Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/383488
www.cheersonline.com 40 Cheers • September 2014 platform integrates with a location's existing AV system, and allows operators to make menu board changes from their mobile devices, which act like a remote. Changes made via mobile device are instantly refl ected on the boards. Simplicity Mobile features a variety of template options, including an "L-wrap." This format promotes menu items on the left side of the screen and along the bottom, enabling the rest of the screen to be used to broadcast television or sporting events—a huge customer draw in bars. Western Sizzlin', a chain of 82 steakhouse restaurants nationwide, currently uses Simplicity Mobile in 46 of its stores. It hopes to add the system to additional locations in the future. "Simplicity Mobile has the ability for franchisees to affect content at the store level," says John Constock, an independent marketing consultant who worked with Western Sizzlin' on the implementation of the digital menu boards. "Because Western Sizzlin' has locations in various states, our menus and pricing vary by store. It's much easier for the individual operators to easily be able to control the menu themselves." Although much of Western Sizzlin's menu is managed by location, Simplicity Mobile makes it easy for the home offi ce to create specifi c content and push it out to all stores. A current promotion developed in conjunction with PepsiCo features a digital ad on the menu board encouraging customers to purchase a Pepsi for a chance to win a free tablet. Constock develops the promotional material and submits it to store operators via Dropbox, who then download the promotion and add it to their own menu boards. The VGS Simplicity Mobile player costs $949; an annual subscription package featuring new templates and other enhancements is available for a yearly fee of $199. SPEEDIER SERVICE Digital menus offer several benefi ts to customers as well. While not all digital menu options currently integrate with an operation's POS system, many of them do. This tablet-based, credit-card check-out option allows customers to pay their bill at their table whenever they want to. "The self-payment option will really appeal to customers who are in a rush and don't want to take the time to fl ag down a server to settle their check," Huether says. "That's where service can easily fall short sometimes, so it's a big upsell for our guests." Other features allow for a more seamless customer experience as well. E la Carte's digital menu platform offers a "service on demand" button that allows guests to send a signal notifying their server that they are in need of assistance. "You don't see things like customers tapping their feet impatiently, or scanning the room trying to lock eyes with their server," Bergelt explains. "The on-demand feature reduces error from a management perspective." BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, a casual dining chain with 153 locations across the country, launched an app this past June to speed up customer interactions. Developed internally, the app is available for customers to download to their smartphone or tablet for free, or its features are also available via BJ's website, says BJ's vice president of marketing Tim Hackbardt. How does the app save time? The wait for a table at BJ's can reach 30 to 60 minutes on weekends, Hackbardt says. Customers can now use the app to check to see how long the wait is at a particular BJ's location. Users can also add their names to the impatiently, or scanning the room trying to lock eyes with their to their smartphone or tablet for free, or its features are also available via BJ's website, says BJ's vice president of marketing Tim Hackbardt. reach 30 to 60 minutes on weekends, Hackbardt says. Customers can now use the app to check to see how long the wait is at a particular BJ's location. Users can also add their names to the