It all started 8 years ago with Mr. Sammi Bistro Bar, located in the old ECI factory by the Roer river. Mr. Sammi is the go-to spot for refined dining, creative cocktails, and a lively atmosphere. Three years later, the family was expanded with Tante Tilly Brasserie: quirky, extravagant, and the domain of a cheeky, sociable aunt with a love for cake, liqueur, and an early cocktail in the city center. What connects both venues is their strong identity—built around bold characters and the belief that true hospitality begins with a close-knit family of employees.

The third pillar is Mr. Sammi Events, an extension of Mr. Sammi that focuses solely on organizing events. In collaboration with the ECI Foundation, the entire building is transformed into an impressive event venue. “We host things like New Year’s Eve, which we organize ourselves and draws in around 2,000 guests.” A unique combination of hospitality and experience—all under one roof.

Growth demands structure

As the organization expanded, they began to hit the limits of their manual way of working. “We were mainly using Excel spreadsheets… at some point, you just lose control,” says Sandy. “It’s all so labor-intensive, manual, and often leads to noise in internal communication.”

The launch of Mr. Sammi, a larger venue with more staff, accelerated the need for professionalization. “Especially when we were starting Mr. Sammi, there was a real need to digitize and take that next professional step.”

After switching to the Untill POS system, the search began for suitable planning software. “We started shopping around with different providers, and that’s when we found Nostradamus—it really stood out.” Not just because of its broad functionality, but especially for the flexibility and integrations it offers.

Data based decision-making

According to Sandy, the real-time dashboard in Nostradamus is the biggest advantage. Thanks to the link with the POS system, managers now have constant insight into the relationship between revenue and labor costs. “We have real-time visibility into our revenue and the labor costs that come with it,” Sandy explains.

This flexibility requires detailed oversight. “The Management App helps managers respond instantly to what’s happening. Is lunch unexpectedly quiet? Then someone can leave early. Is it suddenly packed? You immediately see what’s needed. It gives you tools to make decisions on the spot.”

The dashboard also provides valuable insights after the fact. “We can look back at the week—how did it go? Where did we fall short? Why are the service department’s labor costs 3% over budget? Then we might see that Tuesday just wasn’t a strong day.” Over time, the dashboard has become a learning tool. “We guide our managers through it—what to watch for, when to act. It’s been a great learning process, working with that data.”

Managing multiple locations in one account

The Big Family Group manages four environments within Nostradamus: Mr. Sammi, Tante Tilly, Mr. Sammi Events, and the office. “We can easily switch between locations, and that works really well in Nostradamus.” Staff are scheduled flexibly—one moment they’re running food in the restaurant, the next they’re behind the bar at a large event.

Each location has its own rhythm and challenges. “At Tante Tilly, we see more daytime traffic. Mr. Sammi, on the other hand, fills up in the evening.” Thanks to Nostradamus, planners and managers can quickly switch between locations and adapt to these differences.

More than just planning: data and dashboards

The real strength of the software lies in the insights it provides. “We’ve come to realize how valuable dashboarding is for us. We can see what kind of revenue is generated in which part of the day and connect that to the staffing plan. By combining data from Nostradamus and the POS, we’ve created a weekly sales analysis.”

Communication has also become more professional. “Through the Employee App, employees can easily swap shifts and receive notifications when new schedules are published. That’s a huge plus for the staff,” says Sandy.

The responsibility now lies more with the teams themselves. Whereas the office team used to interpret the numbers, it’s now mostly up to the managers. “We want that responsibility to be more present on the floor. It takes some adjustment, but the dashboard really helps with that. Managers can see how they’re performing and adjust when necessary.”

Employee satisfaction in sight

In an organization with as many staff members as The Big Family Group, it’s a challenge to truly keep track of how everyone is feeling. That’s why they actively use the employee satisfaction module within Nostradamus.

At the end of each shift, employees can quickly indicate how their day went. “If someone says the day didn’t go well, what was the reason? Was it difficult customers? Or were there just not enough hands?”

That feedback is used actively. “We follow up during one-on-one conversations. If someone regularly reports having a rough day, we want to understand why. But we also pick up on the positive signals. Why are you enjoying your work so much?”

Efficient collaboration with other systems

For The Big Family Group, the decision to choose Nostradamus was partly driven by its ability to seamlessly integrate with other systems. There’s a smooth connection with both the Untill POS-system and the AFAS ERP-system, as well as with payroll provider FHRIS. “The POS system doesn’t show us labor costs. The fact that Nostradamus can pull in the revenue data and give us an overview where we can see part of the revenue, labor costs, time registration, and productivity… that’s exactly the kind of information we need to steer more effectively.”

Nostradamus: the software solution for the hospitality industry

What started out as a practical scheduling tool has evolved into an essential system for The Big Family Group—bringing insight, control, and peace of mind. “I’d recommend Nostradamus to any hospitality business,” says Sandy. “The stability, the structured information, and the insights you gain into your staff pool… that’s something you’d want to implement across your entire organization.”

Sandy also believes other industries could benefit: “Nostradamus analyzes historical sales data. The fact that this kind of data is available and that we can pass it on to managers in such an accessible way—that’s something we find incredibly important, and where Nostradamus clearly outperforms other providers.”

Finally, Sandy highlights how the software has evolved over time. “I think the software has gotten better and better. It’s a system that has truly matured over the years, and you can see that in the development and how we use it today.” For him, the strength lies in the day-to-day operations: “Nostradamus is so deeply integrated in our processes. We experience so many benefits from it.”

Curious about what Nostradamus could mean for your organization? Feel free to get in touch—we’d be happy to think along with you.