T.G.I. Friday's Provides Servers with a Sixth Sense Through ESP

By Susan J. Campbell

TMCnet Contributing Editor

 

Servers in T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants are soon to have a sixth sense – the ability to know exactly what a customer needs before the server even arrives at the table. This esp-like ability will provided by non other than ESP Systems.

 

The company’s patented, wireless Guest Customized Service system will be deployed in each of the 12 T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants owned by Northeast Concepts, a licensed T.G.I. Friday’s franchisee.

 

“ESP,” a unique wireless system, was launched in late 2005 by ESP Systems after conducting a series of test deployments in three top restaurant chains across the country, including T.G.I. Friday’s. ESP is positioned to be able to allow restaurant employees to customize the service experience to each guest, reduce wait times, prevent costly service gaps and increase the productivity of restaurant employees.

 

Jeff Metz, President of Metz Enterprises, which owns Northeast Concepts, noted that throughout the test deployment of ESP in the fall of last year, the company was easily able to see the many ways in which ESP enhanced the restaurant’s service model, with guests and Friday’s employees alike indicating that the system was overwhelmingly well-received.

 

In partnership with Microsoft (News - Alert), ESP links everyone in casual-dining restaurants within a wireless network. Each guest is provided with access to a small, table-set device, called an “ESP Hub,” that enables them to instantly communicate with their servers. In addition, all front-of-house employees wear an “ESP Watch” that receives the real-time messages from their guests, as well as from the kitchen, bar, hosts and each other.

The ESP system has been designed to be extremely simple and user-friendly to provide guests with the unprecedented ability to shape their own dining experience, while also driving the productivity of restaurant employees.

 

Managers are provided with real-time performance data on their top- and under-performing servers, revealing who can handle more tables and who may be in over their head. ESP can be installed overnight and server training takes less than ten minutes, thus enabling restaurants to realize immediate profits resulting from higher revenues and lower costs.

 

Test deployment of ESP in one of Northeast Concept’s leading T.G.I. Friday’s stores revealed that the solution can make a considerable difference in their service model: 85 percent of guests reported that ESP enhanced their dining experience, 55 percent indicated that ESP would influence their future dining decisions and 88 percent responded that ESP prevented specific deficiencies that have previously led them to never return to restaurants.

 

In addition to the guest experience enhancements, the restaurant experienced a 10 percent table turn acceleration and 93 percent of servers said they would rather work at a restaurant with ESP versus one without it.

According to Devin Green, CEO of ESP Systems, Metz Enterprises, given their continued demonstration of operation excellence and their guest-centric philosophy, is an ideal partner. ESP is excited to partner with such a service-focused company and their award-winning franchise to offer their guests a new breed of dining experience that allows these guests control over their most precious resource – their time.

With the proliferation of casual dining locations over the past few decades, choices seem endless for the consumer. And, while the location selection may depend somewhat on the menu choices, it can also depend greatly on the wait time and the anticipated service. With competition in this area at an all-time high, these restaurants have to search for new ways to not only attract the customer, but also ensure that they come back often.

 

ESP may have provided the answer as it is rare to find the individual who hasn’t had the experience of needing the server to refill a glass or answer a question and they cannot be found. If this frustration can be completely eliminated, the customer experience is sure to be enhanced.

 

But, there is a flip side to this ESP as well. One of the perks of waiting tables is that displaying a natural ‘sixth sense’ can lead to a better tip and thus a better income overall.  Experienced, professional servers can usually anticipate needs and rarely leave a table unchecked long enough for a problem to arise.

 

So, if technology is now going to lend a hand, does the server deserve less compensation from the customer as less effort is required of the server? Sure, the server may be visiting the table more, but only because the customer is able to get their attention through the wireless network. The proactive server now becomes the reactive server.

 

Whether or not most would agree that the tip structure should change, it is unlikely to occur as most customers will base their tip on level of service received. If the customer already leaves twenty percent because they feel an obligation to do so, this same customer may instead leave twenty-five because the service was better than they had previously experienced. This phenomenon could realistically continue until the service that ESP can help make possible, becomes the standard.

 

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