NLJust before the hospitality industry is allowed to reopen and everyone is busy preparing everything, we present an ode to:
BHG (Brothers Horeca Groep)
We had a telephone conversation with Roy Goorts, Marketing Manager at the BHG group, a company with more than 22 years of experience in the hospitality industry. From event venues to restaurants. In total, there are 12 concepts, each with its own unique interpretation of the family company’s values: ENTHUSIASTIC, HEARTY AND HOSPITABLE.
What have you all been up to lately?
When our locations had to close from mid-March, our teams were busy with everything from cleaning to painting and other renovations. We were also busy preparing for the rest of the year. Every week, we seized new opportunities as allowed by the news from The Hague.
What delivery and/or pickup options have you developed?
We started to offer, at the locations that normally organize a (Easter) brunch or (Mother’s Day) high tea during the holidays, an experience to be enjoyed at home. At De Landgoederij we even delivered these to homes, and at restaurant Zuiver we handed over these boxes to our guests via a drive-thru on the parking lot. This last initiative even made it to the NOS Journaal.
This way, we stayed true to our concepts and, with the use of the right social media, reached many people and made this a great success. Throughout April, we looked at each concept to determine which activity would best complement the other concepts and further rolled it out. At DownUnder, one can order a BBQ package, and for Meneer Smakers we fully focused on pickup and delivery. This way, we set up a food truck and a Meneer Smakers drive-thru at two busy locations in the region.
How is the contact with your guests?
In the beginning, we received a lot of support from our regular guests via social media and email. They were sorry that we were closed and looked forward to the moment we would reopen. Many gift cards for our locations were also purchased.
Guests whose reservations we had to cancel for a table or event were the first to be approached, and they were given priority to reserve a table from June 1. This is greatly appreciated. Many guests also supported us by making use of our pickup initiatives, such as the meal service at HFSLG or the recently initiated online cooking workshop at Bistro Belle.
How are you handling the new measures from June 1?
Our staff is motivated to pamper our guests again from Monday onward. We are well prepared with both instructions for our employees and clear communication online and on-site for our guests. Whenever there are updates from the government, we can quickly adjust at our locations.
Our guests are making reservations en masse in advance, and upon arrival, we coordinate with the guest whether they prefer to sit on the terrace or inside. People who are cycling and want to spontaneously relax at our more rural locations, such as Klein Zwitserland, can simply drop by because we keep a number of tables available. Additionally, our locations Zuiver, HFSLG, Down Under, and Meneer Smakers continue with our pickup initiatives.
Our locations are also restarting their seating capacities. We have been able to postpone many parties in consultation with our clients to later this year, and in the coming months, weddings are also on the agenda. For these, we assist our guests with their preparations and providing information to their guests. We think along with them extra to ensure that everything runs as smoothly and safely as possible.
Advice and/or tips?
It is important to let your guests fully enjoy themselves again. Whether it is a wedding, a reception, or a dinner. It is essential to alleviate any concerns by visibly implementing the measures and thereby giving your guests a sense of safety.
