Host stands are no longer just podiums where guests are greeted, and silverware gets rolled; they’re a critical part of restaurant operations. They provide guests with their first impression of your restaurant; it’s where hosts greet arrivals, check reservations, quote wait times, manage the waitlist, rotate sections to balance server workload, pace seating to support the kitchen, and direct off-premises guests and delivery drivers to the correct pickup area. Effective host management is essential to running a successful business.
Why ask one person to manage all of this alone? Adding host stand solution software has become indispensable for restaurants and hospitality businesses. Beyond quoting and seating, it offers powerful features for accurate wait times and reservations, streamlined operations, and an enhanced guest experience for both dine-in and off-premises customers. It’s like giving your host superpowers.
Adding ConnectSmart® Host to your restaurant provides all of this and more.
Key Features of ConnectSmart® Host
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Uses data-driven insights to deliver precise wait time predictions.
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Prevents guests from leaving or becoming frustrated due to inaccurate pickup or seating quotes.
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Ensures guests who join the online waitlist receive reliable information about their place in line and expected wait time.
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Streamlines waitlist management with SMS notifications, optional two-way messaging, and self-arrival for off-premises orders.
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Reservation Management
Take control of all your reservations and keep your host stand organized: no more misplaced Post-it notes from earlier shifts. A strong host management platform lets you:
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Customize availability plans so your restaurant avoids overwhelming reservation volumes and still has room for walk-ins.
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Offer multiple reservation channels:
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In-house
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Your website
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Third-party partners
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Browser widgets
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Create special availability plans for events (concerts, ball games, parades, etc.) so guests know what to expect during busy times.
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Use the table assignment wizard to assign tables based on party size and preferences, optimizing the flow of seating.
ConnectSmart Host helps you make the most of your front-and-back-of-house data.
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Customize dashboards for the host stand, and share relevant metrics with the kitchen if you use ConnectSmart® Kitchen.
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Review key data points such as longest wait times, quoting accuracy, table efficiency, and guest behavior (e.g., where they joined the waitlist or booked their reservation).
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Build a robust guest book with customer profiles, preferences, and visit notes to personalize service.
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Add an API to take advantage of a Customer Relationship Management Solution (CRM)
Flexible API integrations mean you can customize ConnectSmart® Host for your restaurant.
- Implements a loyalty program to reward repeat customers and encourage return visits.
- Uses an API to help support marketing efforts.
- Sends targeted marketing campaigns, such as promotional emails or SMS messages, to reach specific customer segments.
Benefits of ConnectSmart Host
ConnectSmart Host is part of a suite of solutions that connect the kitchen to the front of house and the dining room to the kitchen. Kitchen teams can see the waitlist, number of open menus, and more from any kitchen station. This prevents shouting and keeps kitchen teams in position.
The host also has insight into the kitchen when it comes to seated tables and their meal-stage status. Hosts can also see the status of off-premises orders, without walking out of position only to come back empty-handed because an order wasn’t ready.
The obvious benefits of adding a host stand solution are still there, too:
- Streamlines operations, improves quoting, and increases table turns.
- Improves customer experience when greeting and seating guests, as they have access to customer and visit information to make the experience even better.
- Provides valuable insights into business performance to make informed decisions.
If you already have ConnectSmart Kitchen, choosing the right host stand software is an easy decision. Streamlined operations from front to back and dine-in to off-premises are possible when your restaurant operations are connected.
Look for a solution with a history of innovation, award-winning support, and training resources to help you and your team make the transition from pen and paper or printed receipts to technology that is best in class. From the front door to the kitchen and beyond, ConnectSmart Host is more than just a reservation system; it’s a comprehensive solution designed to help your restaurant operate at its best.
To learn more, visit www.crunchtime.com/kitchen.
