Schooner Woodwind Relies On GoTab For Smooth Sailing
Enhancing the guest experience and safety aboard its two ships with GoTab's Technology
After relying on Square to manage guest drink orders during the daily sailing cruises on Woodwind and Woodwind II, Schooner Woodwind’s Captain Jen thought it was time to try a new system, better adapted to her family business’s unique operations. Once she connected with our trusted partner, Mercantile Processing Inc. at a conference, she immediately embraced GoTab’s cloud-based solution and worked closely with the team to be up and running in time for the start of the season in April 2022. "After speaking with Jennifer to get an understanding of the issues she was having with Square, it quickly became clear that GoTab was the best option for Schooner Woodwind,” said MPI Bank Relationship Manager Casey Fitzgerald. “The ability to order from any area of the ship as well as being able to keep tabs open for the entirety of the cruise allowed her staff to focus more on providing an amazing experience than accepting orders and searching for their recipients."
An Intuitive & Cost-Efficient System
Captain Jen and her team utilized GoTab’s intuitive and user-friendly interface to assign a QR code on each of the two beautiful, wooden, 74-foot schooners. When comparing GoTab to the previous system used onboard, Captain Jen particularly enjoyed the fact that GoTab required no contract, had no hidden fees and set up costs were minimal.
“I was surprised to be able to chat with an actual person when I tried to contact customer service, something I was never able to do when I used Square".
Captain Jennifer Kaye
GoTab’s flexible connectivity is also a plus for both guests and crew - guests can utilize reliable cell phone service to place orders via their mobile phone, and the crew can run GoTab on a portable or mobile wireless network or hotspot aboard the boats.
Enticing Tab & Menu Features
When guests arrive onboard, Captain Jen and her team prioritize the safety announcements before instructing guests to place their drink orders via the GoTab QR code. The tab system provides flexibility for guests to open a tab, keep their tabs open and/or add other guests’ drink orders to their own tab. With up to 30 guests onboard at the same time, contactless ordering offers an opportunity to optimize the staff’s trips to the bar downstairs to pick up drinks and serve them to the correct guests or group of guests. It also allows Captain Jen to maintain as much staff on the deck as possible to maximize safety and engage with guests. The team appreciates GoTab’s easy and flexible menu features, enhancing drinks choices and menu displays with visuals, having the ability to 86 items in real time or even turn certain menu offerings on or off, depending on the day or type of cruise experiences they’re providing.
“I also like the fact that tabs close automatically after guests depart, since our guests have a tendency to forget to close their tab. We also give guests the opportunity to leave a custom tip, which is made easier through GoTab".
Captain Jennifer Kaye
Time-Saving reporting Features
Now that both Woodwind and Woodwind II are equipped with GoTab, all captains have access to the backend of the platform, providing an opportunity to access key reporting features and manage guest offerings all in one place. Utilizing GoTab’s real-time reporting capabilities, Captain Jen can closely examine what items sell best and better forecast her menu offerings for future cruises. Easily accessible real-time reporting data also give her (and the entire crew) the ability to make cost-saving decisions and spend less time determining best-sellers, menus, etc. Just like with QR code ordering, GoTab’s QR features free up Captain Jen and her staff to focus on enhancing the on-yacht guest experience and engage with everyone aboard the schooners.
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