to make more money from the
same seats

As the consumer of tomorrow evolves, with new demands and expectations, SevenRooms’ CAB will continue to explore what authentic, hospitality-driven experiences look like for both hospitality operators and consumers. Plus, develop strategies for how technology like SevenRooms can provide a blueprint for growth to help operators own and elevate the guest experience to build loyalty. This includes leveraging CRM and marketing tools that not only help their businesses grow, but ensure they’re set up for long-term success by generating more predictable revenue, more often.

“We are excited to launch our Customer Advisory Board, welcoming this esteemed group of industry leaders deeper into our community,” said Joel Montaniel, CEO and Co-Founder of SevenRooms. “At SevenRooms, we are committed to the long-term success of our customers both now and in the future. As leaders in innovation, we empower operators to build sustainable, profitable businesses with guest experience at their core. With our board members’ diverse perspectives and deep industry knowledge, they will be instrumental in helping us better understand and address the needs of our customers and the wider global hospitality industry, ultimately, helping them better serve their guests.”

The inaugural members of the Customer Advisory Board include:

Ari Kastrati, Chief Hospitality Officer, MGM Resorts International
Kelly MacPherson, Chief Supply Chain & Technology Officer, Union Square Hospitality Group
Syed Asim Hussain, Founder, Black Sheep Restaurants
Kylie Moncur, Chief Marketing Officer, Australian Venue Co.
Hannah Berry, Marketing Director, MJMK Restaurants

“Working with Joel and the SevenRooms team over many years, I’ve seen firsthand their commitment to the hospitality industry and its continued growth and evolution; passions I too hold very dear,” said Ari Kastrati, Chief Hospitality Officer at MGM Resorts International and Chairman of SevenRooms’ Customer Advisory Board. “I am honored to chair this new advisory group, with a collective goal of supporting and empowering hospitality businesses as they navigate an increasingly complex market and strive to elevate experiences for diners of today and tomorrow.”

For more information about SevenRooms and its Customer Advisory Board, please visit sevenrooms.com/customer-advisory-board.

About SevenRooms

SevenRooms is a leading marketing and operations platform for growing restaurants in the hospitality industry. From Michelin star gems to local favorites, the all-in-one platform helps restaurants increase sales, delight guests, and keep them coming back, automatically. The full suite of products includes reservations, waitlist and table management, review aggregation, referrals, email marketing, and marketing automation. Founded in 2011 and venture-backed by Amazon, Comcast Ventures and PSG, SevenRooms has more than 10,000 dining, hotel F&B, nightlife and entertainment clients globally, including: Marriott International, MGM Resorts International, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Wynn Resorts, Jumeirah Group, Hard Rock Hotels & Resorts, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Bloomin’ Brands, Union Square Hospitality Group, Australian Venue Co., The Wolseley Hospitality Group, Dishoom, Live Nation and Topgolf. www.sevenrooms.com

Image: Jon Tyson on Unsplash

November 8, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

US Restaurant Employment Still Short

US Restaurant Employment Creeping Toward February 2020 Levels

by David Klemt

Keep pushing. We have work to do to reach February 2020 employment levels.

After what appeared to be a strong September 2023, restaurants and bars saw a decline of 7,500 jobs in the month of October.

In fact, the strong numbers from September were notably weaker once revised. After revisions, eating and drinking businesses added 48,300 jobs, not the nearly 61,000 from preliminary reports.

Importantly, a correction in employment numbers for August 2023 has revealed further declines. Initially, reports stated that restaurants had added 14,400 jobs. Unfortunately, the corrected number showed that restaurants shed 9,300 positions.

However, context is important. Notably, the unemployment rate in the US has remained under four percent for nearly 24 months. As of the latest reporting by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment is at 3.9 percent.

Numbers by Restaurant Category

The data in this subsection comes from the National Restaurant Association. As the NRA notes, this information is based on data from September 2023.

These numbers should provide further context for restaurant and bar’s current situation. Some restaurant categories are struggling more than others to reach or surpass pre-pandemic levels of employment.

Below, employments numbers for September 2023 in comparison to February 2020.

Full-service: -214,000 jobs
Quick-service and Fast Casual: +128,000 jobs
Bars and Taverns: +50,000 jobs
Cafeterias and Buffets: -36,600 jobs
Catering and Mobile Food Service: +14,900
Snack and Non-alcohol Beverage Bars: +107,000 jobs
Foodservice Contractors: +15,100 jobs

As you can see, full-service restaurants are struggling the most to reach pre-pandemic employment numbers. However, QSRs and bars have surpassed that milestone.

By the Numbers

Below, the change in employment in each state and Washington, DC. The time period the data span runs from September 2019 to September 2023*.

Alabama: -5,700 (-3.4%)
Alaska: +100 (+0.4%)
Arizona: +18,200 (+7.6%)
Arkansas: +7,900 (+8.1%)
California: +32,700 (+2.2%)
Colorado: +9,100 (+3.8%)
Connecticut: -1,200 (-1.0%)
Delaware: +2,500 (+6.4%)
District of Columbia: -2,500 (-4.5%)
Florida: +35,200 (+4.4%)
Georgia: +21,800 (+5.5%)
Hawaii: -4,900 (-6.9%)
Idaho: +7,000 (+11.5%)
Illinois: -11,000 (-2.3%)
Indiana: +7,900 (+3.2%)
Iowa: -200 (-0.2%)
Kansas: +4,800 (+4.7%)
Kentucky: -400 (-0.2%)
Louisiana: -9,000 (-5.2%)
Maine: -4,000 (-7.9%)
Maryland: -16,700 (-8.0%)
Massachusetts: -15,600 (-5.6%)
Michigan: -21,400 (-6.3%)
Minnesota: -9,000 (-5.2%)
Mississippi: -1,700 (-1.7%)
Missouri: -3,500 (-1.5%)
Montana: +4,500 (+10.7%)
Nebraska: +600 (+0.8%)
Nevada: +22,300 (+16.7%)
New Hampshire: -1,500 (-2.9%)
New Jersey: +7,400 (+2.7%)
New Mexico: +3,100 (+4.2%)
New York: -10,000 (-1.4%)
North Carolina: +12,900 (+3.3%)
North Dakota: -100 (-0.3%)
Ohio: -6,300 (-1.4%)
Oklahoma: +3,600 (+2.5%)
Oregon: -2,000 (-1.2%)
Pennsylvania: -5,600 (-1.3%)
Rhode Island: -2,000 (-4.3%)
South Carolina: +1,000 (+0.5%)
South Dakota: +3,100 (+9.4%)
Tennessee: +8,000 (+3.0%)
Texas: +74,200 (+6.6%)
Utah: +12,900 (+12.0%)
Vermont: -1,000 (-4.7%)
Virginia: -100 (-0.0%)
Washington: +3,900 (+1.5%)
West Virginia: -2,600 (-4.6%)
Wisconsin: -8,100 (-3.8%)
Wyoming: -100 (-0.5%)

Ups and Downs

First, the less-positive news: restaurant employment is below pre-pandemic levels in more than half of the country. Including Washington, DC, 27 states are still lagging behind September 2019.

However, in some cases the change is negligible.

For example, Wyoming is down just 0.5 percent, and Virginia is down just 100 jobs or 0.00033 percent. Of the 27 states seeing declines, 20 are down less than five percent in comparison to September 2019.

Of course, it’s important to note that Hawaii, Michigan, and Massachusetts are down more than five percent.

So, to the good news. Two dozen states are enjoying restaurant and bar employment above September 2019 levels.

Four states are up more than ten percent. Nevada is leading the way, up 16.7 percent. Next is Utah, up 12 percent. Following in third is Idaho, up 11.5 percent.

Takeaways

Restaurant employment’s pre-pandemic peak was in February 2020. As of the most-current data, we’re down 14,000 jobs.

According to the most recent data, restaurants and bars employ 12.32 million people in the US. While we have yet to reach the 12.34 million that were employed in February 2020, we’re not far off. We still have reason to be positive about recovery.

The larger threat looming over operators is rising costs. Additionally, depending on the source, a recession is either a possible or current threat.

Of course, there’s still increasing demand from consumers to gather at restaurants and bars. So, again, there’s reason to remain positive.

This is all to say that numbers without deeper understanding and nuance only provide surface context. They can make us panic or breathe a sigh of relief, seemingly at the drop of a hat. We can either worry that we haven’t reached the pre-pandemic milestone, be positive that we’ll reach that number in the near future, or decide that perhaps that metric shouldn’t be the primary one by which we measure recovery.

In short, operators positioning themselves for long-term success understand their market, their teams, and their guests; focus on staff and guest retention; develop community engagement and support; and have strategic clarity.

*Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Restaurant Association

Image: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

White "Reserved" sign in wooden block on table

June 14, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Why You Need to Use Direct Bookings

Why You Need to Use Direct Bookings

by David Klemt

A new report from guest retention platform SevenRooms shows that like delivery, guests prefer to support restaurants directly when it comes to reservations.

Similar to their awareness of third-party delivery platform fees, today’s guest appears to be aware that third-party marketplaces cost restaurants and bars too much.

Let’s consider the guest discovery journey. According to their 2023 Dining Discovery & Booking Report, SevenRooms says most guests discover new restaurants via word of mouth. In fact, 61 percent of people rely on family, friends, and co-workers to find new restaurants. A third of diners use Google (33 percent), and nearly as many use social media (29 percent).

So, what role do third-party marketplaces play in restaurant and bar discovery? Per SevenRooms, not even ten percent of people who discover new places to grab a bite or a drink use such platforms.

Their research shows that just nine percent of diners use OpenTable to find new restaurants. However, that’s three times the number of diners that Resy (three percent) is seeing use their platform for discovery.

Okay, so what does this mean to you, the operator? It means that you should be leveraging a direct-booking feature. Guests are telling us how they want to experience restaurants and bars. They’ve let us know they prefer direct delivery. Now, they’re letting us know they prefer direct booking.

In other words, give them what they want: user-friendly ways to support your business. Make it easy to find you on social. Ensure your website is functional and easy to navigate. And give delivery and booking buttons prime real estate on your website so guests can find them quickly.

I also recommend communicating that you offer direct bookings, and thanking those who use that functionality for supporting your business directly. This can, of course, be done via automated marketing emails.

For more information—including how many diners call restaurants directly to make reservations—please read the SevenRooms press release below. You can also download their latest report here.

SEVENROOMS CONSUMER DATA UNVEILS HOW GUESTS ARE DISCOVERING AND BOOKING RESTAURANTS

Leading guest experience and retention platform highlights consumer expectations for discovering new restaurants and making reservations

NEW YORK (June 7, 2023) – SevenRooms, a guest experience and retention platform for the hospitality industry, released its latest consumer report, “2023 Dining Discovery & Booking Report,” highlighting how guests discover new restaurants and book reservations. One thing is clear – diners are utilizing many channels for discovery – from word of mouth to a variety of online channels. Nearly two-thirds (61%) of diners hear about or discover new restaurants from friends, family and co-workers, followed by 33% using Google, 29% searching social media for restaurant profiles and 22% discovering through social media influencers or trusted sources. Only a small percentage use third-party platforms such as OpenTable (9%) and Resy (3%) to discover new restaurants.

“Coming out of the pandemic, operators are navigating an entirely new landscape which includes how diners are discovering and booking reservations,” said Joel Montaniel, CEO & Co-Founder of SevenRooms. “In this new world three things are clear: being everywhere diners are online is table stakes, diners prefer to book directly as opposed to using a third-party app, and while third-party apps are still important, Google is quickly becoming one of the preferred destinations for diners when they don’t go direct to the restaurant.”

Defining today’s restaurant guest

In the United States, today’s guests expect more than just a meal, and creating opportunities to build loyalty will set restaurants apart. Each experience can turn a one-time diner into a loyal guest – but it must include personalized touches from start to finish. It is critical for operators to own their data to create a relationship with each guest based on preferences, past visits and upcoming special occasions noted when booking direct. By building this relationship, operators are able to be more proactive with their guests, personalize dining experiences and use the data they collect to curate experiences that will ultimately drive more revenue.

The beauty of a direct booking platform is the ability to capture that data; for example, asking the guest when they are booking if they are celebrating anything special, or noting dietary preferences. Guests are also willing to make that extra step to make sure they have an excellent experience – nearly half (45%) of diners will call the restaurant directly to book a reservation, and 35% will book through the restaurant’s website. Twenty-nine percent of diners also say that they receive better experiences at the restaurant when they book direct, and more than 1 in 4 (27%) feel restaurants prioritize their reservation when doing so.

Similar to how today’s diners are catching on to the experiential benefits of booking direct, they are also realizing that third-party platforms are not actually in the best interest of the restaurant. Sixty-one percent believe that making reservations directly with the restaurant, rather than with a third-party reservation platform, is better for the restaurant. Additionally:

29% of respondents want to do all they can to directly support restaurants
17% of respondents noted that third-party reservation platforms charge too much in fees to the restaurant, and guests would rather not have the restaurant incur that cost

“As the expectation for incredible experiences grows, third-party reservation platforms are losing market share as diners prefer to book directly with restaurants to ensure they get the best experience,” said Montaniel. “SevenRooms has always been dedicated and focused on empowering operators to deliver the most personalized guest experiences. Our omnichannel approach, enabling restaurants to meet guests wherever they are, whether through global discovery and booking channels or a restaurant’s own website, helps operators serve diners in this new world while helping them operate more sustainable and profitable businesses.

To learn more about SevenRooms, please visit www.sevenrooms.com.

About SevenRooms

SevenRooms is a guest experience and retention platform that helps hospitality operators create exceptional experiences that drive revenue and repeat business. Trusted by thousands of hospitality operators around the world, SevenRooms powers tens of millions of guest experiences each month across both on- and off-premises. From neighborhood restaurants and bars to international, multi-concept hospitality groups, SevenRooms is transforming the industry by empowering operators to take back control of their businesses to build direct guest relationships, deliver exceptional experiences and drive more visits and orders, more often. The full suite of products includes reservation, waitlist and table management, online ordering, mobile order & pay, review aggregation, email marketing and marketing automation. Founded in 2011 and venture-backed by Amazon, Comcast Ventures, PSG and Highgate Ventures, SevenRooms has dining, hotel F&B, nightlife and entertainment clients globally, including: MGM Resorts International, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Wynn Resorts, Jumeirah Group, Hard Rock Hotels & Resorts, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Bloomin’ Brands, Giordano’s, Australian Venue Company, Altamarea Group, AELTC, The Wolseley Hospitality Group, Dishoom, Live Nation and Topgolf. www.sevenrooms.com

Image: Алексей Вечерин on Pexels

May 26, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Raise the Bar: The 3 Ps of Hospitality

Raise the Bar: The 3 Ps of Hospitality

by David Klemt

No, one isn’t “pineapples.”

Nightlife, bar, and cocktail experts Mia Mastroianni, Phil Wills, and Art Sutley want operators to focus on what they call “the Three Ps.”

The engaging trio shared their trio of Ps recently in Las Vegas at the 2023 Bar & Restaurant Expo.

So, what are the Three Ps of hospitality? People, Place, and Product. Operators who pull the threads tighter on each of these crucial elements will be well on their way to improving operations and the guest experience.

People

Remember all the way back to a week ago when I shared Mastroianni, Wills, and Sutley’s thoughts on service versus hospitality? Consider the first P a deeper dive into that topic.

Operators need to focus on two categories of people who help their businesses succeed: their teams and their guests.

Addressing the former, the trio feels that operators are centering a disproportionate amount of their attention on guests in comparison to staff.

“We’re not lacking for people who want to work in the business and are outperforming other industries, but we’re not focusing on staff like we focus on guests,” says Wills. “Treat everyone with respect, including through the hiring process. If you don’t engage your staff, you won’t retain them. You need to show them they can grow in your business.”

According to Sutley, 89 percent of operators say that labor costs present a “significant challenge.” It follows, then, that committing to treating staff with respect and nurturing their careers isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s smart business.

Look for people with passion, those you can motivate to go above and beyond so you’re not stuck with a team full of space-fillers who are just after a paycheck, suggests Mastroianni.

Of course, operators and their teams must also focus on providing exceptional service and experiences to guests.

“Treat ever guest like a pearl in an oyster,” advises Wills. “They’re the pearl, we’re the oyster. We need to ‘protect’ them.” Anything less, cautions Sutley, and guests won’t return.

Place

Interestingly, the trio touched on design, aesthetic, and vibe. However, that isn’t the crux of the second P.

Rather, Place is really goes back to the guest experience. The design, aesthetic, and vibe need to meet guest expectations.

“Make sure your space is what it’s supposed to be,” says Wills.

For example, if a concept presents itself as a high-end cocktail bar, the four walls need to deliver on that expectation. With the exception of a handful of high-level examples, an upscale bar won’t survive if they deliver a dive bar—not neighborhood bar, dive bar—vibe and service. (For the record, I love a dive bar. But I don’t expect to encounter TV trope-style dive bar service if I walk through the doors of a high-end cocktail bar.)

One way operators can ensure their space is what it should be is standardization. Once a concept goes from idea to brick and mortar, when the owner’s vision is realized, the team needs to deliver a matching experience. Steps of service, systems, procedures…standardization is the name of the service game.

“Standardize your opening, shift, and closing procedures and systems to maintain your place,” says Mastroianni.

Every team member—front of house, back of house, leadership—needs to know and buy into an operator’s standards.

Product

Standardization breeds consistency. And consistency is a key element of the third P, Product.

Per Sutley, 76 percent of operators have noticed that guests are opting for more premium drinks. That’s great news, but it’s not the whole story.

It’s great that guests are opting for more expensive drink options. After all, that can certainly help the bottom line.

“However,” cautions Mastroianni, “they won’t come back without consistency in production.”

To drive this point home, consider this story from Mastroianni. A bartender made her a drink, and it was pretty good. She ordered another one from the same bartender and watched him make it differently the second time around. Not only was this second version different, it was better. While one could view this story through a positive lens—the drink was even better the next time!—that’s not the correct takeaway.

If the bartender was committed to building cocktails consistently, the second version of that cocktail would’ve been the first one served to Mastroianni. It would be the best version, and it would always be that impressive version.

When we’re fighting the possibility that up to 70 percent of first-time guests never return, the importance of product consistency can’t be overstated.

“Really focus on the small details to affect big change and get guests through the doors and keep coming back,” says Wills.

Image: Aleksandar Pasaric on Pexels

May 18, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

SevenRooms and Marriott Partnership

SevenRooms and Marriott Reveal Global Partnership

by David Klemt

Fresh from launching the innovative Pre-Shift pre-service tool, SevenRooms today announces the platform’s latest partnership.

The announcement, which you can read in its entirety below, shows the confidence that some of the most recognizable hospitality brands in the world have in SevenRooms capabilities.

Specifically, the platform is now a preferred restaurant technology provider throughout Marriott International‘s portfolio. In fact, Marriott is leveraging the SevenRooms suite of tech solutions at several of their brands in more than a dozen countries. This translates to over 8,500 properties using the platform’s powerful booking, relationship management, and marketing tools.

Among the brands utilizing SevenRooms tools are The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, EDITION Hotels, The Luxury Collection, and W Hotels.

The latest news to come from SevenRooms again underscores the platform’s commitment to growth and longevity. After more than a decade in operation and service to hospitality operators, it’s safe to say the company has reached ubiquity.

You may not operate a hotel or operate within a hotel. You may not oversee a multi-unit or multi-concept business. This news should be no less important to you.

When developing your tech stack (a service KRG Hospitality provides) it’s important to choose platforms that are here to stay. Otherwise, your investments of time and money go up in smoke. Likewise, the disruption to operations and service as you seek a new platform are harmful to you, your team, and guests.

So, it can be wise to not just dig into the platforms you’re considering, it can be smart to see what companies trust them as partners.

SevenRooms is a platform that we’re comfortable recommending to many of our clients. And no, we’re not paid or otherwise compensated to do so.

To learn more about SevenRooms partnering with Marriott International, see below.

SEVENROOMS SELECTED AS A MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL PREFERRED RESTAURANT TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER

The global technology platform will power personalized guest experiences to increase revenue while providing deeper guest insights for the global hospitality company

NEW YORK (May 18, 2023) – SevenRooms, a guest experience and retention platform for the hospitality industry, today announced its agreement with Marriott International to become a preferred restaurant technology provider. SevenRooms is currently live across 25 countries at Marriott brands including W Hotels, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Sheraton, JW Marriott, Le Méridien, Westin, Marriott Hotels, Renaissance Hotels, EDITION Hotels, The Luxury Collection and Gaylord Hotels. This will unlock additional opportunities at the more than 8,500 Marriott International properties worldwide.

SevenRooms is a data-driven guest experience and retention platform focused 100% on building operator-focused tools. The platform offers solutions to global brands that not only increase revenue generation, but help them build long-term relationships with guests.

For restaurants, bars, and other F&B outlets in Marriott-branded hotels, the SevenRooms platform offers a suite of tools to help drive incremental revenue, increase operational efficiencies, and offer exceptional guest experiences. Through SevenRooms’ Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Marketing Automation capabilities, Marriott’s hotels are not only able to cultivate meaningful, direct relationships with guests, but access a 360-degree view into the guest journey to foster deeper guest loyalty.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Marriott International as a preferred restaurant technology provider, helping them deliver more personalized experiences for their guests around the world,” said Joel Montaniel, CEO & Co-Founder of SevenRooms. “Today, consumers expect more out of their F&B experiences whether they’re staying local or traveling abroad. They want to engage with hotels, restaurants and bars on their own terms, and are increasingly discovering and booking where to eat and drink across an array of channels. With SevenRooms, operators have access to tools that help them reach these guests while driving operational efficiencies by connecting F&B into their overall hotel strategy to generate revenue and increase profitability. Our suite of products not only helps operators of Marriott-branded hotels provide guests with exceptional experiences that enhance positive sentiment and drive increased loyalty, but enables them to do so at scale, automatically. We look forward to working with Marriott as we enable them with technology to build longer-lasting, more profitable relationships with their guests.”

Marriott International properties can now incorporate much of SevenRooms’ suite of tools and solutions, including Customer Relationship Management (CRM), on-premise table management, waitlist management, marketing automation, email marketing, order management and review aggregation.

“Marriott’s hospitality roots began in restaurants, and we want to provide exceptional, unforgettable restaurant experiences for our guests,” said Matthew Von Ertfelda, Senior Vice President, Food & Beverage at Marriott International. “With SevenRooms, we’re not only able to provide guests with the experiences they crave, but we can leverage a robust suite of tools to help turn one-time guests into lifelong guests.”

To learn more about SevenRooms, please visit www.sevenrooms.com.

About SevenRooms

SevenRooms is a guest experience and retention platform that helps hospitality operators create exceptional experiences that drive revenue and repeat business. Trusted by thousands of hospitality operators around the world, SevenRooms powers tens of millions of guest experiences each month across both on- and off-premises. From neighborhood restaurants and bars to international, multi-concept hospitality groups, SevenRooms is transforming the industry by empowering operators to take back control of their businesses to build direct guest relationships, deliver exceptional experiences and drive more visits and orders, more often. The full suite of products includes reservation, waitlist and table management, online ordering, mobile order & pay, review aggregation, email marketing and marketing automation. Founded in 2011 and venture-backed by Amazon, Comcast Ventures, PSG and Highgate Ventures, SevenRooms has dining, hotel F&B, nightlife and entertainment clients globally, including: Marriott International, MGM Resorts International, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Wynn Resorts, Jumeirah Group, Hard Rock Hotels & Resorts, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Bloomin’ Brands, Giordano’s, Australian Venue Company, Altamarea Group, AELTC, The Wolseley Hospitality Group, Dishoom, Live Nation and Topgolf. www.sevenrooms.com

Image: SevenRooms

May 10, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Ovation Reveals 5 Secrets for Growth

Ovation Reveals 5 Secrets for Growth

by David Klemt

Restaurant guest feedback platform Ovation CEO Zack Oates reveals five secrets to what he calls the “digital table touch.”

The company touts itself as the number-one guest feedback platform. Ease of use is one reason the Ovation is viewed so favorably. Guests receive a two-question survey via SMS. Operators receive honest feedback they can use to improve guest retention and loyalty.

Those curious in learning more about the platform can check out several case studies on the Ovation website. Odds are, one of these studies matches closely with an operator’s own business.

For the purposes of this article, I’m going to focus on Oates’ 2023 Bar & Restaurant Expo education session. Getting even more granular, I’m going to drill down to Oates’ digital table touch approach to guest feedback and retention.

If Oates’ startling claim about first-time guests is true, guest retention is even more difficult than many operators would think. According to Oates, 70 percent of first-time guests don’t return to a restaurant. That number is, simply put, too damn high. Fifty percent is too high.

Feedback Reality

Let’s be honest about in-person feedback. While there are some honest guests out there, for some reason people tend to leave without being honest during their visits. In the moment, most of us will say “great” or “very good” when asked by a server or manager about our restaurant experience.

This is a compelling phenomenon. Per Oates, 15 percent of dine-in orders have issues. And yet most guests won’t say about an issue during their visit. That rate doubles to 30 percent for delivery orders, by the way.

Being totally transparent, Oates says he behaves the same in restaurants. He’s the CEO of a restaurant feedback platform and he’ll still say everything is fine during a visit even when it isn’t. So, while physical table touches are important, they’re likely not giving an operator an accurate picture of what’s going on in their dining room.

In fact, Oates says rather bluntly that “table touches are out of touch.” Further, they’re not scalable, off-premises, honest, or capable of fixing root issues, in his opinion.

Likewise, long-form surveys. According to Oates, long feedback surveys have an abysmal take rate: 0.01 percent. At that point, the rate may as well be zero. Online reviews, as may operators likely know, don’t really represent most guests.

The best solution to secure honest, actionable feedback appears to be Ovation’s SMS-based process.

Secret #1: Make Measurement Frictionless

Hot take: The easier a thing is to do, the more people will participate.

So, operators who want collect valuable guest feedback need to make it simple. If a guest orders delivery, operators should stuff carryout bags and top boxes with a call to action. For in-person dining, they should add a feedback CTA to table toppers. QR codes can make the process very easy. CTAs need to be visible and simple to complete.

The winning formula seems to be a two-question survey and collecting guest data. So, operators should consider enrolling guests who participate and leave feedback in a $100 gift card draw (or something similar).

Secret #2: Drive 5-star Reviews

Oates says that operators should push guests to rate their experiences on review sites. Doing so not only results in collecting valuable feedback, it can boost reviews and increase a restaurant’s visibility. The more discoverable a restaurant is, the more traffic it can potentially see.

Also, a note on actual five-star reviews: that’s not the best score. People tend to distrust perfect scores and one-star reviews. Per Oates, the best score is 4.7 stars, and operators should aim for at least a 4.0.

Secret #3: Respond to Feedback

This means good and bad feedback, and in a timely manner. Per Oates, one bad review reaches 30 potential guests. So, it’s best to address the situation as quickly as possible—if an operator can do so without losing their cool.

To ensure that emotions don’t prevail over rational responses, follow the Three Cs of Bad Review Recovery:

Collected.
Compassionate.
Call to action.

Remember, people want to feel important. When they leave a bad review the underlying feeling driving the review is likely a sense that they’ve been disrespected. Operators attempting to recover from a bad review need to make the reviewer feel acknowledged and important.

Secret #4: Discover and Act on Trends

A business term that has been making the rounds for years now is “kaizen.” This is the concept of everyone in an organization working toward making incremental improvements to the business.

Savvy operators will set aside their egos, find trends within the feedback they receive, and work to improve on any shortcomings.

Secret #5: Text Guests to Bring Them Back

As I’ve said before, if you really want to meet guests where they are, reach them on the phones in their pockets. However, Oates has more advice than simply, “Text them surveys.”

To boost participation, tempt guests with an offer. Oates says to make the offer a good one. So, operators should consider the following:

Come up with an offer and put it first.
Make it a good offer: “The first X amount of people to complete this survey will receive 15 percent off their next visit.”
Track participation via a link.

While operators can leverage each of the above secrets on their own, Ovation’s digital table touch process is seamless and easy to implement. Either way, collecting honest guest feedback and acting on it is one of the most effective methods for improving guest retention.

Image: Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Front of house staff member using SevenRooms

March 3, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

EHI and Danny Meyer Invest in SevenRooms

EHI and Danny Meyer Invest in SevenRooms

by David Klemt

SevenRooms is showing no signs of resting on their laurels, announcing a major new investor: Enlightened Hospitality Investments.

EHI, a private-equity fund, traces its launch back to 2016. The fund, launched by and affiliated with Union Square Hospitality Group, typically makes investments in the $10-25 million range. Generally speaking, EHI makes non-control investments.

As you’re likely well aware, USHG’s founder and executive chairman is none other than restaurateur Danny Meyer. The Shake Shack chairman is also the managing partner of EHI.

Investment in SevenRooms by EHI—and by extension Danny Meyer—is huge news. Meyer now joins other high-profile chef and restaurateur investors in SevenRooms:

Chef José Andrés
Chef Thomas Keller
Jeremy King
Chef Michael Mina
Chef Wolfgang Puck

“At EHI, we always pay close attention to transformative tech that advances high touch,” says Meyer. “Far more than a reservations platform, SevenRooms provides abundant tools to create highly customized guest experiences and equips both restaurant and hotel teams to do what they do best—deliver truly memorable hospitality.”

Continual Growth

Since 2011, SevenRooms has pursued growth while serving the hospitality industry.

Whether in terms of innovation, partnerships, appointing the right people to key roles, or attracting investors, the platform is constantly strategizing to ensure its longevity.

Just look at what the company has achieved over 24 months:

March 2021: SevenRooms appoints Pamela Martinez as the company’s chief financial officer.
September 2021: SevenRooms announces a multi-year partnership with TheFork. The partnership is big news for operators throughout Europe and Australia. Further, the partnership illustrates how the company is pursuing global growth.
October of 2021: The company forms a partnership with Olo. This ensures clients who also use Olo are able to capture data from a key group: off-premise customers. That data creates profiles for such customers automatically. That means operators can learn more about—and effectively market to—customers who engage with them via online orders.
December 2021: SevenRooms and ThinkFoodGroup—the hospitality company behind Chef José Andrés’ portfolio of restaurants—make their partnership public. Interestingly, this partnership also includes ThinkFoodGroup joining SevenRooms in an advisory role.
January 2022: The platform announces the hiring of a chief revenue officer, Brent-Stig Kraus.
December 2022: SevenRooms enters into a partnership with Competitive Social Ventures.
January 2023: The company announces the appointment of their first-ever chief marketing officer.

As our industry rapidly attracts tech platforms and innovations, it can be difficult to know which companies are here to stay.

The growth of SevenRooms shows stability and longevity. Those are two key factors that should inform operator decisions when considering the tech stack.

Image: SevenRooms

December 17, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

What Does Omni-channel Mean?

What Does Omni-channel Mean in Hospitality?

by David Klemt

Buzzword or professional jargon, the term “omni-channel” seems to come up more often as our industry embraces more innovations.

As more social and digital platforms (channels) pop up, your job as marketer becomes more complex.

For a pessimistic take, your marketing efforts are like a ship. Every new marketing channel that gains traction is like a hole you have to plug. Fail to do so and you risk your marketing ship sinking.

Now for an optimistic take. Every channel you can add to your marketing is an opportunity to grow your reach. Increasing the amount of people who become familiar with your brand represents the potential to grow loyalty and sales.

If you want to meet your guests where they are—and you should—you need to have a presence where they are to engage with them.

And that’s just marketing. There are also omni-channel operational tactics you can implement. Unsurprisingly, you’ll likely realize many of those solutions are also digital.

So, what does “omni-channel” mean for operators? It means offering seamless guest experiences pre-, per- and post-visit.

Staying top of mind is also an element of an omni-channel strategy.

Traditional Channels

In terms of marketing, let’s break down the different types of channels available to operators.

A simple way to look at “traditional” marketing channels is that they don’t leverage digital mediums:

Newspaper and magazine ads
Radio and television ads
Direct mail
Billboards
Vehicle wraps
Flyers

Now, some of the above may seem outdated. However, those channels still have reach.

The key is knowing your brand and audience to know if a traditional channel will deliver an ROI. You also need to take the time to figure out where your dollars and time are best spent.

Digital Channels

So, there’s a reason I put the word traditional in quotation marks in the previous section.

There may be a time when digital channels become so ubiquitous that they’re considered traditional.

Just look at the digital channels below and consider how commonplace they’ve become:

Social media
Email marketing
Company websites
Search engine marketing
Newsletters
Text messages

It’s easy to see how one day the channels above will overtake their non-digital counterparts and become the traditional way we market.

The reasons for this are obvious. Digital campaigns are easily measurable, they allow for incredibly specific targeting, and they tend to be more engaging.

Really, the biggest cons that pertain to digital marketing channels are: being viewed as annoying/intrusive; being lost in the sea of ads people encounter every day.

On the execution side, it can still be overwhelming to engage just in social media marketing. However, there are platforms that can help make this task less daunting.

Other Channels

Like I wrote earlier, omni-channel doesn’t only pertain to marketing.

Of course, the term and practice are most often associated with marketing. However, operators have more to think about to truly become omni-channel.

The way your guests interact with your restaurant are also channels. Your front-of-house staff is a channel, technically speaking.

Now, we all know that the pandemic forced operational changes. Many of those changes are here to stay.

So, let’s look at a potential guest journey:

The potential guest receives a promotional offer via email.
They follow the link to an online reservation platform.
After arriving at the restaurant with their party, they check in with the host in person.
The server greets the party, some of whom request a physical menu. Others in the party pull out their phones and access the menu via QR code.
Throughout the meal, the server touches the table to ensure the visit is going well, refill drinks, take additional drink orders, etc.
When it’s time to pay, the party quietly does so via a touchless option and leaves.
A follow-up email is sent for feedback.
After a number of days, a text message is sent out to encourage another visit.

The marketing channels are just one element that makes the hypothetical restaurant an omni-channel operation. Providing digital, touchless menu access and payment are also omni-channel elements.

Those are just a few examples. If you take the time to review your operations; where you can reach new and repeat guests; threats such as third-party delivery; and innovations you can implement, you’ll see where you can make changes to become an omni-channel restaurant.

Image: Dan Gold on Unsplash

December 9, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

ThinkFoodGroup Partners with SevenRooms

ThinkFoodGroup Partners with SevenRooms

by David Klemt

Reservation and guest engagement and retention platform SevenRooms and ThinkFoodGroup announce their new partnership today.

This announcement marks at least the third high-profile partnership involving SevenRooms.

One partnership from earlier this year is with online ordering platform Olo. Another is between SevenRooms and TheFork.

As is normally the case when it comes to SevenRooms partnerships, the relationship will be collaborative.

ThinkFoodGroup be onboarding the restaurants in their portfolio onto the platform. This maneuver will deliver several benefits through the full SevenRooms suite:

Reservation, waitlist and table management
Marketing automation
Online ordering capability
Rating aggregation

Additionally, ThinkFoodGroup will be joining SevenRooms in an advisory role. The platform will benefit from the expertise of Chef José Andrés and the ThinkFoodGroup team.

In short, ThinkFoodGroup will gain valuable insight into their guests throughout their entire portfolio. SevenRooms will gain valuable insights they can use to improve their platform and better serve the hospitality industry.

Interestingly, ThinkFoodGroup appears to have been using SevenRooms prior to this newly announced partnership. The platform is already in use at:

The Bazaar by José Andrés at the SLS South Beach
Bazaar Meat by José Andrés at The Sahara Las Vegas
China Chilcano in Washington, D.C.
China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
é by José Andrés at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Jaleo at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

From Joel Montaniel, CEO and founder of SevenRooms:

“With the hospitality industry returning to full-speed, it’s more important than ever for operators to prioritize technology platforms that are hyper-focused on helping restaurants thrive. We’re thrilled to welcome the ThinkFoodGroup team to our SevenRooms family, helping them build upon their incredible guest experiences across their properties. Most importantly, we look forward to learning from José and his team’s incredible expertise and unique perspective. Supporting and advocating for the hospitality industry has always been at the core of our business. There is so much work for us to do as the industry recovers, and we look forward to walking in lockstep with José and his team to build back better.”

From Chef José Andrés, CEO, co-founder and executive chairman of ThinkFoodGroup:

“Providing outstanding experiences for our guests has always been a priority. In light of the challenges brought on by COVID, we realized just how important it was to have a partner who can help us bring them to life in a seamless way. I am excited to bring SevenRooms into our restaurants globally, and for ThinkFoodGroup to also join the company as an industry advisor.”

From Sam Bakhshandehpour, President of ThinkFoodGroup:

“Pushing the limits of what’s expected in hospitality is at the core of our business. SevenRooms is completely transforming the restaurant technology platform, and we’re thrilled to partner with a like-minded company who thinks progressively and has the cutting-edge technology to challenge the status quo. Together, we will collaborate on building solutions that put operators’ success at the forefront.”

This year’s SevenRooms partnerships, announcement of a new CFO, and innovations (such as their Direct Delivery module), show the platform’s commitment to improvement and supporting the industry.

When operators are selecting the platforms to include in their tech stacks, ease of use and integration, along with growth, should be among their considerations. So, too, should be industry advocacy.

SevenRooms continues to prove that they deserve top marks for each of those crucial elements.

Image: SevenRooms

Quotes provided by SevenRooms via press release