Few industries have been hit by current labor shortages as hard as the restaurant industry. Always tricky when it comes to staffing, restaurants have found it nearly impossible to staff to the levels they would wish. To try and fill the gap, some restaurants are turning to technologies based on artificial intelligence and speech technology, particularly for managing increasing numbers of takeout orders.
Vivant, a provider of primary and backup internet, phone systems and phone service, recently announced a partnership with conversational intelligence company SoundHound to provide restaurants with a state-of-the-art Voice AI Ordering platform. The goal of the partnership is to provided restauranteurs struggling with the current labor shortages with a cost-effective solution in the form of a virtual employee who answers calls, takes orders and makes reservations.
There is evidence that, as more consumers choose takeout over dining in – particularly with a “triple pandemic” of flu, RSV and COVID-19 expected during the winter – companies are missing sales opportunities when their takeout operations are not adequately staffed. It has been estimated that 67 percent of orders are placed over the phone, generating 75 percent of sales for fast-casual restaurants. That adds up to a lot of missed revenue opportunities when phone or internet systems are down, a restaurant is short-staffed, or orders are not taken correctly. Voice AI Ordering aims to revolutionize the way restaurants provide consistent, five-star service.
"Many restaurants are unable to accommodate the increased demand for online ordering, voice search and voice ordering on smart devices. The Voice AI Ordering technology is streamlining operations for restaurants allowing them to focus on their food and their guests," said Hamed Mazrouei, CEO of Vivant and Milagro. "SoundHound is an industry leader in voice AI technology. Their robust software combined with our affordable and reliable internet and phone service creates a synergistic system that benefits restaurants and their customer base."
Edited by
Erik Linask
