No need to wave to get attention at restaurants, just press a button to get the service you require
Many times people compliment restaurants for their good food, but they often complain about poor service – but that may be a thing of the past.
Dissatisfaction with services is a common irritation in South Africa – it can happen to anyone when they go out to dine with family, friends or loved ones.
While there are few methods to check on the quality of service restaurant’s offer, food lovers rely mostly on word of mouth or social media.
Ushir Shah wants to provide people with another way to enjoy their visits to their favourite eating places.
He is the founder of BellMe, a startup that wants to offer a solution that ensures simpler and faster communication, increasing reaction time and improving customer service and interaction at restaurants, hospitals and retail shops.
Shah aims to encourage industries such as restaurants, hospitals, retirement homes, hotels and supermarkets to improve their services based on customer feedback.
The BellMe wireless paging system is placed in areas with easy access for customers. For example, waiters will wear wireless watch pagers on their wrists.
According to BellMe website, by the simple press of a button, the waiter is immediately alerted of the customer’s need.
“The wireless calling Bell system is also placed at receptions, kitchens, cash desks or info desks, alerting staff when orders are ready. This in turn improves staff response and customer satisfaction, probably the two most crucial success factors in the guest-related industry,” BellMe says on its website.
BellMe’s wireless calling Bell system is already widely used in many industries, giving patients, guests, clients, and patrons the ultimate service with immediate assistance, saving time and lives.
The company would not be drawn into discussing details of its solutions – BellMe would not give away the idea behind the technology or where it was being manufactured.
But so far the technology used by this startup seems to be taking off.
According to BellMe website, users of its system include Pick n Pay in Hillcrest at Durban, restaurants, UBS Bank, Shone Bam False Bay Hospital, Serene Retirement Centre, Spar Royale in in Umhlanga, The Barnyard Theatre in Rivonia and Soviet Head Office in Midrand.
BellMe has also expanded into Mozambique.
According to its Facebook page it claims to be providing the service to the President of Mozambique.
BellMe is now at the President of Mozambique’s house, Ponta Vermelha, Maputo!We supplied the the president with a…
Posted by BellMe on Monday, March 30, 2015
“The BellMe system is relatively new in Durban and thus customers are intrigued and excited about using it. It’s a very good system and the service from BellMe has been exceptional,” says Angelique, a manager at Belaire Suites Restaurant on Durban’s beachfront.
BellMe explains: “We supplied this restaurant with a system for patrons to call waitrons without having to shout or wave their hands. This system helps their clients get service when they need it, without having to wave down a waiter. Call Buttons are placed on the patron’s tables which alert waitrons via Display Receivers (wall mounted) when a patron requires attention.”
The company is already on social media and promoting the system and the wireless watch pagers. It has 89 followers on Twitter page and 148 likes on Facebook page.
@BellMeSa @Chantel_90236 I think Nando’s could need one of these for the crappy service
— chesslynn lourence (@chesslou) July 22, 2015
@BellMeSa Definately @SpurRestaurant it would improve their dope service & assist in customers being served quickly
— Sebabatso Ramongalo (@sebabatso4u) July 22, 2015
@BellMeSa kitchen staff to call waiters when food is ready. So i don’t get served cold pasta like Jbs in Sandton *Sad face* ? @Just_saurii
— JustLa (@NaidooMr) July 21, 2015
BellMe is also at Pick n Pay in Hillcrest, Durban. The startup supplied Pick n Pay with a system for tellers to call their supervisors. This put and an end to waving, shouting, and annoying delays at the till that frustrate shoppers.
Call Buttons are placed at the tellers and management wear Wrist Watch Receivers. Once a button has been pressed when assistance is needed, it immediately sends a signal to the Wrist Watch, allowing management to identify exactly which till requires attention.
Pick n Pay Hillcrest enjoys quick reaction times to attend to queries at tills, thanks to BellMe Wireless Paging Systems.
If you wish you could grab your waiters’ attention with a touch of a button, just check BellMe sytems and the wrist watch pager on their website.
- Email TechFinancials.co.za at [email protected]
