NI app could help the hospitality sector’s future

A Lurgan publican has developed an innovative booking system app to help the Hospitality Sector come out of lockdown.

As ‘wet bars’ face a daunting challenge of how and when they are going to open and how they will be able to operate, JonJo Power, along with Ross Porter of Podium Apps, has developed and brought to market R2S (Reserve2serve).

The new app eliminates no shows, guarantees revenue, has an in-built track and trace device and helps manage capacity and staff.

Fifth generation publican of The Oak in Portadown, JonJo, has spent 2020 pulling together a team of hospitality and tech industry professionals to create and deliver the app, which is rapidly emerging as a key solution to the challenges associated with the reopening of hospitality across Northern Ireland.

A thorough consultation facilitated by strategic partner ‘The Hospitality Managers’ Network NI’ has helped to highlight opinions, ideas and concerns from hundreds of pubs, clubs, hotels, venues, restaurants and cafes across the industry.

Issues like the erosion of customer confidence, expensive no shows, track and trace, reduced capacity and ongoing social distancing requirements were identified among the main concerns for operators keen to open the doors, welcome back their valued customers and get the tills ringing again.

Highlighting the importance of encouraging footfall across all hospitality businesses JonJo Power, Founder of R2S said: “As the Hospitality Industry eyes a return to trading in the shadow of Covid (which has exposed the industry as vulnerable), we will be operating in a new environment of regulatory framework and altered consumer behaviours. 

“R2S was conceived and has been developed and brought to market in order to boost consumer confidence and help encourage footfall across all hospitality businesses with compliance, confidence and traceability at the forefront.

“We will be enabling the venue operator to focus on delivering a high quality hospitality experience to their customers, while providing the customer with a safe, secure and transparent method of making social or business plans to spend and enjoy time in the Hospitality Sector.”

Ross Porter, Podium Apps explained: “Just another App?  No way!

“The brief for the team was to deliver a digital solution based on an innovative and challenging set of requirements delivered by Jonjo in order to re-launch hospitality and stay ahead of the curve of a rapidly changing sector which has been so greatly burdened in these uncertain times.

“Locally developed and uniquely Northern Irish, R2S operates as a booking system furnished with a APP interface, a Covid compliance rating feature,  a full track and trace functionality and a ‘kitty’ generator for the customer which creates a guaranteed minimum spend for the operator, turning expensive no shows into a profit.”

Gary Flynn, Founder R2S, Hospitality Consultant added: “R2S is inspired by the necessity for relevant and effective innovation across the hospitality sector to help deal with the short and long term challenges presented by the Covid pandemic and the subsequent and gradual erosion of consumer confidence. 

“We are delivering a solution for venues to help them plan for the days, weeks and months ahead as the industry tries desperately to emerge from the shadow of the devastating pandemic.

“R2S will inspire customer confidence for people who want to go out and enjoy themselves according to the regulations that are in place at the time. The system allows  the customer to easily browse the licensed venues in their local area and more importantly provide them with an efficient, safe and reliable APP to make plans and reservations.”

For further information check out: www.reserve2serve.com

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