Three weeks ago, James O'Leary and myself had the opportunity to join some of the most amazing folks you'll find here in Western New York. From the 50 year old, family owned Moses Insurance Group to a rising media star in the Buffalo area, Bean Media's Mike Bean - the wealth of passion and commitment to excellence in Buffalo amazes me to this day. The Amherst Chamber of Commerce did a fantastic job this year with the 2013 Small Business Luncheon and Showcase, recognizing seven companies for their advocacy, stewardship and overall impact they've had on the surrounding community.

James, along with his co-founder Ansar Khan feel tremendously honored to be a part of this year's showcase, earning the Trailblazer Award:

"Trailblazer Award: recognizes a small business whose use of technology or integration of technology has produced a measurable increase in sales, product quality and profit-ability."

These two have added much to Buffalo's emerging tech community, created jobs(mine included!) and have helped hundreds of restaurants, both locally and globally better understand their business through Ambur. They've taken what was just an idea 3 years ago to a full service point of sale system, and for that, I truly believe they deserve this award.

By Jeff Pollock

About the Business:

This week, our featured business is known as the Courtyard Kitchen, located in Santa Monica, CA. To enjoy a breakfast or lunch in a cool, eclectic atmosphere, take a venture to this cozy brick “courtyard” for a delicious dining experience. With a Mediterranean-inspired menu of breakfasts, salads, and sandwiches, the Courtyard Kitchen focuses on health conscious cuisine, using organic ingredients from local farms and companies. Creations at the Courtyard Kitchen are inspired from various European cuisines to bring something truly unique and totally delicious to the Santa Monica food scene.

Using Ambur POS:

The folks at the Courtyard Kitchen have only been using Ambur for a couple months now, though have greatly enjoyed the layout and ease of use the system has to offer. Some feature favorites include the ability to quickly tap to log users in and out, and how small and portable (yet functional) the system is. Many Courtyard Kitchen guests are surprised but pleased to see iPads being used for such an important aspect of business.

Future of iPad POS:

Those at the Courtyard Kitchen see the up-and-coming concept taking over a lot more restaurants in the future. Constantly evolving, always up to date and with all of the features necessary to run a restaurant, iPad/tablet based POS may be the only option someday!

By Becca Flanigan

Spring is finally here! Or at least it's trying. I think I saw a dandelion yesterday, unfortunately its first attempt to bloom was met by 40 degree weather and a heavy rain. Us Buffalonians were spoiled last year with a quick and nearly painless Winter, but alas, this year's dreary season has reminded me that yes, we're still in Western New York.

Thankfully I've had something to look forward to this time around - I'm engaged! And better yet, I'm getting married in 3 months! It's going to be a special day, quite possibly the best day of my life, but I'm not the one who's been dreaming about it since she was 4 years old, so sliding past most of the tedious wedding prep hasn't been difficult. Then came the wedding registry. I figured a few more yes-dear's and that'll-look-great's would keep this parade float chugging along, but after a few hours at Macy's, we left with nothing but a spatula on the list(and that only came to mind after a morning trying to flip pancakes with a butter knife the week before which yielded minimal success).

Most everything on a typical wedding registry is meant to give you a head start when moving into your first house together, but we're still many years away from that lifestyle. Currently we're in a single bedroom apartment with 2 closets for her things and a corner for mine. We have no need for fancy linens, salad bowls, a flour sifter, a cake dome, or a juice extractor, and we especially don't need china. I'm a juggler! That stuff's gonna break before it's out of the packaging!

When my fiancée decided I should play a big role in deciding what goes on the registry, I immediately cringed. But soon after I realized no matter where I end up living, whether in a house or if we continue to hop between apartments for however many years, there's one set of items that can stay with me wherever I go. Beer mugs, wine glasses, old fashioned's, shooters, shaker cups, a jigger or two, pint glasses, shot glasses, bottles of every sort... I'm getting a bar!

With the addition of some zig-zaggy martini glasses, the fiancée was sold. Now I'm on a mission and I need your help! What else should I add to my collection, whether it be particular styles or brands, different liquors, bitters or mixers, what do I need to build my bar?

Send suggestions to jrp@amburapp.com !!!

By Jeff Pollock

Take a look in nearly any kind of retail or food service store, and you might just see an Apple iPad standing where the register used to be. With new technologies quickly changing the face of retail markets, many different kinds of vendors are turning to an iPad point of sale (POS) app  to help manage customer transactions. Utilizing this popular Apple tablet can help a business to cut costs, empower workers, and serve customers better, all with a multi-use technology that’s often a household item as well.

Benefits of iPad Point of Sale App Solutions:

As the iPad started to become a staple for bricks-and-mortar retailers, a large number of vendors sprung up to provide POS products to enterprise clients. Today’s shops can choose from dozens of iPad POS vendors, with new options coming out all the time. The growth of a “support market” for iPad POS has gone even further, with this new retail paradigm spawning a range of accessories, not just functional card readers, but other items like attractive POS stands for convenient “tablet retail.”

One of the main benefits of using an iPad for checkout is that staff members can physically go to the customer to ring them up, as opposed to making visitors stand in a queue to make a purchase – Apple’s own in-store model has inspired many stores, especially restaurants and food service businesses, to try the same route. But there’s more to using an iPad point of sale app than just the ability to “rove” – as vendors point out, these solutions can combine the utility of Apple’s hardy tablet with cloud-based hosted services that can streamline the actual digital processes involved in transactions. Tablet POS systems can integrate with popular accounting programs like Quickbooks, connect to the Internet, or allow employees to show customers more about a product or service through a large, high resolution screen.

One more big advantage of an iPad POS system is getting a lot of attention from analysts who understand that a lot of marketing is based on perception. To put it simply, new surveys are finding that using an iPad as a checkout device gives a lot of customers a better overall impression: This report from TabTimes suggests that the majority of smartphone-equipped shoppers see a business with an iPad or tablet POS system as “more innovative” than a store that still uses the conventional cash register.

The Size of the iPad Point of Sale App  Market: And What’s Coming

As anyone can see from taking a look in local stores, iPad POS has come a long way in a short period of time; considering the few years that the iPad itself has been on the market, the rate of tablet POS adoption seems amazing. In terms of actual numbers, a survey by Constant Contact indicates that around 18% of business currently use some form of mobile POS (iPad tablet POS is figured into this larger number) but also suggests that the majority (around 66%) of businesses are already using mobile devices in some way or another, if not for a full POS system. This expected explosion of new “register-less” retail strategies is going to pump up the demand for an iPad point of sale app and make this kind of “tablet commerce” a regular part of how all of us do business each day.

By Jeff Pollock

Mark Brandau from Nation's Restaurant News explains some of the top ways restaurants have used social media to keep their guests involved during the first quarter of this year. And it turns out Applebee's is in the lead with 30 of the top 100 most active posts, most positive, but some very negative posts as well.

Back in January, Applebee's found itself in the midst of a controversy after firing a server for posting an image to Reddit, a popular news aggregate. The image was of a guest's receipt where the individual crossed out the suggested gratuity line of 18% and wrote "I give God 10% why do you get 18?" Folks were outraged over Applebee's reaction to the incident, commenting more than 3,000 times on 5 separate and prior posts by Applebee's. But all of that aside, Applebee's handled the social media outrage very well, and continue to get some of the most Facebook likes with their recent posts, one seen below:

Several other popular chains in the country are experimenting to find the best ways to get their guests involved. It seems they've found a difference between simply informing the masses of their new menu items, and instead focusing on what differentiates a brand from its competitors. More and more companies are posting to spark conversation than before.

For example, Papa John's posted a great example of how to integrate your social media efforts into the charity side of your business. $50,000 was raised for the Salvation Army in just one day due to a post by Papa John's, pledging to donate $1 for every Like and Share the post received.

The top 3 brands with the most posts to make it on the top 100 most engaged posts were:

1. Applebee's - 30
2. Starbucks - 15
3. Taco Bell - 13

However the top individual post was by Subway with a combined total of 418,403 likes, comments and shares.

These companies are clearly taking advantage of the free advertising they're getting from Social Media, have you done anything similar to engage with your guests?

By Jeff Pollock

About the Business:

This week, we’re featuring Mijitas Mexican Restaurant, located on Orcas Island (the largest of the San Juan Islands) in the northwest corner of Washington State. Mijitas’ menu is inspired by dishes from chef Raul’s hometown in Mexico, as well as various hometowns in Latin American. They have created a menu featuring a blend of family recipes, along with other Mexican-American classics. Mijitas authentic cooking incorporates local Northwest ingredients, and each dish is made with love!

Using Ambur POS:

The folks at Mijitas are new to the Ambur world, though have certainly appreciated all Ambur has done for their business over the last month or so. Integrating the mobile POS has created more flexibility in how they organize their service, and has improved efficiency in accounting and payroll. “Everyone including kitchen staff, customers, servers, managers and owners have benefited from the addition of Ambur!” They have also enjoyed the flexibility in moving server stations, as this has freed up space in their small kitchen.

How did your Customers React?

The owners at Mijitas felt it was a positive thing to have not received any drastic feedback from their customers upon the new utilization of Ambur. The system has allowed things to be streamlined enough for the back kitchen staff, to keep the customers at peace while dining!

By Becca Flanigan

Panera Bread has recently expanded its "Panera Cares" program to include a "pay-what-you-want" item on the menu of all 48 locations in St. Louis. Back in 2010, Panera opened up 5 nonprofit locations which were designed to be exclusively community oriented. With the entire menu at all 5 locations set as pay-what-you-want, it was most definitely an experiment, and after 3 years, we now know it works.

For more information on Panera's nonprofit venture, check out Tyler Falk's article on Smart Plant. But for a small history on the Pay-as-you-Wish style, read on!

Jugglers, Musicians, Dance Groups, Mimes, Photographers, Puppeteers, Comedians, Acrobats, Magicians, and just about any person you've seen on the street trying to make a buck displays an example of the Pay-as-you-Wish method.

You drop a dollar in the Red Cross bucket during the Christmas season because it's a charity, but you drop a dollar in a street musician's guitar case because you're actually paying for a service. Street performers were the first to use this method of payment, and have been doing so for millennia; however with the age of digital media, it's reaching out into a new arena.

Back in October 2007, the band Radiohead launched its 7th album, "In Rainbows," as a digital file right on their website. Fans could pay any amount for the album, whether it be $0.00, $1000 or anything in between. Just months later in December 2007, record label "Moshpit Tragedy Records" switched to an entirely Pay-as-you-Wish model.

Panera Bread is certainly a unique case. There's no limit to the number of times a digital file can be copied, but the materials to put a sandwich together can only be eaten once. I wouldn't say it's the future of foodservice, but it has definitely helped Panera's public image as a community centric corporation.

Would you ever open a restaurant like this?

By Jeff Pollock

About the Business:

This week, our featured restaurant is known as Elizabeth G’s, located in Hartselle, Alabama. Serving sumptuous Southern inspired breakfast, lunch, and meals to go, Elizabeth G’s proudly takes flavor to a whole new (and delicious) level! Friends can enjoy the taste of Southern Hospitality within the relaxing atmosphere, or share a meal outdoors under the quaint picnic-table umbrellas. With a variety of fresh, made from scratch, chef prepared options, you’re sure to find a satisfying, tasty meal at Elizabeth G’s.

Using Ambur:

Elizabeth G’s southern restaurant has been using the Ambur system for over a year now. The friendly staff has appreciated the simplicity of Ambur, and noted that training new employees is generally a painless, easy adjustment. Some favorite Ambur features include the user-friendly interface, and ability to easily edit, add to, and alter the menu at any given time.

Future of iPad POS?

“From a total cost of ownership- the iPad solution is difficult to beat!” With customers admiring the use of up-to-date technology in the restaurant, their experiences integrating Ambur at Elizabeth G’s has been positive. It is an affordable, mobile, user-friendly solution for efficiently running a business.

By Becca Flanigan

Ambur iPad POS began in Buffalo, NY at the Khan family restaurant, Kabab and Curry. Ambur has come a long way since it's birth at K&C, now in hundreds of locations across the globe in 22 different countries.

Recently I've been doing a lot of work testing out different ways restaurant owners can market their business to potential guests. One particular strategy I've tried out over the past few months is Google's new AdWords Express, built for the independent business owner.

Traditionally, Google AdWords has been rather intimidating for the average small business owner. What originally seems like a small pay per click campaign could turn into an unexpectedly large bill at the end of the month. With loads of metrics, a confusing interface and mountains of support articles available, I can see why AdWords hasn't been very popular for restaurateurs.

But that's where AdWords Express comes in. The entire process is simplified, you have fewer options(a good thing in this situation), and the data is much more manageable.

On the lower left side of the above screenshot, you see all of the words people typed into Google when they found your website. Some of the most popular are certainly linked to the K&C brand, like "curry & kabab" and "kabab curry." You know those people were searching directly for K&C, so you can't guarantee you earned their patronage only through AdWords; however some of the other phrases people typed in, such as "indian restaurant" and "indian buffet" clearly brought people directly to the K&C website, without their prior knowledge of the restaurant.

When you look to the right side of the screenshot, you can see that for only $19.82, over 1600 people saw the K&C link, while 81 actively went to the website. That's less than $.25 for each new "lead" or potential guest, who's clearly interested in what you have to offer. The numbers vary based on multiple variables produced by Google, however with their AdWords Express program, setting up an account could take less than an hour.

This may not work for everyone, however this example definitely shows the opportunity may be there for you and your restaurant. So why not try it out?

The Ambur team attended the iMenu Expo held at the Canadian Restaurant & Foodservices Association (CRFA) from March 3rd - March 5th. Needless to say, we had a great time introducing Ambur to Canadian restaurateurs, meeting our customers and partners, forming partnerships with local point of sale vendors, and discovering new technologies.

We attended the event mainly to introduce more Canadian restaurateurs to the benefits Ambur offers. With over six million people in the Greater Toronto Area, the iMenu Expo was the perfect venue! We met dozens of restaurateurs and soon to be restaurant owners that were all eager to hear how we could help them be more efficient at running their businesses. Talking to Canadian restaurateurs in person allowed us to better understand their needs, and we'll be sure to make enhancements to Ambur based on the feedback that we received at the show.

The most prevalent need was a reliable Chip and PIN reader for the iPads. We took the opportunity at the show to connect with two companies working on Chip and PIN readers for the iPads.

In addition to meeting new partners, we also had a chance to connect with some of our existing partners. Star Micronics and Mercury Payment Systems both had booths at the show. Brian and Mike from Star demoed soon to be released wireless printers which we can't wait to get our hands on!

This was our second year at the iMenu Expo in Toronto and we always have a great time! Looking forward to some new customers in Toronto that we I can visit on my weekend trips to Toronto!

By Ansar Khan

About the Business:

Located in Greene, NY, Bonnie’s restaurant is a great stop for a delicious breakfast or hearty lunch, made fresh and served with a smile. Indulge in homemade muffins, donuts, omelets, and fluffy waffles for breakfast, or try delicious soups, salads, and famous burgers for lunch. Bonnie herself purchased the business in November of 1984. After a rename and relocation, Bonnie’s restaurant has been happily serving customers for close to 30 years now!

Using Ambur:

The servers and staff at Bonnie’s restaurant have enjoyed the use of Ambur, and have noticed improvements in their speed and efficiency when serving and tending to customers. Taking orders tableside has saved an abundance of footsteps around the restaurant, and allowed servers to deal with several tables at one time. The kitchen staff has appreciated the printed tickets, as handwritten orders often lead to incorrect orders. Bonnie has also valued the ease of training new servers with Ambur. All of her menu information is right at their fingertips, and tables are kept track of easily!

How did your customers react?:

Some of Bonnie’s customers were unsure of the POS process at first sight. They would say, "Why don't you just write it down". It was very tough in the beginning because they didn't understand that it really was faster for the restaurant! Others were very interested and wanted to watch. “We still sit with people while we take their order so that they can watch what they do. Many other business owners are very curious and I often spend lots of time explaining the whole system and how easy it really is!” As far as the future of iPad Point of Sale, “I see it growing! Small foot-print, easy to use, lots of storage, and very fast!"

By Becca Flanigan

Tips on Twitter and how other businesses are benefiting from successful tweets:

It’s no secret, more and more restaurants are using social media to attract new customers. Nowadays, our daily routines from what we are wearing to what we are eating are all logged into an electronic journal we refer to as social media. According to a Nielsen study, Twitter has over 140 million active users and if you are not using the site then you are losing business.

Many local businesses and large franchises are already using social media to engage customers and promote their business. Take a look at McDonald’s Twitter account, this is a prime example of a business that is not robotically promoting every single menu item, but instead creating a conversation with their customers. On January 11, 2012 McDonald’s tweeted “Have you ever gone on a date to McDonald’s? We’d love to hear!” generating numerous responses from customers. According to Nation’s Restaurant News, Rick Wion, director of social media for McDonald’s Corporation says it’s not all about the numbers when it comes to social media, the value isn’t in the number of followers you have listed but “it’s about the level of engagement, really the strong connections you are making with customers”. Take a look at another tweet from McDonald’s, “It’s National Milk Day! How do you take your milk? Whole? 1%? As Hot Chocolate? Only in your #McCafe?” they are using the hash tag symbol and engaging in conversation with their customers (a couple of key elements to a successful Twitter account).

Ansar Khan, founder of Ambur App, recommends his clients use Twitter to boost business. Khan understands the power of social media and the potential number of new customers it can bring to your business. “Consumers these days actually enjoy the human side of companies they buy from…let them know you’re there, that the chef is real and that he actually cares about what you think.”

As an Ambur App user and co-owner of The Dining Car, David Harnik uses social media to help his unique food cart gain an extra boost among the competition. A lot of dedication lies in the fate of the business, and Harnik says once he grasped the concept of Twitter he was able to see the change in his business, “it gives us a unique way to communicate and it helps create a stronger connection.” Harnik says he tweets about anything from the location of his food truck, to warm cookies straight out of the oven, or even a comical situation from the streets of Boston.

It is all about interaction, a “hole in the wall” restaurant could become an overnight sensation thanks to social media. The integration of several social media sites provides more media for the consumer and more chances for your restaurant to become exposed. Ask your customers to “check-in” for special offers, post photos of their favorite dishes, and you can even post insider photos or videos.

Here are the top 5 things you should be doing with your Twitter account:

1. Use the site as your “frequently asked questions page."


2. Respond to your guests, this is a great marketplace to get real time feedback.


3. Use hash tags and make it fun! Challenge your guests to provide fun stories about your business.


4. Provide interesting insights to your business; post recipes, specials, even allow guests to make reservations to your restaurant.


5. Make your customer feel like family; have “one-on-one” conversations with your customers.

Delicious cuisine and advertising may have brought the customer through the door, but the key to get them to return is through communication. To differentiate yourself from other businesses you need to create an experience that will keep bringing them back. Your tweets can go as far as your imagination will take you. You can tell your customers about future promotions, a new dish you want feedback on, a contest for a free meal, or a simple thank you for coming in. The purpose of Twitter and your success with the site is to create relationships and produce engaging content. You do NOT want to overload customers with promotions, but instead make it more personal by responding to their tweets or asking for their insight.

According to a Nielsen study, one billion tweets are sent out every two and a half days, where will you fit in?

By Jeff Pollock

The Waterfront Inn, located on the Isle of Wight, UK

About the Business:

This week, our featured business is known as The Waterfront Inn, located on the Isle of Wight in the UK. With beautiful views of the sea, the Waterfront Inn offers comfortable en suite accommodations, complemented by a Brasserie and bar. With a range of fresh-sourced meals, you can count on delicious local seafood and steaks, as well as all the seaside classics, such as home-battered fish and chips. Stop at the bar for a taste of local ales, fruit ciders, an extensive wine list, and a host of fun cocktails. The Waterfront Inn is a vibrant, busy place with lots of live music and excitement year round.

Using Ambur:

The folks and wait staff at The Waterfront Inn have greatly enjoyed the simplicity and mobility of Ambur. It has allowed them to offer an efficient and fun table-side service, connecting with their customers frequently. Staff enjoys the simple layout where they can easily identify orders, split items, and modify the menu at any point. With a user friendly, very customizable system, “amending products on the fly is so much easier than our previous POS."

Future of iPad POS?:

“Gosh, who knows? Customers ordering their own food? Interactive menus on every table? Perhaps. But, as of now, Ambur has it just right for us and we love using it.” Customers generally love seeing the use of Ambur with the iPads, and are keen to ask about the technology. The benefits are obvious for us at The Waterfront Inn; Customers get their drinks and food faster, and servers are dedicated to communicating and engaging with their guests.

About the Owner:

HiSOFT was founded in 1980 by David Link, originally writing software for home computers - from the ZX Spectrum to the Commodore Amiga. David now runs the busy Waterfront Inn on the Isle of Wight but still knows good software when he sees it! David bought Ambur to use at The Waterfront Inn and was so impressed that he immediately signed up to sell Ambur. David says "The combination of ease-of-use, a powerful, intuitive feature set and a compelling price makes Ambur a brilliant choice for any hospitality outlet."

By Becca Flanigan

This week we get to have a look at the Ambur 2.0 interface for both the iPhone and the iPod Touch. As you can see below, the Items, Charges, Payments, and View Order screens are all just a tap away. They almost act as a small deck of cards, pull up the screen you'd like to view.

Have a great weekend folks! If you're on the East Coast, stay warm and drive safe!

By Jeff Pollock

About the Business:

When in search of a home cooked, hearty meal, Whiskey Warehouse won't let you down! With a variety of local food options, seasonal salads, vegetarian choices, and mouthwatering entrees, you're sure to find something you'll love. Located in Alma, MO, Whisky Warehouse is a fine dining restaurant seating 34 people, with only one seating a night. Servers and staff enjoy the use of iPads, as they provide a trendy look, while staying on top of things with hungry guests.

Using Ambur:

Whisky Warehouse opened in October of 2012. From the start, they felt Ambur was the right point of sale solution, and the perfect fit for their location. "Ambur answered all our needs and the price point was exactly what we could afford." The system and the application have worked perfect for our upstart business. The ability to add additional iPods / iPads without adding additonal cost is huge to a start up business - we highly recommend this product to any POS business.

Future of iPad POS?:

Specific to their restaurant, the folks at Whiskey Warehouse are excited to use Ambur during the summer months, as their restaurant expands outdoors. With patio seating outside, iPads and iPods will be used to quickly prepare drinks and appetizers for guests enjoying the summer weather.

By Becca Flanigan

Ready for a second round of new features coming soon with the launch of Ambur 2.0?

Soon you'll have the opportunity to decide between 6 different themes for your background, Dark, Pine, Gunmetal, Clipboard, Pinboard, and Rosewood.

Now that we've got the pretty stuff out of the way, let's have a look at something a bit more functional, Sub-Modifiers and max/min selection for your mods! First, let's select an item:

Now that I've selected Vanilla as my Ice Cream Flavor, it jumps right to the sub-modifier group, "Ice Cream Sauce."

After selecting some chocolate fudge to top my sundae, I get to see on the left side exactly which sub-modifier affected my first modifier choice.

With the current version of Ambur, you have the ability to choose a maximum number of modifiers needed for a particular item. But now with Ambur 2.0, you'll be able to change the minimum as well, a.k.a. every time a server selects an item, the absolutely have to select a modifier before moving on.

Never again will the kitchen staff have to chase down a server to find out what temp your guest's steak is to be cooked at.

By Jeff Pollock

Attention beer fans! Our featured business this week is known as the “James River Brewing Co.” located(as the name states!) nearby the James River in Scottsville, Virginia.

About the Business:

A visit to the brewery’s Tasting Room will present you with a unique variety of brew types to enjoy in a very down-to-earth, vintage style setting. The James River Tasting Room proudly displays custom woodwork, designed and constructed thanks to the talents of local VA contractors. With “no taste too bold to try”, the Brewhaus beer menu features a number of core brews offered year round, with several seasonal and more exotic offerings, as well!

Using Ambur POS:

The James River Brewing Co. has been using Ambur for close to 5 months now. Their staff has adapted well, and found the training and managing of their location quite easy since starting up Ambur. Some of their favorite features include the option to have an unlimited number of devices, and also the mobility of the wireless system.

How did Your Customers React?:

Customers frequenting the brewery were pleased to see the iPads being used for something a bit more purposeful, and as such a powerful business tool.

By Becca Flanigan

The Ambur Team has been working hard over the past 6 months to build and rebuild every individual feature from the ground up in order to launch Ambur 2.0 iPad POS.

Since our entry into the App Store in April 2011, we've spoken with hundreds of existing and potential clients, with local and international restaurateurs, and with many of our partners to find out what it is you need in order to run your business efficiently. With a faster order screen, multiple table layouts, individual seat numbers, line item discounts, single item repeats, picture based speed buttons, and over a hundred new features, Ambur 2.0 is the culmination of both our efforts and your much appreciated feedback.

Here are just a few:

Soon you'll have the ability to alter table sizes, add and remove new layouts for your bar and patio, all from the original layout screen rather than moving into Settings.

Now as you can see below, processing orders will be much faster and easier to use, with a more traditional grid format, instead of our original list style:

In the top right you have a quick "sign out" button, while the choices in the bottom left give you access to all the former "Management" features right from the order screen.

But that doesn't mean you won't still be able to use the list format. All you have to do is tap the list or grid buttons next to the search bar to make the switch.

Here you can also see how easy it will be to "print for customer," "print for kitchen," email your guest's receipt, and split and merge your tickets.

Ambur 2.0 will give you the option to flip the iPad vertically, so you can see many more of your speed buttons. This feature will be especially useful if your servers begin using the iPad mini to take orders right at the table side.

More importantly, you'll now be able to repeat menu items, assign a guest number to each individual item, add an item specific discount, and write a custom note for allergies or whatever else your kitchen staff members need to know.

That's it for now, I hope you're as excited as we are about the final launch of Ambur 2.0 - It's going to be awesome.

By Jeff Pollock

This week, we’re proud to present you with another one of Ambur’s earliest customers, and an excitingly unique business.

About the Business:

Mobile POS meets mobile kitchen! Found in various locations throughout the streets of Boston, “The Dining Car” food truck is a gleaming, stainless steel kitchen on wheels; you can’t miss it! Serving freshly prepared meals to hungry folks of the city, all sandwiches are prepared using homemade breads, baked on-site continuously throughout the day. The ever-changing (and mouthwatering!) menu features meats and seasonal produce that represent the local agricultural community, with selections inspired by cuisines from all over the world.

Using Ambur:

“The Dining Car” food truck has been happily using Ambur for over a year now. Essential to the busy streets of Boston, Ambur has helped improve the speed and efficiency of order taking for the staff. Special requests are simply noted, and long customer lines can be minimized with ease. Since using Ambur, The Dining Car’s owner has found great value in the many reporting functions, allowing him to analyze business trends and respond to them quickly.

What did “The Dining Car” customers think?

“Our customers are interested and delighted by our use of Ambur and iPad technologies. As a food truck, Ambur frees us from the confines of the truck and lets us closely interact with our customers, taking orders on the street, and outside of the truck. Our customers experience it as an added level of service!”

By Becca Flanigan

In the past eighteen months, we've had the pleasure of working with hundreds of small businesses in seventeen countries! Restaurants, bars, cafés, night clubs, yogurt shops, banquet halls and even some food trucks. These businesses rely on Ambur every day to make their operations smoother, and hearing that really makes us love what we do.

We regularly get to visit our customers located in Buffalo, NY, but don't get a chance to see the majority of our customers - So we take any opportunity we can to visit our customers when we're out of town! Recently, I had the chance to visit two of our customers in Boston: Montecristo and The Dining Car. Montecristo serves delicious Mexican food on the East side of Boston. They had a great selection of breakfast, lunch and dinner items that would excite any set of taste buds. Argueta chose Ambur because of the easy setup and affordable start up cost and they plan on implementing Ambur at all the other family owned restaurants very soon!

David from The Dining Car was one of our first customers and also one of our favorites. David really has a passion for cooking and has been doing it for longer than I've been alive! You can taste the passion in every bite of one of their best sellers, the "Grilled Chicken Sandwich." I was tempted to try every item on the menu that day but just did not have the time. David realized that he would need a point of sale system before he even got started after he found the importance of collecting his sales data and using it to make smart decisions for the future. Which venues to visit most frequently? What to have on his menu? How to use the limited storage space on the truck most efficiently? In addition to getting detailed reporting, David also uses an iPod to take orders outside the truck when it gets busy, which happens quite frequently.

Can't wait to find out who I get to meet next!

By Ansar Khan

As our first "Business of the Week" post, we’re featuring one of Ambur’s earliest clients located on the west coast in Berkeley, California - Sonoma Coffee Café

About the Business

Sonoma Coffee Café has been happily serving customers for 4 years offering creative specialty drinks, as well as traditional café favorites. With a variety of artisan sandwiches and salad options on their menu, Sonoma is committed to supporting local vendors by using organic, fresh, and local ingredients whenever possible.

Using Ambur iPad POS

Sonoma has been using Ambur for over a year now, beginning in November 2011. As far as improved efficiency, the folks at the café feel as though Ambur has certainly increased the speed and quality of their customer orders. Even for the non-tech savvy employees, Ambur has been easy to learn and operate for the staff at Sonoma Coffee Café. The fully customizable system and well-organized user interface are some notable feature-favorites.

How Did the Customers React?

"Customers always ask what we are using and love how simple ordering is. They think it's cool to have an iPad being used as a POS system. It’s new and up to date. They love it because it's mobile and orders can be taken anywhere in our café."

By Becca Flanigan

Listen to Ansar's interview with Rachel Wharton from Heritage Radio Network here.

Go ahead and listen, you'll get to learn all about how Ambur has came to be, from the beginning hurdles like trying to get the first sale, to how we got to where we are now.

Many thanks go out to Rachel Wharton and everyone at the Heritage Radio Network for taking the time to listen to and broadcast our story =)

Hey folks! Just wanted to share a few of the pictures we took while helping out at the Buffalo City Mission Community Center.

We're here, gloves on, now what do we do?

Ya start crackin' eggs of course! 5 Gallons worth!

Now chop up the potatoes...

Serve the rice, chick peas, curry chicken, and rice pudding...

Load up the snack for dinner and you're good to go!

Many thanks go to the Buffalo City Mission, we had a lot of fun =)

By Jeff Pollock

The rise of iPad based POS systems is moving faster than most could have imagined, and much quicker than many can still comprehend.

Traditionally, POS dealers acted much like a car dealership, using interruption marketing through direct mail and door-to-door sales to get you to buy their "superior" product.

All of that made sense when POS systems were so uncomfortably rich in features you had to hire someone to add a modifier to one of your menu items, and when you really needed someone to show their product, right in front of you.

But nowadays, with technology that was nothing more than a dream 10 years ago, it takes only a couple minutes to set up a live demo between the merchant and dealer, whether they're in the same town or on the far side of the country.

With an iPad POS, all you have to do is call, schedule a demo and voila, you get access to someone who is willing to answer any and all of your questions about how their system can help you run your business.

Now, I'm alright with traditions - Trick-or-Treating for example, Tailgating before a Bills game, waiting to see if the groundhog sees his shadow. But sometimes traditions just don't work, especially when they can negatively impact your business.

What's the point in spending $20,000 to get a guy to show up at your door and show you thousands of features you don't need, on a device programmed during the early 90's, and with hardware older than the laptop computer? Tradition seems to be the only feasible point I can think of, and that's a stretch of the concept, feasible.

Here at Ambur, we believe in helping the little guy, the mom n' pop shop looking for something better. We understand the people willing to pay for a hip, new point of sale, but we understand a lot more the folks looking for something to help them run their business more efficiently. For years, small independent restaurants have been locked between spending $15,000 to $20,000 for a traditional system, or simply sticking with the average cash register and carbon copy tickets.

They finally have an affordable option. A system that allows for newfound control over their business, without the excess costs of unnecessary features and exorbitant service fees, and it's all due to the innovations by Apple. It may surprise some people with a more traditional mindset, but a device as small as the iPad works as a central hub, holding your entire menu, along with every transaction you've processed through Ambur. There's no need for a backend server, because the iPad is the server.

Even better, iPods, iPhones and now the iPad mini can be used to process orders and credit card transactions right at the table. The concept of table side ordering and mobile POS has been around, however without Apple products, it has never been widely accepted.

Now more than ever before people are realizing the opportunities restaurants have using new technology. According the the Vertical Systems Reseller - POS Study 2012, Mobile POS is the most requested feature by merchants.

Consumers are also excited for new technology in restaurants. Based on research by Technomic Inc., the Nation's Restaurant News noted, "consumers surveyed were most interested in seeing more tableside touch-screen devices that enable digital ordering and at-table payment, digital rewards tied to loyalty programs, and menus on iPads and other tablet devices."

So it's fair to say the technology is definitely here, and the folks who matter most, merchants and consumers, really want it. Why aren't we getting as much excitement from the POS dealers?

By Jeff Pollock

Here it is! The iPad mini, with a screen size of 7.9in, it's the perfect mobile pos device for servers to bring to their guests' tables. The regular iPad was too big, the iPod too small - The mini is just one more reason to use an iPad based POS system.

Folks can begin preordering the device tomorrow, October 26th, while the true release will happen on November 2nd.

But Wait! What about the new "lightning dock" for charging the device? - How will we process credit cards? Don't you worry one little bit! Since the iPhone 5 came out with the lightning dock, hardware manufacturers have been working their butts off making new swipers with the hopes a mini iPad would be on its way.

Hopefully in just a few weeks, not only will the iPad mini be available to the public, but also fully capable to process credit cards through your Ambur system.

By Jeff Pollock

You're finally jumping in to Social Media, and Facebook is one of the first places to start. If you've never used Facebook before, don't fret, here's a quick rundown of the first steps you need to take to get your page off the ground.

First, head to www.facebook.com and begin creating your page.

Either enter in your email information, or sign in if you already have a Facebook account you plan on using for the business.

If you've chosen to use an email address, you'll have to check your inbox for a confirmation email.

It's time to begin setting up your Facebook Page!

When used correctly, Facebook Ads can really benefit your business, but let's wait until you have an established page before getting into the advertising side of Facebook.

And there we have it! You officially have a Facebook Page for your business. But don't stop there, make sure your address is correct and the business hours are available for all to see. Then take some time to put together an attractive Cover photo, and begin posting your daily specials / events to your timeline.

By Jeff Pollock

Now that 97% of people check the internet to find out information about a local business, let's make sure your company is easily found. In order to do so, we'll have to set up a Gmail account, which will let you organize a Google+ Page for your business. That way, when someone searches for your business through Google Search, not only will yours be the first they find, but all of the correct information will be there as well.

If you already control a Gmail account for your business, skip to step 3.)

1.) Go to gmail.com and create an account

 

2.) Fill out your basic information

3.) Head on over to www.plus.google.com and follow a couple steps

4.) Scroll over "More" in the bottom left

5.) Click on "Pages"

6.) Create a new page

At this point, if your business is already listed by Google, you'll have the chance to claim it as your own.

7.) Select your style of business and follow another few steps

Now make sure all of the contact information is correct, you have a great picture loaded into the profile, and there's a link to your company website.

By Jeff Pollock

If you’re interested in an iPad POS system, you’re clearly ahead of the game. But are you willing to take it one step further, to use technology and really get your guests talking? We thought so. That’s why we’ve partnered up with NoWait, another iPad application that will revolutionize your waitlist. Lose the pagers, text your guests when their table is ready instead. Hmm, maybe that doesn’t sound revolutionary, but how about this?

It isn’t just about replacing pagers with cell phones. With NoWait, you really have the opportunity to interact with your guests. But there’s so much more - You can actually measure your average number of guests week-to-week, compare walk-ins to call aheads, and learn what quote time the average party decides to leave.

Even better, you can now begin to build a list of guests willing to be marketed to. With almost no effort on your part, you can use NoWait’s text messaging capabilities to bring in more guests on slower nights, invite business groups to host meetings at your restaurant, and encourage your regulars to share their experiences on social sites.

Now that sounds revolutionary. And as an Ambur client, you get an exclusive discount with this code: P230AA - So try it out, download the app through one of your iPads and sign up for a demo!

By Jeff Pollock

You’ve put together a business plan, you know what kind of restaurant you want to open, but how do you pick the best location?

Today I’ve got a few major points worth looking into, along with some questions you should ask yourself regarding each location you think might work.

First

• Know the demographics of the area, and if they don’t fit your style, move on to another location or pick a different style. You can’t change the culture of an area, but it can certainly change you. Example Google Search: "14228 demographics." You’ll find all the info you’ll need.


• Being on a main road is nice, but you have to make sure your building can actually be seen from that main road. Are there other buildings in the way blocking a good view? Your site needs to be visible, or else your marketing budget will have to go way up just to let people know you’re there.


• Is your location accessible? Can potential guests make a left turn into your parking lot at 5-7pm on a Friday night? Do you even have a parking lot? If not, is there sufficient parking nearby for the number of tables you hope to serve?


• Is the landlord a trustworthy person? Try contacting the former tenant to see why they left. Ask the landlord what other properties they rent out and contact those renters to get an understanding of what your relationship will look like before you sign anything.

Now that you’re interested in a location, it’s time to ask some very important questions:

1. Is the facility large enough for your business? Does it offer room for all the kitchen equipment, back office, and storage space you need?


2. Does the building need any repairs? Is the HVAC system suitable?


3. Is the area zoned properly for your type of establishment?


4. Does your hopeful demographic live nearby? Is the population density of the area sufficient for your sales needs?


5. If you choose a location that’s relatively remote from your customer base, will you be able to afford the higher advertising expenses?


6. Is the facility consistent with the image you’d like to maintain?


7. Are neighboring businesses likely to attract customers who will also patronize your business?


8. Are there any competitors located close to the facility? If so, can you compete?


9. Is parking space available and adequate?


10. If your business expands in the future, will the facility be able to accommodate this growth?

If you’ve answered all of these questions and feel good about the answers, it’s time to get serious with the landlord.

• Who’s going to pay for the renovations?


• Does the facility meet health and fire standards?

You may have to contact the local fire department and a health inspector to have those questions answered. Either way, you’ll need a lawyer to make sure everything is official.

If you’re not comfortable with the answers to the above questions, look somewhere else! Location is one of the most important decisions you need to make before opening your restaurant.

Bonus Questions you might not think to ask right off the bat:

1. Can suppliers make deliveries conveniently at this location?
2. Is exterior lighting in the area adequate to attract evening shoppers and make them feel safe?
3. Is the trade area heavily dependent on seasonal business?

By Jeff Pollock

Some folks in NYC might say so:

I thought the video of the “DipJar,” credit card tipping station was hilarious - ”Rampant debit and credit card use has reached a tipping point.” The actual DipJar is currently in Beta, however you can find out more here: DipJar

This mention of 25% becoming the norm is interesting to me. After working many years in restaurants, I’ve recognized a large gap between what the FoH staff makes compared to the BoH.

Working in the kitchen, it doesn’t matter if it’s 2:30pm on a Monday afternoon or 7:30pm on a Saturday night, you’re making the same amount per hour of work. How hard you work only affects whether or not you’ll have a job the following day, and hardly anything to do with how much you make.

The front of the house is a completely different situation. What you make depends on what shift you’re working, how many other servers are on schedule, and how much your tables decide to tip. Of those 3 variables, you can really only affect the latter, and even then, I feel the guest has more of an affect than whether or not you’ve done a good job.

More and more people care less about the service than 10 years ago, and now focus on whatever is the norm. I’ve asked my colleagues here at Ambur and many simply go for the average 20%. They all have different styles, from, “a bit above 20%,” to “double the tax(8.75% in Buffalo, NY) and round up. One individual said he always pays at least 20%, and never below $5 per person.

It used to kill me listening to servers complain about only making $70 for their 4hr shift, when they’re standing right next to the dishwasher or a line cook, covered in sweat and smelling like fish, who only made $68 for their 8hr shift. The BoH staff will never make more, while a server could walk away with $150, no problem.

Things may be different in NYC, but if I thought anyone deserved more, it definitely wouldn’t be the FoH staff.

What do you think?

By Jeff Pollock

Mayor Bloomberg announced yesterday, “This is the biggest step a city has taken to curb obesity.” That may sound like a good thing for many, but there are plenty of others out there upset about the passing of this controversial bill.

Quick service restaurants are likely to get hit the hardest in March, when enforcement of the bill begins. In stations where the customer fills their own drink, the restaurants won’t be able to serve cups higher than 16oz, even if the customer plans to fill the cup with a sugar-free drink.

However, larger sizes for sugar-free drinks will still be allowed at the drive-through window. The National Restaurant Association director of nutrition and healthy living, Joy Dubost stated, “Restaurants shouldn’t have to be placed in the position of having to have different stations for different sizes of drinks or have to direct customers to different stations depending on the size and type of drink, especially if it is not deemed a sweetened beverage under the regulation.”

Things get even more confusing when coffee and tea is offered. A 20oz black cup of coffee, sans sugar is fine, but not a 20oz cup with cream and sugar.

Ice is also another confusion for restaurateurs and guests alike. Solid H2O contains no sugar, might that have a role in portion sizes? Could a 20oz soft drink with ice be all right, or will that be against the law once the ice melts, mixing with the sugar in the surrounding liquid?

Despite the above hassles, obesity a primary health concern in the United States, and sugary drinks may play a role in this epidemic.

Americans in general have been eating more over the past half century, just have a look at the portions below:

In 1955, the standard drink size was equivalent to today’s small, while today’s large is 6x as large.

Yesterday’s 16oz rule is still more than double the size of the 1955 standard, but what’s more important? Solving our obesity epidemic, or maintaining the efficiency of our quick service restaurants?

Maybe that’s not even the question we should be asking. Are soft drinks the cause? Should the government be making our decisions for us? Let me know what you think – Email me at jrp@amburapp.com, I’d love to know.

By Jeff Pollock

I love Fall. I love the colors of the changing leaves, the crisp morning air, the bonfires, the s’mores at the bonfires, and most of all, I love the pies. Apple Pie, Cranberry Pie, Blueberry Pie, any combination of the aforementioned pies, Pecan Pie, Chocolate Pie, Pecan-Chocolate Pie, but most of all – Pumpkin Pie.

I’ve never understood it. How could you take a pumpkin, this slimy, seedy, goofy looking thing, and turn it into such a beautifully sweet, aromatic treat?

If anyone knows, send me a recipe and I’ll try it out!

For now, I’d like to talk about the last time I fell a little too hard for this lovely dessert:

That was me two years ago, enjoying the beginnings of such a wonderful season, while consuming an unnecessarily large amount of Pumpkin Pie.

I earned the third place ribbon, uncomfortably full with 8 pieces of pie in my tummy, only 1 piece behind the gents who tied for 1st.

There’s something special about eating contests, and contests in general. People love to talk about them. And not just the contestants, but the press as well:

Nettle Eating Competition: Reuters(Video)

183 Chicken Wings in 12 Minutes: CNN

Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest: The Buffalo News

So get to it! Use your social media savvy to promote the event, encourage your employees to invite their friends, and you’ll be the talk of the town for weeks to come.

By Jeff Pollock

Sumac!? Like Poison Sumac!?!?

No! However related, the sumac we are going to discuss today is very different from Poison Sumac.

Notice the white flowers, which are followed by white berries in this poisonous plant:

What we’re looking for is Staghorn Sumac, a common (sometimes considered a weed!) plant found primarily in the Northeast.

Notice the red berries, velvety bark and toothed leaves, compared to the white berries, smooth bark and smooth leaves of the Posion Sumac.

WARNING: If you’re allergic to Mangoes or Cashews, be very careful when handling this beverage – They’re all in the family Anacardiaceae.

Thankfully Poison Sumac is rather hard to find, especially up north. I would recommend using a field guide and/or consulting an expert before beginning these following steps:

1.) Make sure it’s the Right Time

This usually works best in late summer or early fall. The citrus-like flavor comes from the acids found on the outside of the berries – Just pass your hand over a bob and lick one of your fingers. You should get a tangy flavor in your mouth. Unfortunately rain washes the acids away, so try to gather your bobs before the heavier rains start to fall.

2.) Gather the Bobs

The deep-red fuzzy berries are nicely bundled together in bobs, pointing upward toward the sky. Snap off about a half-gallon full of bobs using your hand, a knife or clippers.

3.) Soak the Bobs

Fill a gallon sized bowl of cool water about 2/3s of the way to the top. Place the bobs in the bowl and spend a few minutes separating the berries by gently crushing the bobs with your hands. Allow to sit for another 15 minutes or so.

4.) Strain and Chill

Cover a gallon-sized pitcher with cheesecloth and push down some of the cloth toward the bottom. Pour the bowl over the cheesecloth to separate the Sumac juices from the plant material. Remove the cheesecloth and discard the material into a garbage can or compost bin.

5.) Add Your Preferred Sweetener

Have a sip, and add as much or as little sweetener as you would like. I prefer to use honey, but anything works fine.

Now you have Sumac Lemonade!

If you would like to learn more about wild edible plants, send me an email at jrp@amburapp.com and I’ll show you some other recipes I’ve tried!

By Jeff Pollock

Hello Again Ladies and Gents,

Today we’ll discuss how to promote your business using Twitter Ads. It’s a really simple process, and if you do it right, will bring in new guests without costing you much money at all!

Now, if you don’t have an account, check out my past blog about Setting-Up and Using Twitter for Your Restaurant

Next, make your way to your Homepage, and head to the top right:

Press “Twitter Ads” and you’re on your way. At this point, it may again ask for your username and password… Don’t worry, it’s for security purposes.

Next, select the “Locations” tab and choose where you would like to advertise:

Now you get to choose what you would like to promote, and how much you would like to pay daily. The “Promoted Account” ad didn’t do much for us, however it may work well for a restaurant. And you don’t have to pay anything until someone “Follows” you on Twitter.

The “Promoted Tweets” worked out much better for us. You only pay when someone clicks your tweet, or clicks a link within your tweet.

In this section, you get to select which tweets you would like to promote. If you were to promote a tweet about Labor Day on Sept. 3rd, make sure at the end of the day, you choose to stop promoting that tweet (I accidentally let a Memorial Day tweet go on for a couple weeks - That didn’t work out so well).

Here are some Tweets I would promote for my restaurant:

I encourage you to get creative, play around with some new ideas, and you’ll start seeing more guests coming your way!

By Jeff Pollock

Not gonna lie – If you haven’t considered implementing a loyalty program to bring back customers you haven’t seen in a while, you’re a wee bit behind.

But that’s OK! With Ambur, you’ve got what you need to start building up your customer base, and in this week’s blog, I’ll let you know how to use it!

Here’s How:

Start a contest… Whichever server can collect the most email addresses gets to request off an extra holiday this year. Print out some comment cards with a spot for email addresses at the bottom – “Join our mailing list and get a free select appetizer at your next visit!”

Middle of the summer, you’re having a real slow week because everyone is out grillin’ and chillin’, enjoying the weather. Now’s your chance, just send out an email offering a free pina colada to anyone who prints out the offer, and suddenly your bar is packed!

Most businesses are beginning to realize it’s much easier to sell to your current clients instead of trying to find new ones. That’s where Loyalty Programs come into play. Collect the right information and you can get way more regulars than you’d imagine.

Another great one folks can’t resist is the Happy Birthday email. Send out a free entrée or a discount coupon 3 days beforehand and you’ll practically make their dinner plans for them. Just check out mailing programs like MailChimp or iContact and they can automate everything for you!

Now there’s a lot more you can do with a customer mailing list, like sending out a monthly newsletter or inviting guests to special events. But don’t get overwhelmed, just start building up the list and play around… See what people like, I promise it will help.

By Jeff Pollock

Following Apple’s desire for simplicity, Ambur is fairly easy to setup – After reading through our support material and a phone call or two, you can have it ready to go in just a couple days.

But we understand everything is easier with some help, so here at Ambur, we’re working to grow our network of resellers. That way, whenever you have an issue, one of our partners can be by your side to reduce all the stress we know you have to deal with.

That’s why Ansar and I made our way out to the 2012 RetailNOW show in Las Vegas this past week… Or, at least one reason =P

So here are some pictures from our trip! Enjoy!

My thanks go out to the RSPA for a fantastic event, to all of our partners who attended and to all of the new friends we’ve met over the past few days =)

Ciao!

By Jeff Pollock

You’ve had a week to get those creative juices flowing – Have you come up with anything?

If not, that’s alright, I’ll help you out with some ideas.

Check out two guerrilla marketing tactics from: Green Works

They got their name out in San Francisco not only by creating the reverse graffiti, but also by filming a short documentary about the project and sharing it on as many social networks as possible.

Just like the plastic utensils idea from last week, make sure to videotape the execution of your ideas, and use that to market your restaurant as well.

There are many alternatives to traditional marketing. See what Michael Hartzell, an expert in marketing for restaurants describes how you can use Zillow, a real estate application, to market to newcomers in your neighborhood:

Guerrilla Marketing for Restaurants with Zillow

With so many ideas out there, paying some other company thousands of dollars to create a commercial for your restaurant doesn’t sound that interesting anymore, does it?

What plans have you put together so far? Email me at jrp@amburapp.com and we can talk about ways your employees can execute those plans for you.

See ya next week!

By Jeff Pollock

Do you feel like you’re not getting enough guests in weekly? Do you think it might be time to start marketing to your community?

Marketing is a difficult venture, especially for restaurant owners already working around 60 hours a week.

Where do you begin? How much money is it going to cost?

The easy way out is to pay a local advertising company to produce a 30 second commercial, then spend $10,000 to $20,000 getting it up and running on a few local channels.

But who has ten to twenty grand lying around anymore? And what kind of Return on Investment are you going to get back?

Here’s my suggested alternative: Guerrilla Marketing.

After watching a few of these videos and listening to what I have to say, you can put together a plan that will cost you 1/100th the cost of a commercial. It also has the potential to make a larger impact on the community, and if you plan it right, won’t take you much time either.

To get your creative mind flowing, have a look at this video and realize how endless the possibilities truly are:

Guerrilla Marketing Innovative Ideas

Now those were just to get your mind workin’, here’s a unique example from a restaurant in Slovakia:

YPS - Guerrilla Marketing in Slovakia

How much could that have cost… A black sharpie, a roll of double-sided tape and a box of assorted plastic silverware? The real cost is in the time spent running around town, taping utensils to any possible surface.

Personally I wouldn’t want to spend the time doing all of that. I also wouldn’t want to spend much time washing dishes, but that’s what employees are for!

So start brainstorming with your staff, get some unique ideas put together and make a plan on how to execute it.

But Guerrilla Marketing isn’t all about doing bizarre things in public, there are plenty of other low cost marketing techniques I’ll talk about next week, so stay tuned!

EDIT: Check out Guerrilla Marketing Part 2

By Jeff Pollock

My thanks go out to Les Stroud from Survivorman for giving me the idea to blog about some Wild Edibles in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Check out the Season 3, Episode 1 trailer

In the episode, Les comes across Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata).

This plant was used during the Gold Rush by miners hoping to prevent Scurvy due to its high Vitamin C content. Collect a good-sized bundle of Miner’s Lettuce, along with some young Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) leaves and you’ve got yourself a salad!

Another wild edible found by Les was the Manzanita plant (genus Arctostaphylos), which can be soaked in water to create a mildly sweet, refreshing drink.

The Manzanita plant has also been used by both settlers and Native Americans in the past, as a remedy to Poison Oak rash.

The last wild edible I’m going to go over today is the Wild Onion (genus Allium).

Another plant found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this one may be a little difficult to discern from others by sight alone. So make sure you smell before you attempt to eat the plant – If it doesn’t smell like an onion, it’s NOT an onion.

As fun as it may seem to run around eating as many wild edibles as you can find, NEVER do so without consulting an expert. Many of these plants have toxic relatives, which makes them difficult to spot without practice.

I would definitely suggest heading to your local Farmer’s Market as a start. Find some plants you’ve never heard of and start cooking!

Oh yeah, and feel free to check out Les Stroud’s journal, where he describes his adventures in the Mountains.

By Jeff Pollock

Last week we discussed how to react to Negative reviews on online review sites, and in the end, it comes down to communicating with your guests honestly, especially in such a public realm.

But how do you communicate if you haven’t yet claimed your establishment as your own!?

Well, it’s not that hard really - Especially if you follow these 3 easy steps:

1.) Go to Urbanspoon.com

This part isn’t too difficult =)

2.) Make an Account

Just press “Sign In” at the top right of the home screen.

Then press “Create your account.” But remember, this is your personal account, and your name will be presented publicly both when you claim your establishment and when you post comments.

3.) Search for Your Restaurant - If You Find it, Claim it!

After pressing “Claim your restaurant now,” another screen will pop up, asking you to answer the restaurant’s phone:

This may not work if you have an answering machine setup to answer every call before it’s passed on to the host stand or restaurant as a whole - But there are a couple other options by pressing either “I can’t receive automated calls,” or “contact us.”

Now What Do You Do?

- Make sure the address and phone number are correct

- Fill in the rest of your restaurant’s profile with things such as the type of cuisine you serve, your menu, photos of the restaurant and staff, and your hours of operation.

- Check out what people have said about your establishment

BUT WAIT! - Before you begin responding to reviews, positive or negative, check out last week’s post about How to React to Negative Online Reviews!

By Jeff Pollock

Review websites are here, and they’re here to stay. They’re neither good nor evil, but they can certainly help or hurt your business. Whether or not you’re part of the conversation is up to you.

Step #1 – Pick a review site and search for your company

- Yelp

- Urbanspoon

- Restaurant.com

- CitySearch

- Dine.com

- Zagat

- OpenTable

- Chowhound

- TripAdvisor

Step #2 – Relax

You’ll most likely find a few negative reviews, but keep in mind there are three types of people who write reviews: 1.) Very Happy Guests 2.) Very Mad Guests and 3.) Foodies.

The Very Happy Guests could write a 5 star review based solely on the after-dinner mints:

While the Very Mad Guests tend to write 1 star reviews because their party of 15 had to wait an extra 2 minutes for a table on a Saturday night:

Personally I try not to read the 5 and 1 star reviews, because they offer no real insight to the experience I’m to have when I visit a particular restaurant. The real help comes from the Foodies who generally post 2-4 star reviews:

Step #3 – Respond (with a plan in mind!)

Negative reviews hurt – But you can do something about that. Read through them and try to understand your guest’s complaints.

If most of the complaints are about service, you may have to retrain your hosts. If they’re about a particular item, respond to the reviewer, asking what they would change. This shows you actually care about your guests, and can turn a negative review into a positive learning experience.

In many cases, a public discussion on a review site can turn a negative review into positive PR not only for that particular reviewer, but for anyone who sees the conversation and recognizes you as someone who actually wants to listen to, and cares about their guests.

Some Extra Tips:

- Don’t be defensive! Recognize a negative review as an opportunity rather than an offense.

- Before you get too far into one review site or the next, quickly check all of them to make sure the physical address and phone number are correct - You wouldn’t want to lose potential guests because they can’t find your establishment!

- Respond to the positive reviews as well! Let the reviewer know you appreciate what they’ve said, and ask them for opinions on certain items, or for suggestions on next week’s specials list.

- Encourage your regulars to post on review sites, even offer a discount if they can present evidence of the review. Just don’t ask for a 5 star review, they will come off as disingenuous.

EDIT: Encouraging reviews is a "big no-no that can get a place in trouble with Yelp." Check out one of their help videos here.

Good Luck searching! Hopefully you’ll find plenty of good reviews out there, but if you don’t, now you know how to fix the bad ones!

By Jeff Pollock

In just a few minutes you can easily setup a Twitter account by following these simple steps:

1.) Join Twitter – Your “Full Name” should be the name of your establishment, while your “Username” might have to be abbreviated(there’s a 15 character maximum).

2.) Upload your company logo and write a clever and/or descriptive short in the “Bio” section

3.) Start Following!

Twitter works by linking people together with similar interests. Following popular figures within your city - whether it be professional athletes, news anchors, Radio DJs, politicians, or even other restaurants – tells Twitter what you’re all about. This way you have a better chance at showing up on a hungry Tweeter’s home page.

After following major figures within your city, check to see who's following them. These are your potential guests, anyone who has an interest in city specific characters have a much better chance of having an interest in you and your company. By following these folks as well, you're letting the town know who you are, and what you're all about.

4.) Post your first Tweet!

There’s no need to Tweet each and every minute(you don’t want to annoy your fans!), but posting once or twice a day informing your Followers about the day’s specials or upcoming events keeps them in the loop and your food in their minds.

5.) Engage your customers!

At least once a day, check Twitter to see what people are saying about your company. But don’t just snoop around, actually communicate! If they’ve had a bad experience, make up for it!

That’s it! You’ve got a Twitter account! Now here are a few more Twitter Tips and Tricks for you to keep in mind:

- Follow anyone and everyone who’s Following you. The more the merrier!

- Check out Twitter’s Food and Drink suggestions page and start Following your favorite chefs!

- Take advantage of Instagram and Tweet pics showing off your new menu items.

- Have a look at some businesses who have really taken advantage and even gained support through their Twitter accounts:

Toro Sushi Bar

Rawlicious

Bellwether

Remember to check back next week! We’ll discuss even more ideas on how to use the web to boost your customer base =)

EDIT: Now that you've set up your Twitter account, find out how to market directly to hungry folks in your area on my blog about Advertising with Twitter.

By Jeff Pollock

Before you get too far into this post, be sure to check out 1 - 5: 10 Ways to Google-ize Your Restaurant

6.) Run on Openness and Data

A restaurant is a data farm; we just don’t use what we have nearly as often as Google would. Newer point of sale systems allow you to manage your customers information so you can send specific guests special offers to suit their style and needs. From loyalty discounts to food and wine suggestions, you can improve your guests’ experience by using the data gathered. Imagine your guests opening up the menu to see customer reviews on each item: “Lisa wrote, ‘That’s the best popcorn shrimp I’ve ever had,’” but “Derek wrote, ‘The cocktail sauce was far too hot, after two dips I just couldn’t take it anymore.’” What if your guests were able to see how many people ordered a particular item in the past month and choose based on that information? How about surveying your guests at the end of a meal? Beware of the abyssal comment box, it can only get you so far. I mean really sit down and ask what your guests liked or didn’t like about the meal. If they’re too nice to say anything bad, offer a free appetizer if they complete an anonymous online survey when they get home. If it looks like a certain item isn’t too popular, 86 it or revamp the recipe.

7.) Open-source the Restaurant

Another way to get your customers involved is to make everything open-source. Not only should you have your menu available online, but also include the recipes and nutrition facts. You can even create a wiki page for upcoming recipe ideas and your guests will have the opportunity to try them out at home. If they don’t like it, they can either adjust the recipe or vote on a different item they think should be on the menu. Once a month include a new item crafted by your guests. That way they will feel accomplished, take ownership of the recipe and undoubtedly come back to your restaurant time and time again. From Jarvis, “A vibrant community buzzing around a restaurant will help market it.” Use your guests as free marketing, just keep in mind it will only be positive marketing as long as you keep your guests happy.

8.) Crowd-source the Job of the Sommelier

Who needs to pay an expert when the collective insight from all of your guests can do the work for no charge? Choosing which wine works best with which entrée, describing the unique attributes of each bottle on your wine list and suggesting crowd favorites to new comers is something your guests could put together after a month’s worth of data. Create relationships with similar restaurants in your state or across the country to get a wider base and more precise answers. Even suggest other restaurants your guests would like. That may sound like a terrible idea, sending diners to other restaurants, however most people don’t want to eat at the same place every night. Make it a mutual relationship and the other restaurant will send diners your way as well.

9.) Stage Bakeoffs

Many people love to feel important, to make their mark and get special recognition. What better way than launching a Bakeoff? You could play it Iron Chef style, or simply invite select guests over and ask them to bring in their favorite baked goods. The potluck style will get people talking not only about the tasty treats, but about your innovation and the important role you’re playing in the community as well. Designate judges, whether they’re local members of the press or chefs from other restaurants and bakeries in the area, and promote the event. The winning item gets onto the dessert menu for a week, with the winner’s name attached.

10.) It’s Time for Chefs to Come Out From Behind the Stove

“If I were a chef, I’d blog about my restaurant; my taste, travels, and inspirations; and the trends I see. I’d be blunt and honest,” says Jarvis. Show your guests that there’s a real person back in the kitchen, and that your chef really cares about making sure every guest is happy. Set up a YouTube channel to promote a weekly cooking show presenting your signature items. Invite your regulars or winners from the Bakeoff into the kitchen to guest host an episode. Become a local star in your community and you’ll fill up every night of the week.

It’s time to get out there and innovate; do something unique that no one in your community has done before. These 10 ideas seem pretty out-of-the-box, some much more so than others, but I know you can benefit from at least 1 of these ideas, so get to it! Then tell me how it went by emailing me (Jeff) at jrp@amburapp.com.

Also feel free to send me your favorite summer recipes - I’ll try them out at home, let me know of any ideas for future blog posts and tell me about any problems you’re having, whether you’re starting a restaurant or already running one.

P.S. – Remember what Jeff Jarvis has said, “The best advertisement is a happy customer,” and in this day n’ age, that statement holds true in the restaurant industry more so than it ever has before.

By Jeff Pollock

What Would Google Do?: A book by Jeff Jarvis describing the “lessons and laws that have made Google so successful in this new era.” Here’s a summary of what Google might do if they were going to manage your restaurant:

We’re in a new century, and things seem to be in a bit of a mess. The auto industry nearly crumbled, the housing bubble has burst and everyone else is penny pinching just to get by. So how has Google turned into the world’s most reputable company with a nearly $200 billion market cap? Innovation.

Business models of the 20th Century are out of date, and judging by the rapidity of technological advances across the globe, any business model is out of date without a big ol’ pinch of innovation. So, if you feel yourself falling behind, or you just want to get ahead, take a leap and try following some of these 10 ways Google would stir things up and turn your restaurant into an innovation hub for the industry.

1.) Customers are now in Charge

You must learn to appreciate the value of online reviews. For every 1 person writing a review about your restaurant, there are at least 20 others who will see the review. One bad review could lose you 20 potential guests, so get online and respond! Apologize, ask for forgiveness and figure out what you can do to bring them back and ensure their next visit is supreme. Jarvis says, “The more you control, the less you will be trusted; the more you hand over control, the more trust you will earn. That’s the antithesis of how companies and institutions operated pre-internet history. They believed their control engendered our trust.”

2.) Talk to Your Customers

No longer can you form a marketing campaign and assume your audience will trust what you want them to know. As a society, we’ve grown skeptical – it’s so easy to research a product online and look at what others have to say. It’s time to really talk to your customers, let them know who you are and why they should trust you. Blogging is a great way to communicate with your guests. Promote your new menu items, daily specials and events, all while keeping them informed about the latest foodie trends, salmonella threats and hip ways to host dinner parties.

3.) Your Worst Customer is Your Best Friend – and Advertiser

Once in a while you will get a negative review. Don’t push it away or hide from it, and especially don’t call the reviewer stupid. Confront the review kindly, but have a purpose in mind: You want to change this person’s mind about your restaurant. Jarvis suggests that you “find out more about the problem by engaging in conversation. Solve it. Learn from it. Then tell people what you learned.” And do all of this publicly. In the movies we begin to love the main character, yet they have this fatal flaw, leading to a disastrous ending. Building up to the climax of the film, the character realizes that flaw and conquers it. That flaw, which could have been a death sentence, is now exactly what it takes to overcome the primary obstacle of the film. We want to see you succeed, so take this negative review, and really use it, conquer it. Now take it a step further and this disgruntled guest can become not only a regular customer, but play a huge role in your online presence. Instead of writing 20 blog posts about your crappy service, instead of posting a 45 minute long video rant about your under-cooked food that goes viral on YouTube, instead of forming a Facebook hate group all about your restaurant, he can be your messenger, letting the world know how amazing your restaurant is and how well you take care of your customers. The only thing is, you actually have to be amazing and take care of your customers - remember, the Customers are now in Charge.

4.) Create a Community Around Your Restaurant

This one is a bit of a misnomer – You can’t create a community, because you’re not in control anymore, the customer is. However you can create a platform for your guests to create that community for themselves. Launch an unofficial forum for the restaurant and get your best guests to moderate it. Of course you’ll want to take part, but instead of simply answering complaints, get your management involved; respond to compliments with thanks, and ask open-ended questions to get the conversation flowing. Ask what next month’s soup should be, who their favorite server is, what’s the best item on the menu, even ask for recipe suggestions! You’ve already got guests coming through the door, why not inform them of the forum in the footer of the guest check, describing the hot topic of the day?

5.) If You’re not Searchable, You won’t be Found

One third of all adults in the US own a smart-phone, and how are they using them? Looking for YOU – But if you’re not searchable, how will they find you? Google is the easiest place to start, but there are review sites such as Urbanspoon, Yelp, and foursquare where guests can write reviews about you and your restaurant as well. These are great places to search for disgruntled customers and begin to fix your online presence and customer service by engaging in conversation and finding the right solutions. When I’m traveling, whether it’s for business or pleasure, I hop on review apps to look for the best restaurants nearby. Automatically I get a list of the closest restaurants, what percentage of people liked them, what cost bracket they’re in, what type of food they serve, and a bunch of personal reviews letting me know what other travelers and locals truly think about the restaurant.

To read more, head on over to 6 - 10: 10 Ways to Google-ize Your Restaurant

By Jeff Pollock