There will always be people who want traditional, human-only interaction in everything they do. However, the fact of the matter is that while there will always be a place for some of that in the food and hospitality industry, technology is an ingrained, necessary part of every business now. And that isn’t a bad thing! Technology has given us a lot of opportunities and conveniences we would never have had otherwise.
From the improvement in our cars and other methods of transportation to software and communication, technology has affected every aspect of our lives, mostly for the better. We can get from one place to another quickly and even with a small carbon footprint. We can view video footage of remote villages and see what is happening there right now. We can place an order for something we want and receive that item in days or even hours. We can get in contact with someone on the other side of the world in seconds. With this rise in technology comes a transformation of the way we interact with each other, especially as business owners.
Customers don’t use the phone the way we used to. More often than not, phones are used for texting, emails, and apps rather than phone calls. It’s faster and more convenient. It doesn’t involve waiting for another human to pick up the phone and answer our questions. It does, in fact, reduce friction in the ordering process. People expect the things they order, whether packages or food, to be available very fast.
Of course, that means that in order to successfully run your business in the age of technology, you have to have a website available to your potential customers. You need to make sure it’s easy for them to find your restaurant and place an order. Your staff needs to be able to prepare those online orders quickly and efficiently.
Perhaps most importantly, you need phone automation, like the kind Reachify offers. With your staff devoted to food prep and service, and your website functioning perfectly, you need a way for your customers to order from you easily. Phone automation can deflect calls to a system that will answer customer questions and concerns at least as effectively as your staff could. A self-serve menu lets callers select what they need, at which point they are immediately directed toward the answer. If they want directions to your restaurant, they can be automatically sent to the caller’s smartphone. If they want to order, they can be sent a text link to online/app ordering. If they want to inquire about a third-party order, they can be forwarded to the proper phone number with no hassle. Some systems can even take their order by text message. PoS integration is a little more complicated that way, but there’s no doubt that the technology is quick and convenient.
As technological advances continue to increase, having some of these technologies available at your restaurant is no longer a novel bonus, but an actual necessity.
Want to talk about how easy it is to implement Reachify in your restaurant? Let us know.
