Is your table booking system really working hard enough?
Hospitality businesses have invested heavily in booking systems, EPOS, CRM and other technology. But are those systems actually helping to win more customers and generate more revenue?
A new Hospitality Bookings Benchmark from Propeller and KAM suggests there could still be plenty of room for improvement.
Customers don't want a complicated booking journey
One of the findings that really stands out is that 39% of consumers have abandoned a hospitality booking because the process was too complicated. A further 22% said there were simply too many clicks.
That's a lot of potential bookings being lost before a customer even reaches the pub.
For pub groups, it's worth asking a simple question: how easy is it for someone to find a table and book it from their phone?
No-shows are costing operators real money
No-shows are another big issue. Nearly three quarters of operators reported that up to 1 in 10 bookings don't turn up. The report also highlights examples of annual losses from no-shows ranging from £8,000 to £400,000.
Deposits and pre-authorisation can help reduce that risk, and interestingly, 64% of consumers believe venues should charge for no-shows.
For a large pub estate, even a small reduction in no-shows could make a noticeable difference to the bottom line.
There's more revenue in the booking journey
The booking doesn't have to end once the customer clicks "confirm".
The research found that 38% of operators say pre-ordering and upselling has noticeably increased average spend per head.
Drinks packages, food upgrades, events and add-ons can all turn a booking into a more valuable customer.
The bigger question: is your tech stack actually working together?
Perhaps the most interesting finding is that 51% of operators aren't confident that their digital setup is converting as many potential guests as possible.
That's worth thinking about.
Most pub groups already have plenty of technology — websites, booking systems, EPOS, payments, CRM and marketing platforms.
But having all the systems doesn't necessarily mean they're working together effectively.
The report highlights opportunities around conversion tracking, reporting, customer data, CRM, integrations and automation.
It's not always about buying more technology
Sometimes the opportunity is simply to look at what you already have and ask whether it's doing the job it should.
Are you losing bookings because the journey is too complicated?
What are no-shows really costing you?
Are you making the most of direct bookings?
Could you be increasing spend before customers even arrive?
And are your booking, EPOS, payment and CRM systems working together?
At Switch4Profit, we think these are exactly the questions hospitality businesses should be asking.
Your technology should make the operation easier, help you win more customers and ultimately make you more money. If it's not doing that, it's worth taking a closer look.
Source: Hospitality Bookings Benchmark – July 2026, Propeller & KAM.
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