How to Get the Most Out of Tripleseat+ Direct

Our Tripleseat+ Direct feature has become one of our most popular and well-received product updates. Many of our customers jumped at the opportunity to start utilizing Tripleseat+ Direct when we released it, and many more have adopted it since. Whether you’re a TripleseatDirect pro, a brand new adopter, or are juggling with implementing Tripleseat+ Direct, it’s essential to understand a few best practices to ensure you’re getting the most out of this groundbreaking product.

First, let’s start with the basics: What is Tripleseat+ Direct?

Tripleseat+ Direct is Tripleseat’s latest product release that will simplify how you and your staff book and execute private events and catering orders while saving you precious time. The Tripleseat+ Direct booking form works similarly to Tripleseat’s “OG” lead form, except for one big difference. Once your customers finish filling out the Tripleseat+ Direct booking form, they have created an entire private event booking or catering order. From choosing a date and time to a location, whether onsite or offsite, selecting a menu, and authorizing their credit card for payment, the Tripleseat+ Direct form allows your customers to build their event or catering order independently and 100 percent online.

Once the customer’s booking is created, it flows into your Tripleseat dashboard the same way leads do. You have the final say as to whether the booking gets accepted or denied. If accepted, Tripleseat will automatically set up the event for you, including payments and documents. If denied, the customer will receive an email letting them know, and from there, you can communicate with them through the discussion tab like you would any other lead.

Ensure your Tripleseat+ Direct booking form is set up precisely how you want it

You need to remember that you have complete control over your customer’s journey on the Tripleseat+ Direct booking form. To start, you decide which locations have an active Tripleseat+ Direct form. You choose which booking types are available at which locations. The Tripleseat+ Direct available options are on-premise, full-service catering, pick-up catering, and drop-off catering.

Next, you choose which menus your customers can select from for each location and each booking option. You have complete control over the minimum and maximum guest counts, minimum menu selection totals, available booking hours for each booking type, event duration limits, lead time limits, and, of course, blackout dates. For full-service and drop-off catering, you can set up a delivery radius to ensure you’re not approving events outside your market area.

To get the most out of Tripleseat+ Direct, it is vital to confirm your booking forms are set up accurately.

For help setting your Tripleseat+ Direct forms up, reach out to our support team.

Where should I link my Tripleseat+ Direct booking form?

Often the first question we’re asked once a customer implements Tripleseat+ Direct is, “Where should I put the form?” My answer is simple: anywhere and everywhere you can.

Just like with Tripleseat’s lead form, you can have multiple Tripleseat+ Direct booking forms. Create specific Tripleseat+ Direct forms for holidays and promotions and add the form links to your email marketing campaigns, social media accounts, and website. Have two separate form links on your website: one for your classic Tripleseat lead form and one for the TripleseatDirect booking form so, if they’re ready, prospects can book the event directly from your website. If you offer both catering and private events, it might make sense to have two separate Tripleseat+ Direct links, one for on-site private events and one for catering.

Make sure to call attention to all of your Tripleseat+ Direct booking forms wherever makes sense throughout your website. For example, if you have a page with menu links, make sure when a customer clicks to view your catering menu, there’s a call to action for your Tripleseat+ Direct booking form for catering orders. You want to proactively push the Tripleseat+ Direct booking process with each step of your customer’s journey. This will help you get the most out of your Tripleseat+ Direct forms.

What can I use Tripleseat+ Direct for?

Private events, pick-up catering orders, drop-off catering orders, virtual group experiences like wine tastings or chef demonstrations, holiday baskets, and gifts — the possibilities are endless and completely up to you. Once you become a Tripleseat+ Direct user, it doesn’t cost you anything to create a new Tripleseat+ Direct form, so my advice is to experiment to see what works.

Market each of your Tripleseat+ Direct forms like their own entity and then track the bookings that come in to see what’s working and what’s not. Simple marketing efforts like basic email campaigns and social media pushes do not cost you a penny. Yes, it may sound time-consuming, but it truly isn’t with Tripleseat+ Direct. The end result will not only generate revenue but will also save you time in the process.

Make sure to utilize Tripleseat+ Direct reporting

Reporting is a key factor in making sure you’re getting a bang for your buck when it comes to Tripleseat+ Direct. Start with a custom Event Details report. You can choose to group the report by Source to find out how many bookings Tripleseat+ Direct gave you compared to other sources. This way, you can adjust your marketing outreach accordingly.

Furthermore, you’re able to pull a report to find out what your best-selling items were in the last month for events booked through the TripleseatDirect form. This way, you’re able to change up your catering and private event menus to better please guests.

You can also use Tripleseat+ Direct reports to plan for upcoming Tripleseat+ Direct events by pulling the menu items that your guests selected so you know exactly what the kitchen needs to order for each event.

For more information on how to pull Tripleseat+ Direct reports, read our post on the Tripleseat+ Direct reporting feature release.

Get started with Tripleseat+ Direct

If your venue isn’t using our Tripleseat+ Direct feature yet, head on over to our Tripleseat+ Direct page for instructions on how to get set up. You can also check our Tripleseat+ Direct playlist on YouTube for more information on how this exciting new product works.