Why Restaurants Need More than a Phone System?
By: Vimal Misra
Tags: Retail Technology, Restaurants, Customer Experience, Answering Services, Phone Systems

As a restauranteur, you know how important it is to pick up every customer call and answer every customer’s email immediately. However, in surveys after surveys, the number one complaint that customers report is that restaurants do not answer their inquiries. Not in time, anyways.

According to our 2019 research, even a moderately busy restaurant misses more than $200,000 per year due to ignored customer calls and inquiries.

So why do restaurants ignore their customers and their valuable business?

Maybe because running a restaurant is hard. Sometimes some equipment breaks down in the kitchen, and sometimes the staff does not show up. While you get busy fixing those issues, your customers feel ignored. One person can do only so much, right?

Well, that’s not true anymore.

With a bit of smart automation for your restaurant phone system and your website, you can ensure that no customer gets ignored, ever. This technology is called an Automated Restaurant Assistant.

What is an Automated Restaurant Assistant?

It is an intelligent software that serves as a restaurant host over the phone and online. It automatically answers restaurant phone calls, just like a live host, and also replies to the website requests. What makes it intelligent is that it understands the context of restaurant calls and inquiries and replies to them accordingly, all by itself. In other words, this bot like technology combines the 24 7 availability of an answering system with the skills better than a live host. With this technology, you will never miss any customer ever.

“The best answer is doing.” — George Herbert

In this post, you will learn the top five reasons why you should consider an automated assistant solution for your restaurant.

1. Never miss any opportunity

A restaurant gets inquiries that range from the higher-value Caterings and Private events to Table reservations to Takeout calls.

With an automated restaurant assistant, you will not miss any customer, big or small. For instance, it will share menus & packages for the Event and Catering inquiries. It will take Reservations from phone calls, text messages, and online requests. It will also queue Takeout calls and deliver to multiple phones, and even to tablets or computers.

It is essential to understand that when you need to act, you will get an instant alert, such as in the case of a Catering inquiry. The automated assistant will handle the rest by itself, such as reserving a table. You will also have complete visibility from results, reports, and insights.

2. Always respond immediately

Given the competition in the restaurant industry, it is impossible to overstate the importance of an immediate response to customers. Since the automated assistant is a software, it answers instantly to multiple customers at the same time. No matter how busy your restaurant gets, no customer will ever get a busy tone.

The best answer is doing. The automated assistant also serves the requests. For example, it follows up with the events menu and also accepts reservations. It automatically does most of the repetitive tasks, such as sending follow up emails.

3. Focus on customers

Since the automated assistant will take over your grunt work, you will get back multiple hours every week. You can then use this precious time to build relations with your customers and delight them with your service. They will become your fans.

The automated assistant will get the customer contact information and also send follow-up text messages and emails. It will even alert you about specific customers who need your attention.

4. Filter robocalls

Robocalls are a menace for everyone. They rely on deceiving the unsuspecting live staff. If not controlled, these calls lead to substantial loss of time and money.

The automated assistant is a bot on your side that keeps robocalls away just like bug-screen blocks the insects. Only your customers and sincere vendors will get your attention.

5. Your business Is-On-24

The automated assistant will acknowledge and respond to every inquiry all by itself. You will stop worrying about off-hours calls and emails.

Whether its an early morning, busy evening, or a holiday, your customers will get the same instant response no matter when they call or click. Your business will become virtually 24 7 with no effort.

There you have it. With an automated restaurant assistant, you will never miss any business ever. Customers will love your responsiveness around the clock, and your staff will thank you for eliminating robocalls.

More sales, happier customers, and focused staff, wouldn’t that be awesome?

About IsOn24

The Is-On-24 is an intelligent software that serves as a restaurant host over the phone and online. It automatically answers restaurant phone calls and replies to online requests 24 7, better than a live host.

It shares menus & packages for the Event and Catering inquiries. It takes Reservations from phone calls, text messages, and online requests. It also delivers Takeout calls to multiple phones, tablets, or computers.

Most restaurants use IsOn24 as their Answering system by publishing the local phone number provided as part of their IsOn24 subscription. Others choose to keep their existing phone number and forward their calls to the new IsOn24 phone number as their Answering service.

Every IsOn24 subscription also includes access to the IsOn24 app. It offers unique Event management features such as instant Quote & Approval via text messages and instant chat with guests. The IsOn24 app also offers powerful Marketing features, including dozens of tastefully created marketing templates ready to go, for all seasons. Just tap once to automatically share your message over Email, Phone, and Online.

As a Restauranteur, you are a Hero, and IsOn24 is the sidekick you need.

For more information, visit www.IsOn24.com

Click here to Begin a free trial. No credit card needed. Cancel anytime.

Or Schedule a live demo for your restaurant.

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