Rez is Urbanspoon’s web-based online reservation application (different than iPad-based RezBook) that doesn’t have all the features nor commitments of RezBook. What special about it first of all is that its a free way to receive reservations. That is of course if your reservations come through your website. Otherwise, it costs $2 when it goes through Urbanspoon. But there are no subscription fees and you can offer daily deals for free. Rez alerts you when a customer makes a reservation, whether by email, phone or application..   Rez has drawbacks. The one that our restaurant clients emphasize most is that Rez only allows you to take one reservation per time slot until that reservation is acknowledged. So you must be quick responding to a reservation alert or it will block any future reservations at that time. The other concern we have is that you must manually turn off the application to prevent customers from reserving after 4pm for that night. Forgetting could definitely cause a problem. Rez does allow you to build your email list. In all, despite Rez’s weaknesses, you gain a helpful system without taking that big of a financial risk. Rez does allow you to build your email list. In all, despite Rez’s weaknesses, you gain a helpful system without taking that big of a financial risk.

• It is a free way to get online reservations through your own website
• It is also a low cost way to attract incremental business on the Urbanspoon website
• It provides a free way to offer daily deals
• The system only works well if you check in on the application regularly
  • Reopen a slot as soon as you acknowledge a reservations.
    • Currently they limit customers to 1 table per time slot to prevent accidental overbooking
    • We are assessing the feasibility of increasing this
    • They allow customers to check the application via iPhone app or browser If they already have a terminal at the front desk the browser is the best option
  • They provide multiple levels of alerts to ensure restaurants are aware of pending reservations but you must update the alerts fields in your set-up
    • Phone (must ring to a direct line not a phone menu)
  • Email
  • In application alerts
  • The client can close the day with the push of a button in the application
    • Solves the issue of not wanting reservations after 4pm. Just close the day in the app
• Grows your email marketing list.
  • They offer each reservation customer the chance to opt-in to your marketing list
  • Lists can be downloaded through the browser application
• No hardware costs – run it with your current system

• Customizable reservation widget for your website
• Reservations from Urbanspoon.com and its affiliated sites
• Promotion across Urbanspoon.com
• Promotion on the Urbanspoon’s industry leading mobile application
• Advance reservations: 7 days
• Ability to Offer Online Deals / Specials
• iPhone App
• iPad App
• Browser based Web App
• Diner Histories
• Exportable Customer Lists