The accepted definition of hospitality is “the friendly reception and entertainment of guests”. Extraorder believe that this has often been lost as staff are too busy order taking and processing payments.
People confuse hospitality with order taking, but hospitality is more about how you communicate with and make people feel welcome.
The introduction of technology such as the Extraorder app can replace the traditional printed menu allowing guests to view and order via their mobile devices. This will enhance the level of guest satisfaction in many ways with great features, such as;
- No staff errors in order taking.
- Allow the staff more time to answer questions and interact with guests.
- Allow guests to split bills and pay at the table without having to queue at the register.
- Allow staff to be more efficient in clearing tables and delivering orders without the distraction of entering orders and taking payments.
- The ability for guests to order additional food and drinks direct to the kitchen and bar should the staff be too busy to come to your table.
The use of the Extraorder app is about combining technology and people, as hospitality is about human interaction. This allows staff more time to concentrate on hosting and guest experience.
The traditional printed menu and all the restraints that come with it should become a thing of the past as modern technology, such as the Extraorder app, allow for a hassle-free ordering and payment experience.
The operator also has a lot of things to juggle in order for the guest to feel they have received a great hospitality experience—especially in today’s heavily regulated environment, where losing a liquor licence can be a lot easier than obtaining one.
That is where Extraorder comes into its own as a tool to assist, and not replace, staff in the provision of a great experience. Several features have been built into the app to assist the operator with their host responsibility. These being;
- Time constraints that can be set with alcoholic items on the menu to ensure licencing hours are not accidentally breached by staff.
- Alcohol tracking feature which monitors the amount of alcohol purchased at each table and provides the bar staff with an alert to check for intoxication.
- “Angela Function”. This has become a common way for guests to alert staff that they may need assistance by asking for “Angela”. The Extraorder app has a special built-in feature that allows a guest to select and flashes an alert at the bar who can then send a staff member to assist that person and see them safely into a taxi or provide what assistance the guest feels they need to get safely away.
All of the guest and host responsibility features provided by the app, therefore, allow for a greatly enhanced hospitality experience.
For more information, contact Greg Harrison at greg@extraorder.app, or phone 0800 002892.
