Werkman drives results thanks to the all-in-one platform

“The right location is quite decisive for the success of your business. Ideally, you want to be in a place with enough traffic at all times of the day. A location like this (the former gift shop Expo) on the Grote Markt is a rare opportunity. Because my father, Bert Westerhof, owns several hospitality businesses, including Ocean 41 and Club Kokomo nearby, we were close to the action. When we heard that this building became available, we immediately knew the potential was strong. My father didn’t want to run yet another business, but for me, the opportunity came at exactly the right time.”
 

Modern en vrouwelijk ontwerp

After thorough research, the idea for a trendy grand café–style concept in a fresh new look emerged. “From the beginning, we knew a major renovation was necessary. That immediately gave us the opportunity to shape the entire concept with our primary target audience in mind: a woman around 28 years old. A very deliberate choice, because women around that age come here to enjoy lunch with colleagues, eat and drink with friends, but also have a full dinner with their parents. And… once you have those lovely ladies in your venue, the men naturally follow,” Maurijn continues with a smile.

Cup of coffee, cocktail, good glass of wine

The result of the renovation is truly stunning. Across three floors, with an atrium, a conservatory, and a large terrace, guests enjoy everything WERKMAN has to offer. Each floor has its own style. You can enjoy a drink downstairs in the cozy bar. Lunch and dinner are served in the beautiful restaurant on the first floor. And if you want to work quietly, hold a meeting, or host a party, the upstairs living room is perfect, with amenities such as extra power outlets and the option to order via QR code. And because the renovated façade is made of glass, you have a fantastic view from the restaurant and living room over the Grote Markt towards the Martini Tower. “The great thing is that we can also slide the glass open. That gives you an indoor-outdoor feeling!”

Groningen artist as inspiration

The work and life of Groningen printer and artist Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman are the inspiration for the venue’s design and name. “Practicality, no-nonsense, history, and representing work—that is Werkman. His love of color and creative visual language is reflected throughout the venue. The concept emphasizes a lot of homeliness and hospitality with a distinctive, modern interior that fits well with our primary target audience. And we prepare all dishes with the same attention to detail as Werkman gave to his artworks.”

This is how you make people come and stay

Thanks in part to the impressive building, guests found WERKMAN from the very first moment. “We opened in June, right in the middle of the corona period, and even during the trial days we ran eight shifts per day!” Maurijn says. “Also, the fact that we offer something special on the menu, because we prepare our dishes on a Josper grill, helps us stand out. In addition, we trained our team well, and that paid off. I’m very happy with our table reservation software, because it helped us fill tables as efficiently as possible. And because guests could easily book online, it prevented a lot of extra phone calls.”

“But even in a great location like this, you have to make an effort to make people come to you. On summer evenings, we often have a DJ playing. Extra atmosphere and experience make people who are dining stay longer, and people walking by still decide to sit down because it’s so cozy.”

Driving results with an all-in-one platform

“A venue of this size, with three floors, a mezzanine, and a terrace, is quite complex. The central bar is downstairs and the open kitchen is on a mezzanine close to the restaurant. That means our staff have to cover a lot of ground. That’s why it’s even more important to automate everything as much as possible. With digital kitchen screens connected to the POS and handhelds, we ensure that every order goes directly to the kitchen and bar. This allows our team to start preparation immediately, easily combine orders, and serve everything at once. That saves us a huge amount of time.”

“In my view as a hospitality entrepreneur, I prefer to work with as few partners as possible and keep communication short. Because my father had good experiences with DISH software at Paviljoen van de Dame, and our friends at Cappuvino did too, that was also our choice. The complete platform can integrate different parts of your business processes, such as the POS system, QR ordering, staff planning, reservation system, and kitchen and bar management. That works more efficiently and allows me to manage more purposefully. It’s working very well; I wouldn’t want it any other way!”