Understanding Your Business Type
What this feature does
Servinn adapts its language, features, and terminology to match the type of business you run. When you set up your account, you choose whether you operate a hotel, restaurant, retail store, or another type of venue. Based on this choice, the entire dashboard adjusts to use words and concepts that make sense for your specific industry. Instead of seeing generic terms like "order" or "catalog," you'll see familiar language like "booking" for hotels, "menu" for restaurants, or "product category" for retail stores. This makes the system feel natural and intuitive for your particular business.
Who it is for
This feature benefits everyone using Servinn, but it's especially important for:
Business owners setting up their account for the first time
Industry-specific operators who want software that speaks their language
Team members learning the system who need familiar terminology to get up to speed quickly
Multi-concept operators who run different types of businesses and need each one to feel appropriate
Whether you're running a boutique hotel, a busy cafe, or a retail shop, the system molds itself to your industry's standards.
When to use it
You'll interact with business type settings at key moments:
During initial account setup when you first create your venue
When adding new locations if you're expanding into different business types
When training new staff who need to understand how the system relates to their daily work
When reviewing features to understand why certain words appear in your dashboard
The business type you select shapes your entire experience, so it's one of the first and most important decisions you'll make when setting up Servinn.
Key concepts
Business Type Categories: Servinn organizes businesses into three main categories. The first is Hoteliers, which includes hotels, resorts, and guesthouses. The second is Food and Beverages, covering restaurants, cafes, lounges, bars, and pubs. The third is Retail, encompassing marts, shopping centers, stores, and online shops. Each category has its own vocabulary and features tailored to that industry.
Dynamic Terminology: This is how Servinn changes its language based on your business type. The same feature might be called different things depending on your industry. For example, what one business calls an "order" might be called a "booking" in a hotel, or a "sale" in a retail store. The system automatically uses the right term throughout your entire dashboard, in navigation menus, on reports, and in customer-facing materials.
Venue Names: Depending on your business type, what you call your location changes. Hotels refer to their locations as "properties," restaurants call them "restaurants," and retail businesses call them "stores." If you run a mixed business or something that doesn't fit neatly into these categories, Servinn defaults to the neutral term "venue."
Catalog vs. Menu vs. Room Type: This is where you organize what you sell. Restaurants see this as their "menu," hotels see "room types," and retail stores see "product categories." It's all the same functionality—organizing your offerings—just described in industry-appropriate language.
Entry Points vs. Order Points vs. Check-in Points: These are the physical or virtual spots where customers initiate orders. Restaurants call them "order points" (like table numbers), hotels call them "check-in points" (like front desk stations or room numbers), and retail stores call them "sales points" (like checkout counters). These adapt based on your business type so your staff immediately understands what they're managing.
Order Types: The specific ways customers can purchase from you vary by industry. Restaurants typically offer dine-in, takeout, and delivery. Hotels offer bookings, reservations, and room service. Retail stores offer in-store purchases and pickup options. Your dashboard will only show the order types relevant to your business, eliminating clutter and confusion.
Items vs. Products vs. Amenities: What you sell gets called different things. Restaurants have "items" on their menu, retail stores have "products," and hotels have "amenities." Again, it's the same concept—the things customers can purchase—just described in a way that makes sense for your operation.
Adaptive Navigation: As you move through your dashboard, you'll notice the navigation menu uses your industry's language. A hotel owner clicking on venue management will see "Properties," while a restaurant owner will see "Restaurants," and a retail owner will see "Stores." This consistency throughout the interface helps you find what you need quickly without translating generic software terms into your business reality.
Common questions
Q: Can I change my business type after I've set it up?
Your business type is set when you create each venue, and it's designed to stay consistent to avoid confusion. However, if you realize you've selected the wrong type, you can create a new venue with the correct business type and transfer your information. If you need help with this process, reach out to Servinn support. They can guide you through the transition. It's important to get this right from the start, so take a moment during setup to choose the category that best matches your operation.
Q: What if my business doesn't fit neatly into one category?
Some businesses are hybrids. For example, you might run a hotel with a restaurant, or a cafe with retail products. In this case, choose the business type that represents your primary operation—the main way customers interact with you. If you run a hotel where most guests book rooms but some also visit just for the restaurant, choose "Hotel." The system will still allow you to handle all your business activities; it just frames the terminology around your primary business model.
Q: Will my customers see different terminology too?
Yes! The business type affects customer-facing elements as well. When customers scan your QR code or access your ordering page, they'll see language appropriate to your business. Hotel guests will see "bookings," restaurant customers will see "orders," and retail shoppers will see "sales." This creates a more professional and polished experience that matches customer expectations for your industry.
Q: I have multiple locations of different types. How does that work?
If you operate different types of businesses—say, both a restaurant and a retail store—you can create separate venues for each with appropriate business types. When you switch between venues in your dashboard, the terminology will automatically adjust to match that specific location's business type. This means you get the best of both worlds: industry-specific language for each distinct operation, all managed from one Servinn account.
Q: Does my business type affect what features I have access to?
Not really. All business types have access to the same core functionality—order management, payment tracking, reporting, catalog management, and so on. What changes is how those features are described and organized. You're not missing features by choosing one business type over another; you're just getting a customized interface that makes sense for how you work. The underlying capabilities remain consistent across all industries.
Q: Why is my dashboard using the word "venue" instead of my specific business type?
You might see the word "venue" used as a general term in some places, especially in settings or documentation that applies to all business types. Think of "venue" as Servinn's universal word for "your business location," regardless of type. In most places specific to your workflow—like navigation menus and day-to-day operations—you'll see your industry-specific terminology. If you're seeing "venue" where you'd expect to see your business-specific term, it's usually in a context that applies broadly to all users.