Since its founding in 2021, Utrechtse Horeca Groep has grown into a versatile player in the hospitality and events industry, with iconic locations like Dengh and HAL22. And they’re not stopping there — a new venue is already in the works as the next step in their future ambitions.
With multiple locations and diverse target audiences, it’s crucial for Utrechtse Horeca Groep to keep everything running smoothly. They needed a system that could keep up with their growth and ambitions. “In the beginning, we worked with a different system, but it wasn’t flexible enough for us,” says Karlijn, Sales & Marketing Manager at Utrechtse Horeca Groep. “When we switched to MICE in 2021, it was immediately clear that we could finally do everything we wanted. The integration with our staff scheduling program was incredibly helpful, and the ability to fully customize the system to match our style and workflow made MICE a total game-changer for us.”
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One group, many different audiences
Each location within Utrechtse Horeca Groep has its own character and attracts a different crowd. “Dengh has been around the longest and has the most diverse audience,” Karlijn explains. “It’s a restaurant where locals love to come, but we also host around 70 weddings a year.”
HAL22 is a whole different dynamic. “HAL22 is a world of its own with a gym, meeting rooms for business events, bowling alleys, and padel courts. This venue attracts people from all over the area.”
In central Utrecht, Club Claar and Bar Basta cater to a younger crowd, including many day-trippers. And then there’s Kortjak, just outside the city, where the atmosphere is more rural and village-like. “What’s great is that all the locations have their own vibe and audience, but with MICE, we can easily manage everything from one system,” Karlijn summarizes beautifully.
Requests are now neatly bundled for us. So we always have the right information. And for guests, it's very easy for them to receive a clear proposal right away.
Karlijn, sales & marketing manager
Everything bundled neatly into one system
The switch to MICE has significantly changed the way Utrechtse Horeca Groep operates. The online RFP tool on their various websites has made planning weddings, business events, and group arrangements much smoother. “We used to process requests by phone and email, but now we get all the information bundled together,” Karlijn explains. “This ensures we always have the right details. And for guests, it’s super easy to fill in their preferences and get a clear quote instantly. No complicated forms or waiting for a response — it’s so much more efficient now!”
Not just the request module, but other MICE features also contribute to a more seamless way of working, like user roles. Since Utrechtse Horeca Groep manages multiple locations, it’s essential that the team can quickly adapt to changes. “We have four sales and event managers, each assigned to different locations. If someone is sick, another can easily take over. Everything is in MICE, so you don’t have to dig through someone’s inbox to find the information,” Karlijn adds. The weekly ‘sheet meeting’ helps with this too. “During that meeting, the sales managers hand over everything to the location manager, chef, and shift leaders. We print out documents for the kitchen, and the service team has everything digitally on hand. It makes the work much more practical for everyone.”
Utrechtse Horeca Groep also uses the cockpit account to easily share important reports with the team and monitor the performance of the various locations. This feature not only provides more insight but also saves time by making everything easily accessible without the hassle of separate documents or complicated systems.
As we open more new locations in the future, I can already say that we’ll be using MICE 100% to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Karlijn, sales & marketing manager
Focus on the future
What does the future look like for Utrechtse Horeca Groep with MICE? “For now, we’re focusing on our existing locations, with a new one planned for later this year,” Karlijn says. But they’re not slowing down. “As we open more new locations in the future, I can already say that we’ll be using MICE 100% to keep everything running smoothly. Everyone can access everything easily, and the system is super intuitive. It really grows with us, and that works perfectly.”
