Introduction example: Installation Table ENSO L'asymetrie du calme

We want you to fully enjoy both Hokuriku’s ingredients and the space itself.

— Could you tell me about the characteristics of your shop?

We put a lot of emphasis on ingredients from the Hokuriku region. At the same time, we are particular about creating a space that guests can enjoy in its own right, designing the interior so that you can take in the entire restaurant at a glance.

This place is actually a renovated building that used to be a dressmaking school, and the wood is still the original, and the floor still retains its old look. It’s not that I really like new things; rather, objects that have aged over time develop a nicer character, don’t they?

With new things, if you spend enough money you can make them as good as you like, but I don’t think you can ever recreate the charm that comes from aging over time. I find that kind of value—something money simply can’t buy—deeply appealing.

— Could you tell us about your commitment to using local ingredients?

This area is really great for seafood. Since both the sea and the mountains are close by, chefs can go directly to the source and see the ingredients for themselves.

When I was in Tokyo, I could get plenty of good ingredients themselves. But I always had this lingering sense of dissatisfaction. When I thought about what it was, I realized it was the feeling that it was hard to really sense the four seasons.

I realized that I wanted to cook in an environment where the ingredients are abundant and fresh, where I can go see them with my own eyes, and where I can feel the changing seasons as I cook. That realization was the biggest reason I decided to go independent in Kanazawa.

The name “ENSO” and the transformations experienced by our guests

— Could you tell us how the shop got its name?

When I first started training in Japanese cuisine, my master would sometimes tell me, “Make something simple, just seasoned with salt,” and in kitchen jargon we’d say, “Make it shio-so, please.”

Because I want to always cherish the basic cooking skills I learned back then, I chose the name “ENSO” in the alphabet.

— What is the age range of your customers?

Overall, the age range is broad, but most of our customers are in their 40s and 50s, and we tend to have a higher proportion of tourists than local residents.

Also, recently, the number of overseas customers has increased quite a bit. AutoReserve now supports European languages (French, Spanish, Italian, and German), right? Since then, I feel like we’ve had more customers from Europe as well. It’s really reassuring to see the range of supported languages expanding.

The challenges were handling cancellations and managing reservations.

— Before introducing Respo, what challenges were you facing in terms of reservations and customer support?

There were two main points.

One issue is collecting cancellation fees. With the platforms we used before, there often wasn’t any system in place to collect cancellation fees in the first place, and many of them were designed so that customers could cancel very easily. In reality, when a booking was canceled, it was quite common that we couldn’t get in touch with the customer, or they would just hang up the phone.

However, after introducing Respo, we’ve been able to properly handle cancellation fees that we previously couldn’t keep track of.

Another issue we had for a long time was that, because we were using multiple platforms, we were forced to allocate and manage seats separately for each one, which led to inefficient seat layouts. After introducing Respo, we’ve been able to manage everything in one place, and that aspect has improved significantly.

— Could you tell us why you chose Respo out of all the available services?

It’s not just one thing; it feels like a lot of different conditions all happened to line up just right.

The facts that it could be introduced for free, that we could centrally manage the information from the platforms we had used before, and that it offered measures to prevent cancellations. While we were already positively considering it after learning these points, the final deciding factor was when we asked whether we could transfer the customer data stored in our previous system.

They had information going back to when the place first opened, so I felt it was a huge advantage that we could inherit all of that, and the fact that they agreed to take on that consultation was the deciding factor for me.

— How was the representative’s response?

Right from when we first started talking, your responses were really good.

They responded flexibly to our requests, and for the things they couldn’t do, they honestly said, “We can’t do that,” and then suggested many alternatives like, “How about this approach instead?” That really left an impression on me. I think that was a major factor in seeing them as trustworthy.

When we first started using the system, to be honest there were still many things it couldn’t do on the technical side. We submitted quite a large number of requests, so not everything could be implemented right away, but even so, they responded to us sincerely.

You clearly told us early on what you could and couldn’t do, and we could see that you were trying to improve on top of that, so we felt, “It would be nice if we could gradually make things better together.”

Easy to adapt to each store’s unique operations

— Have there been any changes in operations or workload?

Right now, we’re using both our store’s own paper ledger and Respo’s web ledger. There are parts of the paper ledger that we want to keep as a store record, so we’re using each one in a way that fits how we operate.

Now that we can customize statuses ourselves, we color-code things so that we can immediately see when we’re waiting for answers to important questions like allergies, using a status of “Checking details.” It’s really easy to use because the rules within the store are visible at a glance. Recently, the staff have gotten used to it as well, and we’re able to manage everything smoothly.

ENSO’s reservation chart screen. Reservations are color-coded by status and reflect the store’s own rules.

Customer management for creating experiences that are different from last time

— And how about changes in how you use the customer ledger and customer information?

We make extensive use of the notes section for customer information. Our restaurant offers a daily chef’s choice course, and even on the same day, what we serve can vary from customer to customer.

For returning customers, even if it’s difficult to change things completely every time, we want them to try dishes that are as different as possible from what they had on their previous visit, so we keep a complete record in the notes section of all the course menus we’ve served.

Additionally, as supplementary information, we record necessary details such as whether they request a receipt each time, the content of our conversations, drinks, pairing wines, and so on, and we also take photos and attach them. This allows us to look back on which wines they have had before, and because we keep past visit information and photos, it’s easier to recall our shared memories with the customer.

— Have you noticed any changes in terms of branding since you started using Respo?

Through the reservation system, I feel like we’ve been able to design a real sense of “value in visiting our store.”

With the previous reservation system, customers hadn’t paid anything before coming to the store, so I think it inevitably created an environment where it was easy to cancel. Now, however, a provisional hold is placed for the cancellation fee, and especially for overseas customers, I feel it gives them the sense that “this is a place worth visiting even if I have to pay a booking fee.” The number of people who make a reservation and then simply don’t show up has also decreased significantly.

Respo as experienced on the front lines

— Lastly, for those who are considering Respo from here on, please share your honest impressions.

I really appreciate that you respond to our requests, even if it’s little by little. With many system vendors, you often don’t get any response at all, or they only say nice things and the development doesn’t actually move forward, which I think happens quite a lot.

With Respo, I feel at ease because they always respond properly. Their support is also very thorough, so I think that’s a point I can recommend even to others in the same industry.

Store Information

Installation Table ENSO The Asymmetry of Calm

Address: 4-33 Ikeda-machi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Phone number: 076-208-4052
Store details:https://autoreserve.com/restaurants/c3i7rRroyYtvcVqj5LUX

Reservation management that supports a “memorable in-store experience.” Why ENSO chose Respo