Phone communication is essential to restaurant operations. Whether someone calls to inquire about restaurant hours or menu options, staff members must be able to answer these questions promptly and clearly.
A restaurant phone system with features like automated attendants, call routing, and integration with reservation and online ordering platforms allows restaurants to optimize efficiency.
Automated Attendants
Phone calls are a critical restaurant communications tool for reaching consumers. When consumer spending and labor pressure are low, it’s important to communicate your business, food, and hours over the phone.
A restaurant phone system auto-attendant can help you deliver a professional, studio-quality greeting and link your customers to the right employees over the phone without needing a full-time receptionist. Even when your restaurant is closed, the system will also work for you, so you never miss a call.
The system can direct callers to the right departments and extensions, like reservations, takeout orders, or back-of-house support. This helps staff members provide customer service and improve call resolution rates. It can even share company updates and valuable content with in-queue callers to keep them engaged over the phone.
Call Queues
Long calling queues frustrate customers and often lead to them hanging up, especially when they must hold on for what seems like forever. It also shows that the restaurant could be more organized and only have one or two people to answer calls, making callers feel unimportant.
The solution to this problem is to use a call queue feature that helps your team keep calls flowing and organized. It allows your business to route inbound calls to a virtual waiting line that will connect callers with agents who are ready to serve them.
You can select from a variety of call queue options, such as Round robin, where the next available agent within a fixed queue takes the first call; Simultaneous, where all agents’ phones ring at the same time.You can also add a custom greeting, options to leave a voicemail or request a callback, and hold music or messages to keep callers engaged while they wait.
Call Recording
The restaurant industry is more digital than ever, but phone calls still play a vital role. Whether a guest calls in to make a reservation or look for the restaurant’s hours, they expect an attentive person on the other end of the line.
When making and receiving phone calls, it is important to speak clearly and enunciate. This is especially true when speaking over the phone while tired or distracted. A simple smile on the caller’s end also helps to set a positive tone and makes the customer feel cared for.
Using restaurant phone systems that include call recording enables restaurants to improve internal communication. Using intercom features, extension dialing, and group messaging capabilities; staff can coordinate with one another efficiently. This reduces miscommunication and improves teamwork and productivity. It also provides a direct, objective record of the quality of service provided by staff members. This can assess employee performance, identify recurring issues, and determine training topics.
Audio Conference Calls
Restaurants are a place where teamwork is key. To foster strong communication among your team members, schedule a quick check-in call for each employee before or after their shift. You can also encourage your managers to use a mobile management logbook designed for teams, allowing them to communicate easily and share notes.
When speaking with customers over the phone, staff should speak clearly and politely. They should be able to quickly and efficiently answer any questions about your restaurant, whether it’s your hours, menu items, or reservation policies.
Additionally, they should keep their tone friendly and energetic and be sure to enunciate. This makes guests feel like they truly care about their concerns. Lastly, they should always thank their guests for taking the time to reach out. This will leave a positive impression and increase the likelihood of them calling again or coming into your establishment.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
