We are frequently asked what the difference is between the various waiter paging systems on the market. In response to this we have compiled this guide to choosing a kitchen to waiter communication system for restaurants.

The first thing to consider when you are selecting a system and supplier for your system is "how important will this equipment be in your restaurant?" Now this may sound a strange question to begin with but it is a key part of your decision making process. We have seen many restaurants that have purchased low quality systems with the decision made purely on price only to realise that the waiter calling system they have purchased is unreliable or not robust enough for a harsh restaurant environment.

Waiter pager systems manufactured in cheap electronics factories with poor or non existent quality control in countries such as China are finding their way on to the European market, often restaurateurs who have purchased these systems find them failing after a very short period of time and discover that they are not serviceable as most of the reputable suppliers of paging systems do not want to offer service or repairs to low quality products that are likely to fail again in the future and only result in frustration and further expense for the owner.

So back to the first question "how important will this equipment be in your restaurant?" The answer to this question in most cases is very important. Once a decision has been made to streamline kitchen to server communications by a restaurant operator the equipment once in place will become an integral part of the restaurants day to day operation, any failure could result in disruption to the smooth running of the restaurant and at worst could result in poor customer service. The two key reasons a restaurant operator has for choosing to use a waiter paging system in their restaurant are, controlling staffing numbers and offering better customer service.

Once it is established that the system will be an important element in the efficient running of a restaurant working out how to choose which pager system and supplier is the best choice is the next decision.

The first consideration is simplicity of operation, The Pager Call Systems ServerCall waiter paging system has a simple one touch operation, the kitchen call panel has numbered buttons for each waiters pager with a space to enter their name against it, once the kitchen has the food order ready for collection they simply press the button for the appropriate waiter and that is their part finished. The waiter is then alerted by a discrete vibration on their pager. The next element is key, in a busy restaurant the waiter may be taking an order at the time they are alerted that they are required to collect an order from the kitchen, to ensure that the order will not be overlooked the ServerCall system will periodically send a signal to the waiters pager until they have collected the order and cancelled the call. To cancel a call the waiter simply presses the button corresponding to their name when collecting the order from the kitchen. Again this is a simple one button press operation.

The ServerCall system even has the facility to alert the duty manager that an order has not been collected from the kitchen, if after three alerts the server has not picked it up. This ensures that if a server has gone on a break or is busy with customers and unable to collect the order the duty manager is alerted and can deal with the situation immediately before it becomes an issue.

Simple operation of a kitchen to waiter communication system is one key element, another is reliability, the ServerCall waiter paging system is manufactured using the latest digital technology guaranteeing efficient delivery of messages and the ultimate reliability. Our CrystalCall waiter pager is manufactured from durable plastics ensuring that even if dropped, they will not break. We select the best rechargeable batteries available offering at least three years between replacement and commonly in excess of five years. Our Smart Charge technology ensures batteries are only charged when required, this delivers unparalleled battery life.

All of our ServerCall paging systems offer flexible upgradeability ensuring you can add additional pagers or integrate the latest features as required.

The ServerCall system also incorporates a regular auto page function, this can be set by the user to automatically send alerts to specific staff members with preset messages, for instance to check the cleanliness of the customer toilets at predetermined intervals.

Range is also an important consideration when selecting your waiter calling system, make sure the system you choose will offer full coverage of your facility, Pager Call Systems guarantees full coverage backed with their money back guarantee. Where possible ask your supplier to demonstrate the system in your restaurant before you make a final decision to buy.

Before you choose your kitchen to waiter paging system make a list of the features you would like to have, then contact suppliers and see if their systems match your requirements.

The ServerCall system from Pager Call Systems is supplied by US company HME Wireless, HME products are used in more than 60,000 establishments worldwide and backed by a company with many years of experience developing products for the hospitality industry.