We don’t have to tell you how mobile phones have changed the restaurant industry – but are they the best phone choice for restaurants? The back of the house can be a pretty busy place. Kitchens work at full capacity to ensure that orders are being fulfilled, and servers rush in and out to deliver these to customers and fulfill takeout orders. In a rush, getting a phone call is just one more thing to juggle. Yet calls cannot be ignored, and failing to respond in a timely manner can mean broken relationships of trust with your customers. What is the best kind of restaurant phone system for these kinds of companies? In this blog, we investigate every kind of phone system used in a restaurant, the benefits and drawbacks to each, and what program works best.
Landlines Might Be Keeping Your Business Grounded
Restaurant owners should be interested in staying on the cutting edge of technological features to keep up with the competition. Yet others are more concerned with preserving their legacy. Many restaurants stick to landline phones, thinking they might be getting the best deal or haven’t considered other options. This can be extremely detrimental to their business. While landlines have been a long-standing option for businesses of all kinds, these phones are more than just outdated: they’re expensive. VoIP phones that use the internet instead of a landline can produce substantially better savings than these types of phones. Plus, internet connectivity allows for an expanded reach network, with dozens of options to keep customers engaged when needed most. Despite the perceived hassle of switching to a different type of phone system, for restaurants, it doesn’t have to be as challenging as you might think. Cost savings, simplicity, easy installation, and better customer experience have made landlines a fossil in the age of the Internet.
Are Mobile Phones the Best Option for Restaurant Phone Systems?
Restaurants are always trying to meet the bottom line. Some savvy restaurant owners might think that the best option is to switch purely to an application that can be connected to their personal phones. Having the ability to stay connected to your restaurant phone is an appealing choice. You don’t even have to be in your restaurant to take calls; no matter where you are, you can easily take calls and resolve business or customer issues. However, only using mobile apps for your restaurant phone system is not sufficient enough. You won’t always be able to pick up your phone, and your battery life constrains you. Having employees download the same app can be invasive and may keep them more focused on their smart devices and less focused on processing orders and serving food. Mobile can (and should) be leveraged as a best practice for restaurant phone systems. But it should be considered part of a hybrid model – keeping you connected with your business and focused on the most important tasks while more appropriate staff can field customer calls.
How VoIP Systems Operate Across Devices to Deliver the Best Customer Experience
While VoIP phone systems for restaurants may come with a slew of benefits and cost savings, these same businesses might be hesitant to buy a new phone that is compatible with this service. Thankfully, the ball is in your court. Newer phones can be installed with enhanced features that benefit your customers, but the shift doesn’t have to be implemented in a single sweeping change. For restaurants that are only looking to make a partial upgrade, they can plug their existing phones into a converter box that allows them to operate on a VoIP network without buying new phones. Apps can be installed on your personal phone to keep you connected to the system. Newer phones can help you gain more robust information about who is calling and directing them to the appropriate part of your business. You don’t want reservations calls going to the kitchen and vice versa. With multiple lines, Bluetooth support, and enhanced battery life, a wall-mounted Wi-Fi phone can allow you to be as flexible as your business. In short, internet phones for restaurants have increasingly become the standard rather than an option for businesses. SimpleVoIP specializes in making these phone systems work for your business with features like auto attendants and messaging systems, SMS compatibility for mobile orders, and much more. How can SimpleVoIP help your restaurant? Contact us today and discover why we’re the preferred choice for over 5,000 restaurants across all 50 states.
