Quite a number of restaurants still get waiting customers to their tables the old-fashioned way. The host or hostess writes the customer's name on the sheet and calls it out when a table is ready. The customer cannot leave the reception area because he or she might miss the call. The long wait is necessary because the risk of losing out on a table is too big to gamble with.

Another traditional waiting list method is the distribution of number cards. The receptionist only has to announce the number and the customer with that card is escorted to his or her table. This provides a more orderly sequence for serving customers, especially during peak hours. However, customers still have to wait near the receptionist; otherwise they will not hear their numbers.

Both methods require the strength of the receptionist's voice to get the customer's attention. In a restaurant or bar setting, this is not advisable, because the noise in the establishment will drown out most sounds.

As a solution, some restaurants now use a technological system that uses the basics of text messaging. The only difference is the message is sent and received in the form beeps and vibrations. This system is called bistro paging and it is an emerging trend in food establishments.

Bistro paging is very similar to the paging system that once dominated the telecommunications field before the 1990s. Bistro pagers, however, are one-way receptors of signals, so they only act like an alarm clock. When the pager beeps and vibrates, the customer is prompted to return to the reception area so he or she can be led to the open table. This eliminates the need to call out names and numbers characteristic of traditional waiting line systems.

Because the pager only needs to alarm, the customer can explore the establishment or roam around the vicinity of the place while waiting. Bistro paging has a range wide enough to cover the entire restaurant or bar and a few meters beyond its lot. The customer will not have to wait in line for a long time. He or she will not be bored because there is something better to do.

--

If you have questions, please visit us at www.lrsaustralia.com.au for complete details and answers.

อ่านต่อที่นี่

---