The Importance of Collecting Data in Restaurants

Data in restaurants, as with all businesses, should be seen as a currency. Most hospitality businesses possess extensive data about their guests but often fail to utilise it effectively, leaving crucial sales behind. Customers leave a digital footprint at various points on their journey - from your website, booking system, WiFi, ePOS, payments, loyalty schemes, and feedback platforms. Integrating your guest data with a CRM strategy should be central to your marketing, commercial, and overall company strategy.

As a Data Activist I work with your data to collect it, open it up, make it useful and ultimately turn it into a commercial return for your business - I call this your 'guest data strategy'.

Data collection in restaurants

​​What is a guest data strategy?

A guest data strategy is a plan detailing how and where to collect, manage, use, and secure all the data gathered from and about your guests, aligning this with business goals to drive commercial returns.

Why is a guest data strategy so important?

Your guest data and CRM are among your companies most valuable assets. Properly collecting, managing, using, and securing this first-party data will significantly impact your business's value. Simply put, without a plan, you risk jeopardising your business's current and future value. It helps you understand who your guests are, identify the most valuable ones, and provides the best opportunity to convert them into loyal customers.

How do I start with a guest data strategy?

Begin by examining your existing tech stack and identifying where you currently collect and store guest data - for instance, in your booking platform. This type of data is invaluable and known as 'first-party data'. You need to understand which tech platforms you currently use and which other platforms they integrate with. Integration into a hospitality-focused CRM is crucial - for example, Airship or Acteol. Once your data is flowing in, you can start analysing it to understand who your guests are, how often they visit, how much they spend, and most importantly, how to encourage them to return.

What does a great guest data strategy look like?

It begins with understanding where you are acquiring your guests from - whether it’s your website, booking platform, WiFi data, or other data sources. Focus on continually growing and cleaning this data - ideally adding both quantitative and qualitative data to your guest profiles. Use this data to start communicating with your guests in a personalised manner. You can also look to increase revenue from other platforms, such as gifting, or cross-selling to other venues, experiences, and promotions.

How I can help build your guests data strategy?

This is my area of expertise, having built the data backbone for several growing hospitality businesses. Think of it like building a car - you already have some of the parts, but you need them assembled to get going and then want to fine-tune it to turn it into a supercar. I can help integrate and connect your platforms, get your CRM up and running so you can start understanding and communicating with your guests, and then help turn it into an automated, personalised marketing machine to deliver revenue consistently.

By leveraging data marketing and marketing data analytics, you can transform your hospitality business into a data-driven marketing powerhouse. Working with a hospitality digital and data specialist can further enhance your strategy, ensuring you make the most of your data to drive growth and success.