In any venue, a positive customer experience centres around the interaction between dining and service, which is where new point-of-sale (POS) technology plays an important role. By seamlessly connecting these two critical components, this technology not only expedites transactions but also streamlines various operational aspects like stocktaking, promotions and reporting. It also enables staff to deliver the best service, ensuring that every visit is not just satisfying, but is ultimately memorable and creates loyal customers eager to return. Working with a trusted point-of-sale partner is the first step to achieving this for your venue, which is what Trent Smith, Director of Newcastle pub and wine bar The Dockyard has done by working with Richard Worgan to transition to SENPOS Point of Sale (SENPOS). As one of the newest venues to go live with SENPOS, Trent shared how the new POS system has benefitted The Dockyard and how the business continues to excel.

For over 20 years, The Dockyard has been a leading venue in Newcastle’s trendy Honeysuckle Precinct offering waterfront dining.

Growing loyal customers

The customer experience is top of mind for any venue operator and seeing customers return often is a clear indication that their experience has been unforgettable. There are several ways to encourage customers to continue to visit, and Trent has found patronage increases by offering consistent weekly dining and cocktail specials that make it easy for customers to decide when to dine in. One way The Dockyard measures this is by reviewing their booking system which shows customers regular customers continuing to book so they can capitalise on these weekly specials.

Convenient promotion management

One exciting benefit The Dockyard has received is scheduled promotions. Thanks to the calendar view in the SENPOS back office, promotions, Happy Hour and even surcharges can be scheduled months in advance. ‘We used to have to turn promotions off during public holidays and then remember to turn them back on after, now with the SENPOS promotions calendar it’s so easy and we so far have 3 months scheduled in advance’, said Trent. Whether it be regular promotions or singular offers, scheduling promotions provides peace of mind for staff and can be invaluable during busy trade.

Exceeding expectations

Referrals are critical to any business, and when it comes to improving your point-of-sale experience can be invaluable in finding the best solution. For Trent, the previous POS software ‘basically made owning a business much more stressful than it needed to be’. Following a recommendation from another Newcastle venue helped by Richard, Trent reached out to learn about SENPOS and see what solutions were possible. ‘Richard was great, nothing was too hard and he walked me through the process which was much easier than I expected’, said Trent. With SENPOS now installed, Trent and the team have significantly reduced operational hassles.

Time-saving features

Since transitioning to SENPOS, reporting capabilities have improved and allow Trent to gain 2 hours each week by having sales and stock reports automatically emailed to him each week. For Trent, the previous experience was tedious and time-consuming, but now has ‘more time to focus on the business’. Membership is also important with customers currently able to earn points and receive discounts. With the Member Insights module Trent can observe customer activity and create rewards to maximise their dining experience and visitation.

SENPOS Point of Sale work within the Australian hospitality sector to create tailored point-of-sale solutions for pubs, clubs and other venues. From software and hardware demonstrations, integrations, roadmaps and more, transitioning to a trusted point-of-sale partner can be seamless. Get started today by submitting an enquiry.