How to choose a booking system

A really good booking system is a prerequisite for restaurants and other businesses in the experience industry. But at the same time, many see the booking system as a standalone system, when in fact it can be integrated with the business to facilitate scheduling, increase additional sales and much more.

A good booking system has integrations with scheduling, POS and invoicing systems. In addition, they may include functionality for menu selection and prepayment, which in turn is communicated directly to the POS when the guest arrives. This applies to food, but also to other activities such as bowling or shuffleboard - in which case you and your guests can manage everything in the same booking. It's convenient, not least for all the staff on site, who can then focus on the guest experience and additional sales. 

Here we tell you more about six features that can make your booking system more than just a booking system.

1. When the guest can make menu selections directly in the booking, you save time, and can also plan purchases better and reduce your waste.

2. When guests can pay a portion in advance through the booking system, you can secure revenue and plan for the evening more easily. Make sure the booking system can handle both card and Swish payments.

3. Noshow: sometimes you don't want the guest to pay in advance but still want there to be a strong incentive for them to call if they don't show up. Standing with empty tables doesn't make anyone happy. With a Noshow function, you can handle this. The guest must then register their card at an online booking and accept the condition that in the event of a Noshow you have the right to deduct a fee.

4. With a built-in invoicing function, you can always invoice a specific booking. Such a feature also allows recurring regular customers to receive monthly invoices for all bookings - specified for each booking.

5. A good booking system allows you to see the booking status directly in the schedule, making it easier to optimise staffing.

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6. Link to POS. When the booking system can be linked to the cash register, you get an unbeatable flow. A reservation with pre-ordered food can turn into a bill at the POS. And if it was agreed that the bill would be invoiced together with the guest's other bookings in the same month, the information can be passed on to an invoicing function.