An SMS Restaurant Phone System can change the way that your restaurant does business – but it is only as good as what you make of it. To get the full value out of SMS messaging for restaurants, consider the calls you receive daily. While each of these calls offers customers important information, not all of these have to be answered by staff. By considering the kind of calls that come in, you can customize your phone menu to avoid unnecessary calls, providing value to customers while keeping phone lines open and staff working. What are some common calls that you’re getting into your restaurant? We examine some of these below and offer solutions our SMS messaging tool can implement to optimize your business.
Auto Attendants/Menu Systems
Simply put, an auto attendant provides answers to customers when a person on the line is not needed. At its most basic, this means that a customer can push a button to hear about what time a restaurant is open or find locations nearby – these options take some of the anxiety off of a customer who doesn’t want to speak to someone at a restaurant directly, and prevent an extra phone call from coming in. But in the age of the smartphone, an auto attendant can do so much more than this. While these options should remain in play for those who haven’t utilized the full features of their smart devices, consider leveraging SMS messaging to provide even greater value to customers. We dive into some examples below:
Texting Hours or Location
Receiving calls regarding locations or hours of operation isn’t uncommon – but an SMS restaurant phone system can do so much more than this by providing this information in writing to customers. Traditionally, a customer would call into a location and have to write down the hours on a pad of paper or write down the address. But with the press of a button, this can now be texted to the phone a customer is calling on. Consider the wide usage of GPS-based apps on a phone. When an address is received in a text message, these are typically converted into links that feed directly into directional apps like Google Maps. This provides a tremendous convenience when they are trying to locate your restaurant.
Sending Links to Menu Options or Loyalty Programs
During the era of COVID-19, restaurants have depended on take-out orders to keep their business open. Having to go through third parties like Doordash or Uber Eats has cut deeply into the bottom line – businesses that have their own ordering apps have been able to avoid these costs. Having an option on the menu to receive a link to your restaurant’s website or menu directs customers to these options and allows you to grow your own delivery business rather than relying on app delivery. Some restaurants have loyalty programs requiring patrons to “opt-in” before being onboarded to the program. By integrating this into your SMS restaurant phone system, you can build brand loyalty while simplifying the process – it can even be done outside of a restaurant setting by adding your customer loyalty program to your menu options.
SMS Messaging for Curbside Delivery and Pickup
Even after COVID-19 ends, curbside delivery and pickup popularity are likely here to stay. Your SMS restaurant phone system needs the flexibility to communicate with customers and delivery drivers through robust messaging options. When a customer arrives, an SMS phone system for restaurants should provide them with the option to text that they have arrived rather than having to call in. This keeps the phone lines open and can be directed into a notification or alert letting staff know they need to deliver their order. In these cases, an app that enables two-way SMS communication is ideal. This can alert drivers if their orders are not ready or any other pertinent information related to their order. This process can be expedited further by providing employees with simple drop-down responses.
SimpleVoIP: an SMS Restaurant Phone System that Adapts to Your Business
Plenty of VoIP phone systems are on the market, but most are general and not catered to specific industries. By offering solutions to all of the problems mentioned above, SimpleVoIP offers restaurants an affordable and effective solution that leverages SMS messaging and phone options to make work more efficient than ever. How can SimpleVoIP help your restaurant? Contact us today to learn more.
