Good Hospitality Depends on Good Communication

In hospitality, good communication is something customers rarely notice – until it goes wrong.

Whether it is a restaurant, hotel, food hall or busy catering operation, communication between staff can directly affect the customer experience. Delayed food, customers waiting unnecessarily or staff searching for colleagues can quickly turn an otherwise good experience into a disappointing one.

Technology has provided hospitality operators with countless ways to improve communication. Apps, smartphones, Wi-Fi and sophisticated EPOS systems all have their place. But sometimes the most effective solution is also one of the simplest.
Dedicated paging is a good example.

For more than three decades, Long Range Systems (LRS) has specialised in on-site paging technology. Its systems can be found across hospitality and other service industries, and for many operators the LRS name has become an industry standard for guest and staff paging.

In a busy hospitality environment, equipment needs to be reliable, straightforward to use and capable of surviving the realities of everyday service.

For customers, the LRS CS6 guest pager provides a simple solution to an equally simple problem: nobody enjoys standing around waiting.

Instead of asking guests to remain close to reception, a collection point or restaurant entrance, the CS6 gives them freedom to move away. When their table, order or service is ready, bright flashing LEDs and vibration attract their attention without adding another source of noise to an already busy environment.

There is nothing for the customer to configure. No app to download, QR code to scan or mobile number to provide. The system isn’t dependent on the guest having a smartphone, sufficient battery charge, Wi-Fi or mobile reception. They are handed a pager and it does its job.

The same principle applies behind the scenes.

Communication between the kitchen and front of house can make a considerable difference to service. Waiting staff repeatedly returning to the pass to see whether an order is ready wastes time. Calling across a restaurant creates unnecessary noise, while food left waiting can affect temperature, presentation and ultimately the customer’s experience.

The new LRS SP6 waiter and staff pager has been developed with precisely this environment in mind.

Used with an LRS transmitter in the kitchen or at the pass, the system allows staff to call the appropriate waiter when an order is ready. Until that moment, waiting staff can remain on the restaurant floor doing what they do best – looking after customers.

The SP6 represents the latest generation of LRS staff paging technology. It incorporates a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, vibration alerts and four LCD indicators that can convey different messages. Its internal design has also been substantially simplified compared with the previous SP4, reducing the number of components and potential points of failure.

That emphasis on reliability matters.

Hospitality businesses inevitably consider cost, but the cheapest equipment isn’t necessarily the least expensive over its working life. Range, battery performance, durability, UK radio compliance, technical support and expected service life are all worth considering when choosing a professional paging system.

A system that fails during a busy Saturday evening is unlikely to feel like a bargain.

This is perhaps why dedicated paging has survived while so much hospitality technology has changed around it. It doesn’t attempt to replace personal service; instead, it helps staff deliver it.

The CS6 gives waiting customers greater freedom. The SP6 helps kitchen and front-of-house teams communicate without unnecessary journeys or disruption. Both address everyday operational problems that can make a substantial difference to service.

Hospitality will continue to embrace new technology, as it should. But progress doesn’t always mean another app, screen or subscription.

After more than 30 years developing paging solutions, Long Range Systems continues to demonstrate why its equipment has become an industry standard: good communication doesn’t need to be complicated. It simply needs to work.

Call 01782 537000 or visit www.lrspagers.co.uk for further information.