why technology holds the key to great customer service

The current cost of living crisis has meant that UK consumers have less disposable income compared to recent years, forcing many to eat or drink out less. This means that when consumers do visit restaurants, bars or pubs, they want it to be worth it, and they want it to be special, and to create an experience!

This is why customer service is more important than ever before, with customers unlikely to revisit places where they’ve had a so-so experience. It’s all about creating world-class customer experience, and one of the most effective ways of understanding how to achieve this is through technology.

How can technology help my hospitality business?

At Adactus we like to break the customer journey down into three key stages; pre-visit, in-visit, and post-visit, and there are technologies which can boost and enhance each part of this journey.

Before a customer visits your business there are solutions such as automated online booking systems for customers looking to book a table ahead of time, and digital menus, which allow customers to browse before they step foot on the premises. On top of this, restaurants may use a digital queueing system, allowing customers to reserve a table at the door, and preventing them from looking for a table elsewhere.

And the solutions don’t stop there. Once a customer enters your business, you may have self-service kiosks, or self-ordering QR code systems in place, allowing customers to order at their own pace. In more niche settings there is even an opportunity for food to be delivered using robots or Yo! Sushi style conveyer belts, and looking to the future, we predict solutions such as AI sommeliers or waiters to become a reality.

Once the customer leaves the establishment, automated feedback systems allow you to gain valuable feedback on their experience, and automated remarketing solutions can ensure customers are encouraged to return to the business and to understand why.

But how do we ensure that these processes are right for each of our customers?

Each restaurant, bar and pub have a different set of customers, with a different set of wants and needs. So, it’s critical that hospitality businesses are able to understand what these needs are, and how to achieve them. This is where data comes in.

Even if your business is using all of the technology mentioned above, it can be hard to know if it is the right technology for your customers and your business. And to know the answer to this question, you need to base your approach on something tangible and concrete.

Data analysis allows you to get to the bottom of what each of your customers want, giving you the opportunity to create a completely unique experience for each and every person. For example, your data may show that a certain customer usually comes in on the weekends, orders via the QR code, and always goes for the vegan option. Armed with this knowledge, you can now create an experience which specifically aligns with that customer’s behaviour. This could include running an email marketing campaign which gives the customer a 10% off voucher on weekends or highlighting the new vegan range.

Knowing this information can also ensure that the customer service within the venue is right. If your data shows that a customer usually goes for gluten free options, ensure that the waiting team know to take over a gluten free menu to their table. And if a customer usually uses a voucher when they visit, the waiter can ask if they’ll be using any vouchers before taking their drinks order to help make the customer feel comfortable, and to speed up the process at the end.

What do I need to do to make my data work for me?

Every business should strive for mature data analysis. In essence, this is when a business has assertive data harvesting processes at every customer touch point segmenting and analysing that data and using it to guide decisions, market to customers, and to craft an experience that is individual to each person.

This means that every time a customer interacts with your brand, whether it be pre, during, or post-visit, you need to be harvesting that data, properly segmenting it into groups, and analysing it, using the information it reveals to shape everything your business does.

If you’d like to know more about mature data analysis, or hear about the technology on offer to help your brand, get in touch.