- I don’t need a restaurant phone.
Well, this one seems obvious. If you have a business, you want potential customers to be able to get information so they’ll want to come in and place an order. Not only that, you’ll need to be able to make and receive phone calls with suppliers and vendors so you can keep your business stocked. Not having a phone at all would be a much bigger hassle.
- I can just use my personal cell phone.
This probably seems like a good idea for very small locations, or if you’re just getting started, but you won’t like the results in a hurry. People will be calling inside and outside of business hours for a variety of reasons, and not only will it drive you crazy, you’ll also have an unhealthy work-life balance, which is not sustainable.
- A professional restaurant phone is too expensive.
Business phones are not as expensive as you think, and they’re definitely worth the price; these phones can do a lot of things that standard phones can’t do, and they’re a lot more robust. You’ll thank yourself for taking the plunge later.
- I don’t need a phone if I have a website.
Your website, especially if you have online ordering enabled, can be a lifesaver for you. Make sure, of course, that it’s easy to navigate and that it works. However, your website doesn’t automatically answer questions people will inevitably ask, like “Is there a vegan version of this?” and “I saw that you allow reservations for parties over 10, but there are 9 of us and I need help.” You’ll still need both methods of communication.
- Those phones are only for big restaurants.
Anyone can benefit from a business phone, even smaller restaurants. You never know when you might need an extra line, to transfer a call, or any of the other features available on these types of phone. You’ll be glad you have it when you need it.
- A professional phone won’t work with my current system.
While it’s true that most business phones need a little extra setup, they work with almost every system. You’re unlikely to have to change. If you do run into any issues, of course, you can switch to Reachify; we offer regular phone services as well as phone automation.
- My phone will become obsolete with online/app ordering.
This one is in line with #4 above; apps are very convenient for both you and your customers, but your app might leave customers unhappy if they can’t figure out how to get what they want because your app doesn’t let them remove something they’re allergic to or they hit a technical snag and don’t know what to do about it.
- I don’t have anyone available to answer it, so there’s no reason to get one.
Even if your staff is too busy to answer during peak times, you want the phone to be available for down times, or to return calls and communicate with vendors. Plus, an automated system like Reachify solves this problem very easily!
- My employees won’t know how to use all the features, and training them is too hard.
The basic functions of the phone – the ones most of your employees will use regularly – are simple and intuitive. Find a quick how-to video on Youtube, or spend a few minutes with trial and error, and you’ll find it’s much easier than you thought.
- My customers won’t be able to find my new number on the internet.
Most of the time, you won’t have to get a new number when you switch to a business phone. If you already have a phone number for your business, you can keep it! As with many other providers, Reachify allows you to keep your number.
- A restaurant phone is only useful for calls during business hours and I don’t have time to answer a lot of voicemails.
This is a perfect situation for a system like Reachify, which automates your phone and inserts a self-serve menu that customers can interact with to get help much faster than you can offer it. Your customers and employees alike will be glad!
Any size, style, or type of food business can benefit from having a professional phone, and an automated system like Reachify makes everything even better! Click here to find out how.
