A BUYING GUIDE FROM VCMP
Evaluate VCMP Encore when the job is to turn a venue enquiry into a clear booking and a usable team run sheet. Compare it with Collins using the actual private-hire and group-event workflows your team relies on. A feature name is only a starting point: ask each supplier to demonstrate the same scenario and confirm the required connections in writing.
By StartMadeSimple Ltd · Sources reviewed 1 October 2026 · Vendor-authored comparison
Encore is worth demonstrating for bars, restaurant groups and event venues that need enquiry ownership, an operational diary and staff handover. Start with a representative location, then test the head-office view and local responsibilities you need before agreeing a wider rollout.
Explore the official offer →Collins publishes a broader hospitality feature set including reservations, table management, pre-orders and enquiry management. If a particular Collins function or existing integration is essential, keep it as an explicit acceptance requirement when evaluating Encore.
Check the supplier sources →| Decision | VCMP Encore | Access Collins Evo | Test with both |
|---|---|---|---|
| The enquiry | Public Encore scope covers guest enquiries and bookings. | Collins lists enquiry management and reservations. | Create an enquiry, assign its owner and record what makes it ready to confirm. |
| The operating plan | Encore presents a booking diary and team run sheets. | Collins lists table and capacity management. | Change the guest count and room, then check the information the duty manager receives. |
| Payments and extras | Agree deposit, payment and till requirements in the Encore scope. | Collins describes pre-payments and pre-orders. | Rehearse the actual provider, declined payment, cancellation and reconciliation. Confirm what is included. |
| Connected systems | My Venue screens and Solo POS are distinct products. | Collins publishes integration options. | Name each required connection, its direction, owner and failure handling. Do not assume automatic synchronisation. |
An omitted feature does not mean a supplier lacks it. Confirm features, plans and availability directly with each supplier.
These are fictional buying scenarios, not customer results or a claim that every demonstrated requirement is already included.
Put the actual country in the brief. These are practical checks to confirm, not claims of local availability or offices in these countries.
For a pub or restaurant group, reconcile future private-hire bookings and deposit references before a changeover. Rehearse a clock-change weekend in the diary.
For a group spanning states, demonstrate the local booking time seen by the guest, venue and central team. Confirm support hours for the location that closes last.
Use one private-dining enquiry in Arabic and one in English. Check names, mobile numbers and the team run sheet, then agree the payment and refund workflow in writing.
Rehearse a late event change during a temporary connection interruption. Agree the supported recovery procedure and the currency used in quotations and payment references.
Use a corporate-event scenario with a room change, revised guest count and separate organiser and host roles. Check the approved final run sheet before service.
Test the handover from a central organiser to the local supervisor, including a last-minute update. Agree how a branch gets help when head office is unavailable.
This page does not establish complete feature parity. Encore's public scope covers enquiries, bookings, a diary and run sheets. Demonstrate your required Collins workflows, migration and integrations before deciding.
Use written quotes for the same site count and period. Include subscriptions, onboarding, migration, hardware, payment charges and ongoing support. The cost tool below accepts your own figures.
Prepared by StartMadeSimple Ltd, the team behind VCMP. We used each supplier's public scope; we have not exhaustively tested every competing product. Details may change after the review date. Request a current proposal and record the results of your own demonstration.
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