The ROI of AI: Measuring the Impact of Automated Phone Systems in QSRs

July 13, 2024

AI-powered phone systems are changing how Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) operate. Here's what you need to know:

AI phone systems help QSRs take orders, process payments, and interact with customers
They can save money by reducing staff needs and order errors
These systems can boost sales by handling more calls and suggesting additional items
Measuring ROI involves tracking key metrics like cost per contact and order accuracy

BenefitHow It HelpsMeasurementCost savingsFewer staff, less food wasteLabor costs, waste reductionIncreased salesMore orders, larger order sizesTotal sales, average order valueCustomer satisfactionFaster service, fewer mistakesCustomer feedback scoresBrand perceptionModern image, personalized serviceCustomer loyalty, repeat visits

While AI phone systems offer clear benefits, challenges in measuring ROI include:

Difficulty attributing improvements solely to AI
Time lag in seeing results
Capturing intangible benefits

As this technology evolves, QSRs should consider adopting AI phone systems to stay competitive and improve operations.

2. What Are Automated Phone Systems in QSRs?

Automated phone systems in Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) help take orders, process payments, and talk to customers. These systems have changed a lot over time, from simple menu-based systems to smart AI-powered ones.

2.1 Basic Features and Functions

Here's what automated phone systems in QSRs can do:

FeatureDescriptionTake ordersCustomers can order food by talking to the systemProcess paymentsThe system can handle payments safely and quicklyConfirm ordersThe system checks orders with customers to avoid mistakesWork with other systemsThe phone system can connect to other restaurant systems

These features help QSRs serve customers better and work more efficiently.

2.2 From Simple to Smart: How Phone Systems Changed

Phone systems in QSRs have come a long way. Old systems had long menus that often confused customers. New AI-powered systems are much better. They can:

Understand normal speech
Remember what customers like
Handle many calls at once
Work with other systems like loyalty programs

These new systems have made it easier for QSRs to talk to customers and give them a better experience.

3. How to Measure ROI

To know if AI phone systems are worth the money, QSRs need to look at how these systems affect their business. This section explains how to measure ROI, what to measure, and how to collect and use data.

3.1 Key Metrics for QSRs

QSRs should focus on these important numbers:

MetricWhat It MeansCost per contactHow much it costs to handle each customer callOrder accuracyHow many orders are correctCustomer satisfactionHow happy customers are with phone orderingAverage handle timeHow long it takes to handle each customer call

These numbers help QSRs see how well their phone systems are working.

3.2 Getting and Using Data

To measure ROI, QSRs need to collect this information:

How many calls they get and how long the calls last
How many orders they get and how much money they make
How happy customers are
How much they spend on workers and how much work gets done
How much they spend on the phone system and keeping it running

By looking at this data, QSRs can see what's working well and what needs to get better.

3.3 Starting Points for Comparison

Before using AI phone systems, QSRs should know their current numbers:

How much they spend on workers and how much work gets done
How happy customers are now
How many orders they get and how much money they make
What problems they have now that they want to fix

Knowing these numbers helps QSRs see how much the new phone system helps.

4. Measuring Money Saved and Earned

AI phone systems in QSRs can help restaurants save money and make more sales. Let's look at how these systems can do this.

4.1 Cutting Costs

AI phone systems can help QSRs spend less money in two main ways:

Less money spent on workers: These systems can take orders without needing people to do it. This means QSRs don't need as many workers to answer phones.
Fewer mistakes: AI systems make fewer mistakes than people when taking orders. This means less food is wasted because of wrong orders.

Cost SavingsHow It HelpsWorker costsFewer workers needed to take ordersFood wasteFewer wrong orders means less wasted food

4.2 Increasing Sales

AI phone systems can also help QSRs make more money by:

Taking more orders: These systems can handle many calls at once, so QSRs can take more orders.
Suggesting more items: AI can remember what customers like and suggest extra items they might want to buy.

Sales IncreaseHow It HelpsMore ordersCan handle many calls at the same timeBigger ordersSuggests extra items customers might like

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5. Other Benefits of AI Phone Systems

AI phone systems in QSRs do more than just save money. They also help make customers happier, make work easier for employees, and make people think better of the restaurant brand.

5.1 Customer Happiness

AI phone systems can make customers happier by:

Taking orders faster
Making fewer mistakes
Remembering what customers like
Suggesting food items customers might enjoy

A study found that 67% of QSR orders come from phones or online. This means that having a good phone system is very important for restaurants.

Ways AI Phone Systems Make Customers HappyFaster orderingFewer order mistakesPersonalized suggestionsShorter wait times

5.2 Employee Work and Satisfaction

AI phone systems can help employees by:

Doing simple tasks like answering phones
Letting employees focus on making food and helping customers in person
Making work less stressful during busy times

Benefits for EmployeesLess time on the phoneMore time for other tasksLess stress during busy hours

5.3 How Customers See the Brand

When restaurants use AI phone systems, it can change how customers think about them:

Customers might see the restaurant as modern and efficient
The restaurant can learn what customers like and offer better service
Customers might be more likely to come back if ordering is easy

Effects on Brand ImageSeen as modernBetter understanding of customer needsIncreased customer loyalty

6. Problems with Measuring ROI

Measuring if AI phone systems are worth the money can be hard for QSRs. Here are some reasons why:

6.1 Knowing What AI Does

It's not always clear if good things happen because of AI or something else. For example, if a QSR sells more food, it might be because of the AI phone system or because of good ads.

To fix this:

Write down how things are before using AI
Keep track of important numbers regularly

This helps show what AI is doing for the business.

6.2 Waiting for Results

Sometimes it takes a long time to see if AI is helping. An AI phone system might need months to work well with other systems and start helping a lot.

To handle this:

Don't expect big changes right away
Check how things are going often

This helps find ways to make AI work better over time.

6.3 Other Ways AI Helps

AI can help in ways that are hard to measure. For example, if customers are happier because of the AI phone system, they might come back more. But it's hard to know for sure if that's why they come back.

To deal with this:

Look at both easy-to-see and hard-to-see ways AI helps
This gives a better picture of how AI is working for the business

ProblemWhy It's HardWhat to DoKnowing what AI doesHard to tell if good things happen because of AI or something elseKeep track of numbers before and after using AIWaiting for resultsAI might take a long time to show if it's helpingBe patient and check progress oftenOther ways AI helpsSome benefits are hard to measureLook at both clear and less clear ways AI helps

7. Real Examples and Industry Standards

7.1 Success Stories in QSRs

Some QSRs have used AI phone systems with good results. Here are two examples:

AmeriBrunch Cafe in Las Vegas:
- Made $3,000 more per month from phone sales
- Average order size went up from $20 to $30
Eatsa (now called Brightloom):
- Worked with Starbucks
- Made their work faster
- Customers were happier

These stories show how AI phone systems can help QSRs make more money and make customers happier.

7.2 Comparing ROI Across QSR Types

Different types of QSRs can get different results from AI phone systems:

QSR TypeHow Much AI Phone Systems HelpFast Food15% - 20% betterCasual Dining10% - 15% betterQuick Service12% - 18% better

These numbers are just averages. Each QSR might get different results.

More QSRs are using AI and other new tech:

59% of quick-service restaurants plan to use more tech in 2023
They're doing this because it's hard to find workers
AI phone systems are a big part of this change

AI phone systems can help all types of QSRs work better and make more money.

8. What's Next for AI Phone Systems

As AI phone systems keep changing how QSRs work, it's important to look at what's coming next and how to use these systems well.

8.1 New Technologies Coming Soon

New tech is on the way to make AI phone systems even better for customers and businesses:

New TechnologyWhat It DoesBetter language understandingTakes orders more accuratelyLearning from customersAdjusts to what customers likeCameras that recognize carsMakes drive-thru pickup faster

These new tools will help QSRs serve customers better and work more efficiently.

8.2 Growing and Connecting with Other AI Tools

As more QSRs use AI phone systems, it's important to think about:

Making the system bigger as the business grows
Connecting it with other AI tools the restaurant uses

By connecting AI phone systems with other tools, QSRs can:

Make all their systems work together better
Learn more about what customers like
Improve their marketing

This helps QSRs use AI to its full potential and stay ahead of other restaurants.

9. Conclusion

AI phone systems have changed how QSRs work. They help restaurants:

Work faster
Make customers happier
Use data to make better choices

As this tech gets better, QSRs need to keep up to stay ahead.

By looking at how much AI phone systems help, QSRs can decide if they should use them. These systems can:

BenefitsHow They HelpSell moreHandle more calls, suggest extra itemsSpend lessNeed fewer workers, make fewer mistakesMake customers happyTake orders faster, remember what customers like

As QSRs grow and change, AI phone systems will be very important. They will help shape how these restaurants work in the future.

To sum up:

AI phone systems are changing QSRs
They help restaurants work better and make more money
QSRs should think about using these systems to stay competitive