Method and system for monitoring service quality in a restaurant

• US 6,810,343 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2000
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Appliance Scientific, Inc. (Ali Holding Srl)
• Original Assignee: Praxis Technology Group Incorporated
• Inventors: McKee, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUAREZ, FELIX E
• Application Number:
  US09/735,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20030158763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 702/62, 702/64, 702/81, 702/101, 702/117, 702/138, 702/173, 702/175, 702/177, 702/186, 702/188, 702/189, 713/193, 713/196, 701/45, 348/148, 705/51
• US Class Current: 702/81
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring service quality in a restaurant are disclosed. Multiple sensor modules are installed at each table of a restaurant for detecting restaurant customer service related information. The detected restaurant customer service related information is transmitted, preferably, over-the-air to a central computer unit having a receiver for receiving the detected restaurant customer service related information transmitted by the sensor modules over-the-air. A display monitor, coupled to the central computer unit, can be utilized to display the detected restaurant customer service related information received by the receiver to a restaurant manager in a real-time basis regardless of whether the restaurant manager is present at the restaurant or at a remote location.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for supporting management of an establishment, said monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of detectors placed at each of a plurality of locations for detecting customer service related information and for transmitting said detected customer service related information, wherein one of said plurality of detectors is a patron counter;

a central computer unit having a receiver for receiving said detected customer service related information transmitted by said plurality of detectors; and

a display monitor, coupled to said central computer unit, for displaying said detected customer service related information received by said transceiver to a manager of said establishment on a real-time basis.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of detectors is a patron presence detector.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of detectors is a staff presence detector for receiving signals from transmitters carried by staff members.

4. The monitoring system of claim 3, wherein said transmitters carried by staff members also receive signals from tables needing service via local area paging.

5. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of detectors are battery operated.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said monitoring system further includes a customer survey pad for relating to said central computer unit qualitative or quantitative customer service input from patrons sitting at a table, via one of said detectors located at said table.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said establishment is a restaurant.

8. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of locations are tables.

9. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said detected customer service related information is displayed on said display monitor for said manager to review at a remote location.

10. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said detected restaurant customer service information is transmitted over-the-air.

11. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said detected restaurant customer service information is transmitted via a wire connection.

12. A method for monitoring service quality of a restaurant, said method comprising the steps of:

mounting a patron presence detector and a staff presence detector at a table within a restaurant;

detecting a patron present at said table utilizing said patron presence detector;

in response to said detected patron presence, transmitting a patron presence signal to a central computer, wherein said patron presence signal includes a table number of said table;

detecting a staff member present at said table utilizing said staff presence detector;

in response to said detected staff presence, transmitting a staff presence signal to said central computer; and

displaying an indicia representing a time lapse between said patron presence signal and said staff presence signal at said central computer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said staff presence signal includes said table number and a staff number.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said method further includes:

mounting a patron counter at said table; and

counting the number of patrons present at said table utilizing said patron counter.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said method further includes a step of transmitting patron survey information gathered from a patron survey pad to said central computer.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said transmitting step further includes a step of transmitting over-the-air.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said transmitting step further includes a step of transmitting via a wire.

18. A monitoring system for monitoring service quality of a restaurant, said monitoring system comprising:

means for mounting a patron presence detector and a staff presence detector at a table within a restaurant;

means for detecting a patron present at said table utilizing said patron presence detector;

means for transmitting a patron presence signal to a central computer, in response to said detected patron presence, wherein said patron presence signal includes a table number of said table;

means for detecting a staff present at said table utilizing said staff presence detector;

means for transmitting a staff presence signal to said central computer, in response to said detected staff presence; and

means for displaying an indicia representing a time lapse between said patron presence signal and said staff presence signal at said central computer.

19. The monitoring system of claim 18, wherein said staff presence signal includes said table number and a staff number.

20. The monitoring system of claim 18, wherein said transmitting means further includes a means for transmitting over-the-air.

21. The monitoring system of claim 18, wherein said transmitting means further includes a means for transmitting via a wire.

22. The monitoring system of claim 18, wherein said monitoring system further includes a means for counting patrons.

23. The monitoring system of claim 18, wherein said monitoring system further includes a means for relating qualitative or quantitative customer service input from patrons sitting at a table to said computer unit.