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There are applications for AI behind the scenes, too. For example, last year, SevenRooms received an investment from Amazon’s Alexa Fund – its first in restaurant operations – to build Alexa-specific skills for restaurant operators. “SevenRooms users will be able to instantly access guest preferences, hands-free, without having to look down at a screen or device,” Montaniel explains. Key skills will include being able to say, “Alexa, who’s on table seven?” or “Alexa, do we have any allergies in the dining room tonight?” helping operators to streamline operations and enable staff to deliver more personalised experiences.
THE FUTURE IS PERSONALISED With difficult trading conditions set to con- tinue, Clack believes operators are going to have to sweat their assets even further if it’s not going to just be landlords getting paid. “The evolution of delivery and takeaway has gone some way to help, but in a world where we can have great food delivered to our laps, diners will need a compelling ‘experience’ if they’re going to commit time and money to dining in,” he says. Bookatable by Michelin’s team is already using data to help customers develop in-res- taurant dining propositions that drive off-peak
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“Google’s users are even offered the opportunity to search for ‘brunch near me’ when they mention
‘brunch’ in a text message” Peter Clack, Bookatable
and shoulder bookings with peak-time margin. OpenTable has acquired guest management platform Venga to help restaurants personalise the hospitality offered to diners and ensure staff recognise them in an authentic way. “With automatically updating guest pro- files, offering ‘surprise and delight options’ for loyal guests, as well as pre-shift reports to keep staff in the know, Venga has been the perfect addition to help boost the tailored service we aim to provide users with,” says EMEA vice-president Adrian Valeriano. ResDiary is similarly focused on helping its clients personalise the diner experience via tailored communications, whether these are about tasting evenings that will interest certain people or simply recommending spe- cific dishes when they visit.
“This demand for personalisation goes hand-in-hand with the 2020 growth of loyalty programmes, allowing venues to access high- level information about diners and ensure their return,” says McCandless. “This is espe- cially important as loyal customers are likely to spend more; the chances of upselling to them are 67% compared to just 5%-20% for new cus- tomers, an area that can be vital in an industry with such fine margins.” It’s here where the main opportunity lies for operators, Tait believes. “They need to continue to use technology to create authen- tic relationships with their customers so they feel valued and part of a special club.” As Montaniel concludes, it all comes back
to data. “Despite historically slower technology adoption across the restaurant industry, we’re excited to see a massive shift in how operators are approaching their businesses leading into the new year,” he says.
“Data is no longer a foreign concept, with operators realising they can no longer rely on guest data in their staff’s heads to provide mem- orable hospitality experiences. In 2020, we should expect to see data ownership take a more central role in how operators run their busi- nesses, enabling them to be more proactive in how they approach both service and marketing.”
Technology Prospectus 2020 | 9
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