From mussels to chick nights to a fondue gondola – experiences as vouchers
Anyone who meets Marco Seiler at Quartierbeiz 13 (his ‘Neighbourhood Pub’) immediately senses the mixture of the cosmopolitan, hospitality and a pinch of humour. He managed luxury hotels in Phuket, Bali, Jakarta, Bangkok and Hyderabad for almost ten years before returning to Switzerland with a suitcase full of experience – and a great deal of courage. Without hesitation or further ado, he opened his own restaurant.
Today, Quartierbeiz 13 is a culinary meeting place that combines the best of two worlds: down-to-earth brasserie cuisine with a sophisticated Asian touch. In this interview, Marco reveals how he plans events, why he relies on e-guma – and why having a good system for vouchers and tickets is essential for him.
go to voucher shop go to ticket shop go to the interviewFacts Quartierbeiz 13
Quartierbeiz 13 combines brasserie cuisine with an Asian touch – from Thai fried egg salad to fondue gondola.
50 inside, 50 outside and 20 in a separate room
Asian, Thai, Fondue, Swiss specialities & Take Away
3 permanent employees and approx. 3 part-time employees
Voucher and ticket system with online shop for vouchers, tickets and souvenirs
Generate more sales with vouchers, professional organisation and communication of events (greater reach of online communication, increased conversion rate), professional appearance externally (guests) and internally (team)
e-guma is a tool for earning money. But it also greatly simplifies administration.
Interview with Marco Seiler, host of Quartierbeiz 13
Marco, how did your restaurant in Thun come about?
«My background is in the hotel industry. I spent almost ten years travelling around Asia as a hotel manager – including for Radisson in Phuket, Bali, Jakarta, Bangkok and Hyderabad. Then I came back to Switzerland – and didn’t know what to do at first. So I simply opened a restaurant – as a novice, but with a bagful of experience from Asia.»
And how would you describe your concept?
«Fresh, bold, stylish – the best from here and the best from there. We offer selected Asian dishes that you won’t find on every corner, such as a Thai fried egg salad or Indonesian beef curry. But we also serve fondue gondolas in winter, raclette with raw milk cheese, tartare or ribs. Brasserie cuisine with an Asian touch.»
What makes your location special?
«We’re in the middle of a residential neighbourhood. There’s no other pub within 500 metres. It’s almost like an island, but these days, thanks to Google Maps, everyone can still find you. Our guests usually make a reservation specifically to come to us, which creates a completely different atmosphere.»
Voucher system
You have been using our system since 2018 – how did you come across e-guma?
«I honestly don’t remember exactly. I had never worked with such a system before. But I can say that it was one of the best decisions. Before that, I improvised with Excel – that was… fun.»
What role do vouchers and the e-guma voucher system play in your business today?
«A big one. Firstly, it is certainly a tool for generating money. But it also greatly simplifies administration. For example, it enables us to sponsor events generously and is therefore very useful for our image. Vouchers can also be beautifully packaged. With envelopes, flyers, postcards and stickers – that goes down well. Thanks to e-Guma, voucher handling is easy. We have integrated it into the checkout, so there is minimal scope for error.»
Design personalized gift vouchers Integrations & PartnersDo you use marketing tools from e-guma too?
«I always look at the e-guma newsletters for inspiration – Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day. We focus on campaigns, such as at the Oberland trade fair. We’re planning an apple strudel stand there – with really good apple strudel and vanilla sauce. And when you buy some, you’ll also get a voucher, presumably for our popular Lava Cake. The aim is to bring as many trade fair visitors as possible to our pub within 30 days.»
Marketing toolsTicketing system
And what about events?
«We plan them according to whim and fancy. We organise around 16 events a year. Our quiz night dinner, for example, is a firm favourite – every fortnight in winter, always sold out. That certainly fills the house twice a month on Tuesday, while Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are always fully booked.
Then there are pop-ups like Crazy for Indian Food, where we are collaborating with a restaurant from Gstaad. That’s always a huge success.»
How does the ticket system help you organise these events?
«Hugely so. I arrange 50 tickets, put them online – and then have nothing more to do with them. No manual reservations, no chaos. Of course there are also guests and walk-ins at short notice, but we are still happy to serve them spontaneously. Flexible, simple, professional.»
Set up tickets – anytime from anywhere Online ticket shop
And how does that go down with your guests?
«Really well. We charge a small reservation fee of CHF 10 per person for certain events. That’s not that much for guests, but it gives us planning security and ensures a full house. It means, we now rarely have no-shows as a result.»
And finally
What would you recommend to other restaurateurs?
«As a ticketing system? Essential for events. Vouchers? Equally so – especially if you make them work for you and manage them well and don’t just discount wildly. It’s better to create experiences and link them cleverly. And, very importantly, analyse the data and use it in a targeted manner.»
Would you recommend e-guma to others?
«Absolutely. I already have. We are extremely satisfied – the system grows with us, is stable, clearly organised and well thought out.»