07/08/2020

Coronavirus Tracker: Tracking Restaurant Safety With Chatbots

July 8, 2020

Current updates on association response to the global COVID-19 crisis, along with a roundup of conference, travel and business news and information.

Chatbot-driven Safety
People going out to eat right now—especially inside—are bound to have health- and safety-related questions or feedback. And they may not want to share it directly with the server, either.

Perhaps for this reason, the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) is teaming with a pair of companies on a chatbot-based solution for customer service.

Here’s how it works: When at a restaurant, customers can text the word “SAFE” to a phone number listed on the door, at which point a chatbot will ask them their location and have them take a three-question survey in which they offer details—including, if necessary, pictures or attachments—that will then be shared with the restaurant’s corporate office. The approach, in partnership with the customer experience firm A Closer Look and the messaging platform Quiq, makes it easier for restaurant chains to keep tabs on service.