30 years of Hendrickx
Success in the service of more than 10,000 customers.
1st October 2011 is a big day: Hendrickx POS systems does celebrate its 30th anniversary. A time spent in the service of the hospitality, bakery and retail industries, years in which the increasing degree of automation can be considered a unifying thread. As Raf Swartenbroekx, Senior Account Manager, comments, “a decisive success factor is the trust placed by our customers in our extensive service range and outstanding products which we customise to their individual needs prior to delivery. Our intensive dialogue with customers and long-standing experience in diverse industries form the basis of successful client collaborations.”
Délifrance, Antwerp
Raf Swartenbroekx demonstrates the company’s approach to individual customer care on a beautifully sunny day, on which we accompany him on a series of customer visits which take us the length and breadth of Belgium. Our trip begins in Antwerp, where Délifrance is testing its new, sophisticated franchise concept in the stylish Stadsfeestzaal shopping centre. In the shop, we meet Gerrit Vannueten, who is in the process of preparing mouth-watering strawberry and fruit tartlets. Vannueten explains that “the branch location, in a highly-frequented area within a shopping centre, is typical. We use a friendly self-service concept to serve several hundred sandwiches daily, prepared freshly in the presence of our customers, with a team of just three or four service staff. Our guests can choose to either enjoy their snacks in the attractively decorated store with its new colour concept, or eat them at home or in the office. The Vectron POS SteelTouch, which is equipped with two printers, ensures that cashier activities can also be performed smoothly and without delays during the busiest periods from 12:00–2:00 pm.”
Raf Swartenbroekx adds: “All Vectron POS systems in the various Délifrance shops in Belgium are connected to a back office software programme at the Délifrance headquarters in Nivelles via the internet and the Vectron Commander. Reports generated automatically overnight inform the Délifrance franchise managers of sales trends and the results of promotion campaigns immediately.”
Before we leave the Délifrance branch after a delicious breakfast, where the sophisticated lighting concept creates a friendly, pleasant ambience, Gerrit Vannueten and Raf Swartenbroekx talk shop about a new additional function which is due to be included in POS programming in the near future. The flexible configuration and programming options ensure that Vectron POS system models leave almost nothing to be desired in this area. In particular, the new macro programming assists in the automatisation of recurrent workflows and simplifies connections to the internet, customer retention systems like bonVito and other backoffice applications.
Notre Dame, Leuven
Our next stop is the historical city of Leuven, which boasts one of Europe’s most beautiful late-Gothic buildings in the shape of its town hall. At the lower end of the town hall, we pay a visit to Notre Dame, an absolute must for all hungry Leuven tourists, which is located directly in the market square. The fact that the restaurant is popular with many Leuven residents as well as casual customers makes it particularly attractive.
It’s shortly before 12 pm and the lunchtime rush hasn’t quite set in yet, so Roger Hendrickx and Alex, Notre Dame’s owner, have time to greet us in person. Roger Hendrickx, senior partner at Hendrickx POS systems, who considers many of his customers old friends, doesn’t miss the chance to join in the conversation. Notre Dame is one of the largest brasseries of its kind in Belgium. Up to twelve waiters are on hand to keep a watchful eye on guests’ needs. And a team of eleven chefs ensures that the high quality of meals is guaranteed, even during busy periods. All the careful planning which went into the functionality, number and positioning of the seven Vectron POS SteelTouch systems pays off on a daily basis.
Roger Hendrickx explains the most important criteria on the basis of the building layout: “Because Notre Dame is comprised of three linked buildings with multiple rooms and different levels, organising simultaneous service for up to 300 guests proved particularly challenging. As a result, the seven SteelTouch POS systems were arranged in a manner which ensures that waiters always pass a Vectron POS SteelTouch on their way from the tables to the bar. An additional SteelTouch POS system was installed at the main bar where guests are greeted. This informs the owner of the state of play in all rooms, and displays table occupancy on a graphic table map. Regular customers have also developed the habit of coming directly to the main bar to pay during busy periods, as this is quicker. The split invoice function on the large SteelTouch screen is particularly useful when it comes to optimising workflows in this area. Three POS MobileXL systems are also in use, in order to ensure that the outstanding service functions as smoothly on the terrace tables in the historical market square as it does inside.
Bakery Martens, Kinrooi
The tempestuous lunchtime rush abates at around 2 pm, and we set off for another customer, the Martens’ Bakery, which has just completely refurbished its main branch. On the way to Kinrooi, in the north-eastern corner of Belgium, Raf Swartenbroekx tells us what makes the Martens‘ Bakery so unusual: “On busy days, up to eight sales assistants serve the customers using three Vectron POS SteelTouch systems. Demand is so high that customers are served according to numbers issued by a dispenser when they enter the shop.” The easy to operate Vectron POS SteelTouch helps to guarantee rapid service despite the queues. Mirthe, the Martens’ eight-year-old daughter, confirms that using the Vectron POS SteelTouch is indeed tantamount to child’s play. Kitted out in a specially-made sales uniform, she not only really likes helping to serve, but is also a dab hand at cashing up. Marthe enjoys a popular following among the regulars, who are always delighted to see this special sales assistant in action. Her mother, Danielle Martens, tells Roger Hendrickx about the excellent results achieved during the bakery’s opening weeks. The tremendous customer response makes up for the stresses and strains of the renovation. The earthy natural colours make the ambience far more sophisticated and elegant, and the Vectron POS SteelTouch’s stainless steel housing contributes to the classy overall impression. The involvement of Hendrickx POS systems during the planning phase has paid off once again.
Restaurant Brugwachter, Lommel
On our way back to the company headquarters, we make a brief stop at Restaurant Brugwachter in Lommel. Chris Bertels and Annemie Emmers, old hands at the hospitality trade with fifteen years experience of the industry under their belts, have poured heart and soul into this restaurant, which is open seven days a week and operates an interesting hybrid concept. On the one hand, the Brugwachter is a popular day trip destination with an enormous outdoor area which seats 200 guests and a bright, inviting winter garden with space for 150 when the weather’s not so good. On the other, the elegant dining hall is perfect for enjoying romantic tête-à-têtes or exquisite culinary treats. The Vectron POS SteelTouch at the bar is complemented by four mobile systems. The mobile printers are indispensable when it comes to issuing invoices, minimising unnecessary running to and fro and wasted time in the process. The daily opening hours of 10 am–11 pm mean that the owners cannot maintain a permanent presence at the Brugwachter, particularly as they run a second restaurant. As a result, the Addimat serving system connected to the Vectron POS system proves a reliable aid, helping staff not to forget to register drinks in the system. Beer, wine, alcoholic drinks and coffee cannot be served until the various dispensing systems are activated via clearance from the POS. This applies to orders made via stationary and mobile Vectron POS systems.
In addition to the Brugwachter, Hendrickx POS systems also equipped Kris Bertels and Annemie Emmers’ second restaurant. A combination of stationary and mobile Vectron POS systems is also in place at “Bij den Burger”, a bistro in the centre of Lommel which seats 50 guests indoors and a further 40 on the outdoor terrace. Less running means more profit. According to the owners, fewer staff is essential to success in the hospitality industry. This also includes monitoring both premises with the Vectron Commander, which links all POS systems to the main office. Decades of experience with a diverse range of customers mean that the Hendrickx company faces future challenges with confidence, ready to continue offering its customers optimum advice, quick service and outstanding products from Vectron over the next 30 years.
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