Order Management and Automation System for Hotels and Restaurants
The ServeMe is a set of technical solutions for the hospitality industry which was created with the idea ”We are where the client is”. ServeMe Orders automates the management of orders and requests and provides constant communication with customers and guests wherever they are.
Industry:
Hospitality
Services:
Back End Development, Front End Development, Mobile Development, Software Testing
Location:
Ukraine
Challenge
Our main goal was to develop a product that improves customer service in hotels and restaurants by automating interaction processes with the place’s clients and guests.
Solution
We built the web portal and mobile application for hotels and large restaurant complexes with the following features:
A staff app
Browsing orders
Accepting and processing orders
Order delivery
Browsing staff activities in real time
NFC chip programming
Real-time order status updates
An administrative panel that helps
Create and manage the restaurant's menu (photos of dishes, descriptions, dish weight, presence of allergens), customize dishes
Manage staff
Maintain statistics on service quality: most popular items, staff productivity, and number of orders
Show answers to the most frequent guest questions
Carry out promotions among guests of the establishment
Receive feedback on the quality of service
Send marketing promotions
Multi-location functionality for browsing multiple restaurants/hotels within the panel
A web application
Digital menu
Online ordering
Notifying the staff about guest inquiries
Automatic FAQ
Browsing history of all orders made in all associated hotels/restaurants
Browsing promotions
Order status bar
Rating staff the is serving the guest
A guest application
Duplicate features of a web application
Finding the delivery location based on where the guest is using QR / NFC
Push notifications about changing the order status in the application
Technologies Used
At the core of the ServeMe ecosystem is a highly scalable and efficient cloud-based infrastructure, designed to handle orders and requests with lightning speed and minimum downtime. The system is built using modern front-end technologies such as Angular and React, which enable the creation of highly responsive, mobile-friendly user interfaces that work seamlessly across different devices.
The workflow
Prototyping
The prototype was written using JavaScript on the back-end and front-end, including the apps for guests and staff.
Server development
For server development, we chose the MEAN stack (MongoDB, Express.JS, Angular.JS, Node.JS), for mobile apps – Angular.JS, Ionic and PhoneGap platforms.
Feedback and fixing errors
When the prototype was ready, we proceeded to test it. After fixing errors and improving several processes, we launched the product.
Implementing spot scanning
After the launch, we kept developing and maintaining the product. We implemented QR-code scanning via camera and NFC spot scanning.
iBeacon integration
Using iBeacon tech and a two-dimensional navigation algorithm, we implemented the ability to enter the app without scanning a spot.
Real-time notifications
Using Socket.IO, we supplemented the platform components with real-time notifications so that the staff could receive requests from guests instantly.
Web product version development
After we learned that some of the clients and guests of the restaurants and hotels found the app's entry point quite complicated, we decided to develop a web version of the product that would allow a customer to interact with the establishment staff without downloading it.
About the team
Regarding reaching our product goals, the team relies on the Scrum methodology for our processes and the OKR system for setting and tracking our objectives and key results. This combination helps us stay organized and focused on our end goal while still allowing for agility and adaptation as necessary.
Team composition
Product Owner
1
Team Lead
1
Full-stack developer
1
Front-end developer
1
QA manual
1
UX / UI Designer
1
Impact
The product we designed and built showed terrific results. After simplifying the entry point, the User Entry Rate increased by 200% and the mobile app downloads increased by 50%: having a positive experience from using the web version, users downloaded the mobile app with advanced features. Enabling an automated interaction with clients wherever they are, we improved customer service and added value to the hospitality industry.
