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A Cavite-based restaurant with a premium flair is positioning itself as a go-to wedding venue and events place by going digital in its operations and offering fiber-fast connectivity to customers.
Running a restaurant with world-class dishes – the likes of salmon saffron and sea bass are on the menu – requires acquiring a world-class management system that is at par with global standards, even for an SME, said Rafael ‘Raf’ Rodriguez, President of Look at the Sun Food Management Inc. which manages the Girasol restaurant in Alfonso, Cavite.
“Being ‘global’ should be the point of view of a local business, even for a business situated in Alfonso, Cavite. You will recall twenty or thirty years ago, Alfonso was really very rural in its setting but the mindset even in a place like this should be global. And technology is global,” Rodriguez said.
In fact it is this global and worldly character that started Girasol – which literally means sunflower – in the first place, he added.
“My wife Pearl and I love food and restaurants. We had the privilege of going to different places in the Philippines and other countries for some work-related travels and we got the chance to enjoy the food in different countries. We thought that maybe we should start something in the Philippines and be able to bring some of the things we have been able to experience in other countries,” he shared.
With a bright, airy, and tastefully-decorated ‘Great Room’, a stocked wine cellar, and a grand staircase, Girasol certainly offers guests a sophisticated venue for their celebrations coupled with a carefully-curated and traditional cuisine. It even offers five premium guest rooms to customers availing of event packages.
This is what Raf hopes will bring even more business to his door, as they’ve been catering to two to three weddings per month since the economy reopened in June 2022.
Supporting this gradual reopening and surge is Converge’s flexiBIZ, an SME-tailored solution that offers high bandwidth connection at a cost just right for a small or medium business.
This connection allowed Girasol to communicate with guests and customers through its Facebook page during the pandemic, facilitate digital payments, and submit requirements via email to the local government.
Going beyond connectivity, Girasol is now upgrading its systems with the Workplace Hotel Management Solution, which will greatly professionalize and streamline its operations.
“We’re availing of a new system that will link the booking system to the POS system, to the inventory, to the website, and even the guest reviews. This is really required to survive and compete in this very competitive industry. That will enable us to render fast and efficient service,” Raf affirmed.
The Hotel Management Solution is under the Converge Workplace, which is the umbrella brand for business productivity software solutions. As a software turnkey product, the hotel management solution does away with the need of an IT department or to install expensive hardware – the only requirement is a strong broadband connection and subscription to the software enabling the system.
The solution would prevent issues such as overbooking and long lines at the front desk, which was a dilemma for Girasol in the past.
“In our day to day operations, we encounter some challenges such as double bookings. We also encountered problems prior to events, like when payments had to be made. So we believe, with integration, these challenges can be solved by the workplace solution of Converge,” said Raf Rodriguez.
“The process will also help us expand – time saved, cost savings, the satisfaction of customers – will help us to be better known. We will have more guests and customers, and we will be able to serve them back using the system,” Raf added.
To know more about Converge SME Solutions, visit https://www.convergeict.com/SME/.
