As the saying goes, start as you mean to go on. Our goal with any hospitality business partnering with Slerp is to set them up so they can have the most successful D2C ordering experience possible. That means not only providing you with a great online ordering system, but also giving you the necessary tools to make sure both you and your customers can get the most out of it. With that in mind, we’ve been busy improving our onboarding process…
Meet our amazing activations team, Dora Takacs and Murat Yorulmaz aka Dorat! With over 18 years of experience in hospitality between them, they know exactly what you need to succeed and they understand exactly what it’s like to be in your shoes.
The process
Every single business that goes through the onboarding process with Slerp will have one-to-one contact with the activations team. They are here to answer any questions and ensure you have the confidence and capabilities to smash online ordering out of the park.
Starting in the pre launch phase, the team guides partners through launch and right up to the point they feel comfortable and confident. We work with all kinds of hospitality venues no matter their size or experience with online ordering. They can flex with your needs, providing product training, marketing tips, and guidance with your customer user journey.
Meet Dora and Murat
We sat down with the team to find out a little more about what makes each of them tick. From their first jobs to their favourite restaurants.
What do your family and friends think you do all day?
Dora:
When I told my mum that I work in sales she pictured me as a travelling vacuum cleaner sales person and when I went into detail about hospitality e-commerce she added the image of a delivery driver to this. So in my mum’s eyes I am basically delivering hoovers on a bike.
Murat:
They think I sit in the office and sell computers and relevant equipment. When I started working in the hospitality sector they thought that I was sitting and working on my computer, now they are back to thinking I am selling computers.
What was your first job?
Dora:
I was making pancakes for a week at Sziget festival in Budapest just so I had a free wristband and could go to see Faithless live. I was 14. Every blister was totally worth it.
This was quickly followed by my first barista job, which I had to get because I managed to rack up an exceptionally large phone bill on the landline. So I was doing some shifts to pay the bill back to my dad. The takeaway of the story is that I was a dream teenager.
Murat:
My first job was in Accounts Receivables at Siemens Turkey, I reported information back to the top management. I created a dashboard and a blacklist to show which customers weren’t meeting their payment terms. This was important info that they needed but, naturally they didn’t much like seeing a blacklist, because it showed they had a problem!
Tell us about your background in hospitality, what makes you right for this role?
Dora:
I did a Masters in Social Entrepreneurship. Reading case studies about Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen made me very determined to work in the industry and one day set up a restaurant that does something similar to Fifteen.
Even though I come from a hospitality family, the industry in the UK is very different from Hungary, so I decided to work my way through the ranks. I started as a chef de rang and worked my way up. Probably one of the best things about this is that I actually worked for Jamie at Fifteen for 4 years as Assistant Restaurant Manager and later as Restaurant Manager.
Following this, I had the chance to work at a Michelin starred restaurant as Assistant General Manager, we retained the Michelin star during my time there. I then worked as an opening general manager before leaving the floor behind.
As the resident geek in every restaurant I worked in, I was in charge of EPOS, stock softwares and genuinely anything tech. I never thought this would come in so handy.
Murat:
I am the co-owner of my own restaurant and takeaway based in Brightlingsea, Essex. During the pandemic I signed up to Slerp and launched D2C online ordering. We have a really good Share of Wallet with an average of 30% of our orders going through the platform, and our conversion is very strong with 1 in every 2 customers to the site placing an order.
When I am setting up partners, I understand exactly what it is like because I have been on the other side! This gives me an excellent understanding of what they need. I know first hand the challenges of navigating this industry and how busy operators are because I am one.
Describe your role in 3 words…
Dora:
Cycling around London / Helping restaurants grow
Murat:
Share of Wallet
“When I am setting up partners, I understand exactly what it is like because I have been on the other side!”
Murat Yorulmaz
What is your favourite cuisine?
Dora:
It is the toughest question because I love food and I love all sorts.
But it’s Italian… It will always be Italian, although not necessarily what comes to most people’s mind when they hear Italian food. I love cucina povera (peasant food). Needless to say, if you add some shaved truffle and a nice bottle of Barolo to the dinner, even better 🙂
Murat:
I love Turkish food and meat is my priority. I especially like preparing and seasoning my own meat and inviting friends to have a barbeque. Cooking for them and having a good time… I l always love company!
What is your standard office lunch?
Dora:
Does Crosstown count?
Murat:
Lovely home cooked food from my wife – it’s so good it’s like having my own private chef.
What is your favourite restaurant?
Dora:
Passione Vino in Shoreditch is the best wine bar in the city without question for me and their amazing daily changing Venetian food menu is just something else. Absolutely love it.
Murat:
Meze Ocakbasi in Woodford Green, it’s the best tender Shish Kebab you can eat.
What Slerp partner can’t you get enough of right now?
Dora:
It has to be Pavilion Bakery in the morning, Dom’s Subs for lunch and Willy’s Pies for dinner
Murat:
B Bagel…. I’ve had bagel cravings for weeks
Keen to work with them in person? Get in contact with us today and start your D2C journey, you won’t regret it.