High tech waiters take orders faster and avoid mistakes using new mobile computers

Using the Symbol PPT 2800 Pocket PC handheld computer, staff can take orders faster, make fewer mistakes and lighten their workload by instantly sending orders to the kitchen over a wireless network.

Rather than rushing back and forth between tables and the kitchen, waiters can stay with their customers, maximizing customer service and order size. The wait staff can serve more tables faster using the handheld computer and "cash out" the moment the patron asks for the bill, helping The Irish Village increase turnover and customer satisfaction.

The business benefits of the new system for The Irish Village are compelling -- not only do customers get better and faster service, but profits can also rise. The Irish Village is now able to work with as much as 20 percent fewer people on duty at the same time, allowing it to allocate staff more efficiently.
The Irish Village is one of the busiest and largest social spots in Dubai, with an extremely popular outdoor section.

"In the past, rather than taking orders and ensuring that the customers had everything they wanted, the staff were spending a lot of time queuing up to use one of the four order entry stations," said Dave Cattanach, The Irish Village and Catering Services Manager.

"Customers had a perception that the waiters were hanging around and chatting rather
than taking their orders, when actually they were waiting to use a terminal," he added.

The Irish Village brought in Symbol business partner Key Information Technology (KIT), a technology integrator catering to the hospitality industry, to implement a system that integrates the Symbol PPT 2800 handheld computers and Micros touch-screen terminals (used in the bar area) with a back-end information system, along with eight printer stations distributed around the venue for bill printing.

Waiters now enter the patron orders directly into the handheld computer, which is designed to be flexible enough to cater for "specials" or variations on menu items. Once the order is complete, it is presented back to the waiter to confirm and then communicated to the bar or kitchen to be prepared. Once complete, a runner picks it up and takes it to the appropriate table.

"Something as simple as saving five minutes per customer order multiplies out into a huge amount of time saved on a busy evening," commented Mike Allen, director of channels for EMEA at Symbol Technologies.

"Having the information systems accessible directly from the point of activity means staff can use the technology where it's needed most - when they are interacting with the customer. Symbol's solutions in the field services, logistics and hospitality industries are designed to be rugged, no-fuss and straightforward to use, letting staff work faster, with less mistakes," Allen added.

Symbol products are specifically designed to be ruggedly durable. The Symbol PDT 2800 is sealed to IP54 standards and is shockproof (designed to withstand multiple 1.2m drops onto concrete), making it ideal for "high impact" environments such as the hospitality industry, where drops, knocks and liquid spills are almost unavoidable. It also works comfortably at up to 90 percent humidity at 50 degrees centigrade, not uncommon in the heat of the Gulf summer.

Future plans at The Aviation Club include adding card readers or miniature printers to the handhelds to enable on-the-spot credit card transactions or directly presenting the bill at the customer's table. The Club is also investigating integrating the new hospitality system with its logistics and inventory capabilities to improve operational efficiencies and introducing the wireless waiter system at its other outlets.