Summary:

OpenTable Manager for iPad enables restaurants to manage their reservations and tables in sync with their OpenTable Electronic Reservation Book. Restaurateurs can make reservations, see their floor plans and server assignments, seat guests, provide status updates, and send text messages to guests on their wait-list. 

Solution:

Lolay, a software development agency known for its expertise in cloud technologies and user experience design, partnered with OpenTable to tackle this complex migration from older in-restaurant Windows PCs to a modern iPad cloud-based solution. This included a redesigned iPad-based Manager application for restaurants.

• Platform modernization: Rebuilding the Manager app from scratch for iPad, utilizing native iOS technologies for optimal performance and user experience.
• Intuitive Interface: The iPad app boasted a user-friendly interface, ensuring even non-tech-savvy staff could manage reservations and operations effortlessly.
• Cloud-Based Access: Real-time data synchronization across the cloud empowered staff to access and update reservations from anywhere, anytime.
• Enhanced Mobility: iPads granted staff, hosts and managers the freedom to move throughout the restaurant, providing a more personal and efficient guest experience.
• Integrated Features: Lolay seamlessly integrated existing OpenTable functionalities like guest communication, waitlist management, and table plans into the iPad app.

Impact:

OpenTable's migration to iPads, with Lolay's expert guidance, proved a transformative success. The move boosted efficiency, staff satisfaction, and customer service, solidifying OpenTable's position as a leader in the restaurant reservation industry. Lolay's partnership with OpenTable extended beyond the initial migration. Lolay's ongoing support involved feature enhancements, bug fixes, and security updates, ensuring OpenTable's software remained cutting-edge and reliable.

• Increased Efficiency: OpenTable reported a 25% increase in reservation management efficiency, attributed to the intuitive interface and increased staff mobility.
• Improved Staff Satisfaction: Net promoter scores for restaurant staff increased by 18% and managers appreciated the user-friendly app and elimination of the older Windows PC that required regular updates, leading to higher morale and productivity.
• Boost in Diner Customer Service: Restaurant guests enjoyed the personalized attention from mobile staff and a 15% decrease in wait times with features including wait-list and queue notifications, resulting in improved satisfaction and positive online reviews.
• Deployment Agility: The cloud-based solution empowered OpenTable to adapt quickly to changing needs and onboard new restaurants 50% faster than before. Modular architecture and cloud deployment also facilitated quicker and more seamless updates for new features and bug fixes.
• ‍Improved Scalability and Cost Savings: The cloud infrastructure allowed OpenTable to scale resources on demand, reducing hardware costs and IT infrastructure maintenance. This translated to an immediate 20% cost reduction on hardware maintenance.

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Read more details in the OpenTable Case Study.