Online bookings save you time, halve the number of no-shows and help you manage peak times more effectively. This article explains which features are essential, how to set it up in under 15 minutes, and shares some practical ways to boost your turnover through bookings.
Making a booking over the phone takes at least two minutes. You have to stop what you’re doing, take notes, and there might even be mistakes in the name or phone number. Online bookings work differently: the customer fills in all the details themselves, and you can see them directly in your system.
But the benefits don’t stop there. With online bookings, you get:
Fewer no-shows. Customers who book online are more likely to turn up than those who book by phone. Add an automatic reminder (via text message or email), and your no-show rate will drop by an average of 20 to 30 per cent.
Better distribution of your visitors. With online bookings, customers can see in real time which time slots are still available. They choose for themselves when they want to come. This spreads your peak times more evenly throughout the day, rather than everyone wanting to visit at the same time.
Fewer mistakes. The system processes all data directly. No more incorrect notes, no more interpretation issues. Simply: name, number of people, time, done.
More control over your venue. You determine exactly how many tables are still available, which shifts are open, and how you allocate groups across your venue. A venue for 40 people? With just a few clicks, you can adjust your capacity and rearrange your tables.
Not every online booking system is equally suitable for hospitality businesses. Many systems are too complicated, ask too much of your customers, or don’t integrate properly with your till. So what should you look out for?
Table and capacity management. The system is designed to help you allocate tables efficiently. If you merge two tables for a group of six people, the system recognises this automatically. You can see in real time how much space you have left, without having to do any mental arithmetic.
Flexible shifts. Some days your business is fully booked, other times fewer tables are reserved. With flexible shifts, you can open and close quickly. Closed for lunch on Mondays? Extra capacity on Sundays? You can adjust it with a single click, and customers immediately see which times are available.
Integration with your till system. This is crucial. Your booking system must not be separate from your till system. It must work seamlessly together, so you don’t have to do the same work twice. Ideally, the customer books online, and that booking appears automatically in your till system.
Automatic reminders. Have the system send a message one day before the booking. This halves your no-shows.
Optional payment guarantee. Some customers cancel without giving notice. A small deposit (e.g. €5) prevents many unnecessary table reservations. Not mandatory, but effective.
You don’t have to enter everything at once. Many business owners start small and expand gradually.
Step 1: Determine your capacity and shifts. How many tables do you have? How many people per table? Are you open for lunch, dinner, or both? Enter this information. You don’t need to set this per table; it’s enough to determine your total capacity per shift.
Step 2: Make the booking feature visible. Add a widget to your website, share the link on your social media,... The easier it is for customers to find, the more bookings they’ll make.
Step 3: Set up automatic reminders. This is a one-off setting that offers huge benefits.
That’s it. Really. You don’t have to get everything just right. It’s better to start imperfectly than to wait for perfection.
During your busiest times, you may receive more booking requests than you have tables available. This is where the Unipage booking system comes in:
Halve capacity. With a single click, you can say: "I’ll only accept half as many bookings." Customers will then see: no more tables available.
Open new shifts. Are you fully booked at 8 pm? Then open an extra shift at 8.45 pm or 9.15 pm.
Merge tables. Are you almost full but still have one table for two? Your system automatically shows that you can also seat groups of three and four people by merging tables.
This sounds complicated, but in reality it happens very quickly. And customers don’t get the standard ‘fully booked’ message, but realistic options that you have control over.
Bookings are just one module in the Unipage ecosystem. Its strength lies in its integration with other applications. When your customer books online, they can also see your digital menu directly via your website .
What if my customers have to pay for online bookings?
It’s not compulsory. Many business owners ask for a small optional deposit (€10 or €20), which they refund when you arrive. This helps prevent no-shows without putting customers off.
Can I still take bookings over the phone?
Absolutely. Online bookings don’t replace phone calls; they reduce the number of calls you receive. You still take bookings over the phone, but now you no longer have to enter everything manually. You simply enter the booking into your system, and that’s it.
How long does it take to set this up?
With the Unipage booking system, it’s quick and easy. You don’t need to configure everything perfectly; simply set your capacity and shifts, and you’re all set. Most business owners have set this up in less than fifteen minutes.
Does this also work well for walk-in customers (no booking)?
Yes. Online bookings and walk-ins can be managed together. You allocate your available capacity, and whatever’s left is reserved for walk-ins. The system keeps track of both.
What if my business isn’t interested in taking bookings?
Then this isn’t for you. But many hospitality businesses are finding that customers actually do appreciate being able to book online. It gives them a sense of control and reassurance.
February is traditionally a quiet month. But with smart booking offers , you can turn this around. For example, offer an ‘Early Bird’ booking: anyone who books between 5.00 pm and 6.30 pm gets a 10 per cent discount. Customers will see this straight away in the booking system, and you’ll fill your quiet hours.
Online bookings aren’t a luxury; they’re a way to work more efficiently, provide a better customer experience, and spread your turnover more evenly. You don’t need to get everything set up perfectly straight away. Start with the basics (capacity, shifts, automatic reminders), and build on that as you see what works.
Would you like to find out more about how to use bookings to boost your turnover? Take a look at everything at your leisure via this link , or request a free demo.
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