Introduction example: Training costs and order mistakes for staff have decreased, making store operations much easier (Merry-Go-Round Café)

Considering implementation to resolve staff shortages and improve turnover

— Could you tell me about your shop?

Our restaurant is located inside the multi-purpose tourist facility “Moegi-no-Mura.” There is a merry-go-round right in front of us, and we are surrounded by forest in a rich natural setting. We offer a wide variety of dishes such as sandwiches, curry, and homemade sweets. On the terrace seats, guests accompanied by pets are also welcome, and we even have a menu for dogs.

— About how often do customers usually use your services?

Our busy seasons are especially summer and autumn, with around 40 to 60 visitors on weekdays, and about 150 to as many as 300 visitors on weekends when it’s particularly crowded.

— Why did you decide to consider introducing Respo Self-Order?

Because we wanted to solve our labor shortage and increase our turnover rate.

Normally, the shop is run by my father, who is the owner, myself, and some part-time staff, but we’re especially short-handed on weekends, so in the past we sometimes relied on one-off temporary part-time workers.

— What kind of things were difficult for you in running it?

It was really hard having to teach new staff how to take orders from scratch every single time they came.

In addition to our main menu, we also have a wide variety of side dishes and drinks, so it takes about an hour to teach everything to new staff. Considering that even after training, some staff only work for a single day, I started thinking about whether we could improve things from a systems perspective to run the business more efficiently, and began looking into implementing a new system.

By using secondhand equipment, you can keep initial costs even lower when getting started

—Apart from Respo Self-Order, did you compare us with any other companies?

Yes. We considered several options, but among them, Respo Self-Order had particularly low initial costs and a simple, easy-to-read screen design. The representative’s responses when we made an inquiry were also clear, and we felt we could trust them with peace of mind, so we decided to introduce it.

As for the initial costs, we kept the amount quite low by getting used items such as an iPad and a printer.

Incidentally, there were also subsidy and grant programs available for introducing a POS register, but when I looked into it, it seemed like the initial costs and monthly fees would be fairly high, so I decided not to use them.

— So, how has it been since you actually introduced Respo Self-Order?

I’m really glad that we’ve basically reached the point where we can manage everything with our existing staff. In the past, even though I was in charge of cooking, I often had to go and take orders myself, but now I can focus on cooking and serve dishes without keeping customers waiting too long.

Well-received by staff too. A workplace where foreign staff can also work.

— How do you handle the process of taking orders in your shop?

In addition to the QR codes placed on the tables, we can also provide paper menus when needed, allowing us to respond flexibly. For example, on weekends, when we have large groups of families, it’s often smoother for everyone to look at a menu together and choose their dishes before ordering.

— How have the staff been responding to Respo Self-Order?

To be honest, taking orders was the hardest part of the job, so some staff even say, “We can’t work without this anymore” (laughs). It seems to have caught on quickly, especially among the younger staff, without feeling out of place at all.

Previously, we had a German staff member working short-term on a working holiday, and thanks to the self-order system, they were able to focus on tasks other than taking orders.

Thanks to Respo’s self-ordering system, I feel the range of people who can work here, including foreigners, has expanded, so that’s been great.

Fewer order mistakes and easier order management, contributing to increased sales.

— Please tell us about the biggest change since introducing Respo Self-Order.

We’ve had fewer order mistakes and errors in the serving order. Previously, we managed orders on paper, but sometimes handwriting that was done in a rush was misread, and when multiple orders came in at once, we would occasionally make mistakes in the order in which dishes were served.

Now the order slips are printed out almost exactly in the order they’re placed, so managing orders has become much easier. Also, for example with hamburger orders, it’s great that the system supports options for extra details like no mustard or no onions.

— Did it affect your sales?

Partly because it was after the COVID period, our sales this summer increased by 10% compared to last year, and I believe the introduction of Respo Self-Order also had a major impact.

Recommended for shops struggling with staff shortages. The ease of placing additional orders is also a big plus.

— If you were to introduce Respo Self-Order to other restaurants, what kind of places would you recommend it to?

I’d definitely recommend this to restaurants that are short-staffed and where the team is worn out during busy periods. For customers who want to ask directly how to use it and other questions, they can easily call a staff member using the Respo self-order call function, so the ability to respond according to each customer’s needs is a big advantage.

—So you’re able to balance efficient operations with quality customer service.

Yes. I’d also like to recommend it to places like izakayas where there tend to be a lot of additional orders. When seats are far from where the staff are, I think some customers hesitate to place extra orders, but with Respo Self-Order, it becomes easier for them to order more casually. Because of that, I believe it can also help increase sales.

— Thank you very much for telling me about it in such detail!

Store Information

Merry-Go-Round Café

Address: 3545 Kiyosato, Takane-cho, Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi Prefecture, inside Moegi-no-Mura
Phone number: 0551-48-3741
Store details:https://autoreserve.com/restaurants/KYDQtiA8RDEs3Hsww9Vr