Table availability responses via chat or SMS

Purpose

1. Automate table availability responses to customer inquiries via chat or SMS, streamlining customer service for Malaysian restaurants.

2. Automatedly inform customers of real-time table status, reduce wait time, enhance reservation experiences, and increase operational efficiency.

3. Automates collection and logging of inquiries for analytics, future retargeting, and service improvement.

4. Automation ensures 24/7 self-service, eliminating manual responses and human errors, and boosts customer satisfaction.

Trigger Conditions

1. Customer initiates chat or SMS inquiry regarding table availability.

2. Automated incoming message detection matches specified keywords (e.g., "table booking", "availability", "seat now").

3. Reservation management software or POS detects changes in table occupancy and triggers an automated update.

Platform Variants

1. Twilio SMS

• Feature/Setting: Programmable SMS, webhook configuration; automates parsing user queries and sending availability status.
  
• Sample: Configure webhook to parse SMS with reservation keywords, reply using Twilio Messaging API.
  

2. WhatsApp Business API

• Feature/Setting: Automated message templates; automates quick replies based on restaurant occupancy state.
  
• Sample: Program business logic with message templates to instantly reply to "Is there a table?"
  

3. Facebook Messenger Platform

• Feature/Setting: Messenger Webhooks; automates communication using triggers for availability questions.
  
• Sample: Configure webhook in Facebook Developer portal, trigger auto-response with availability from POS.
  

4. Slack API

• Feature/Setting: Bots using Events API; automate responses to direct messages about table status.
  
• Sample: Bot listens for "availability" and sends automated table status as a reply.
  

5. Google Dialogflow

• Feature/Setting: Intents for table inquiries; automates understanding and response of customer question flow.
  
• Sample: Create "table availability" intent, auto-reply with API response from real-time data.
  

6. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

• Feature/Setting: Automated conversations with triggers; automate cross-channel table inquiries.
  
• Sample: Integrate bot with triggers for seating availability, routing to live agent if needed.
  

7. Intercom

• Feature/Setting: Custom bots and rules; automate initial inquiry and escalate as needed.
  
• Sample: Intercom bot filters "table" queries and sends occupancy result or handoff.
  

8. Freshdesk Messaging

• Feature/Setting: Automated workflows; automates flow from inquiry detection to reply.
  
• Sample: Trigger detects "table now?" and sends automated reply from restaurant system.
  

9. Telegram Bot API

• Feature/Setting: Message handlers; automate parsing and sending replies to table queries.
  
• Sample: Use command "/table" to return availability from connected database.
  

10. LINE Messaging API

• Feature/Setting: Webhook automation; automates response to table inquiries on LINE chat.
  
• Sample: Detect "table" keyword, push message of available/unavailable.
  

11. Microsoft Teams Bot Framework

• Feature/Setting: Bot responds to queries; automates conversation about table status.
  
• Sample: Integrates with scheduling system to fetch real-time status and reply.
  

12. WeChat Official Accounts

• Feature/Setting: Keyword auto-reply; automates instant reply to "seat now?" in chat.
  
• Sample: Setup "table" keyword auto response with dynamic content.
  

13. Viber Bot Platform

• Feature/Setting: Automated message handler; automates data-driven replies to reservation questions.
  
• Sample: Bot triggers on "availability", returns table status fetched via API.
  

14. Signal API

• Feature/Setting: Automated messaging; automate script to answer inbound availability requests.
  
• Sample: Simple reply flow via API endpoint configured for incoming messages.
  

15. Zoho Desk

• Feature/Setting: Workflow automation rules; automates ticket reply about seating requests.
  
• Sample: Trigger rule on ticket with "reservation", auto-send latest table availability.
  

16. Salesforce Service Cloud

• Feature/Setting: Service bots and workflows; automates responses in SMS/chat channels for reservations.
  
• Sample: Automated workflow routes inquiry and schedules response with table data.
  

17. HubSpot Conversations

• Feature/Setting: Chatflows automation; automates collection and instant answering of availability requests.
  
• Sample: Chatflow identifies reservation keyword, answers with real-time info.
  

18. LivePerson

• Feature/Setting: Intent-based automation; automates AI-based response for availability.
  
• Sample: Map intent to reservation status API for quick automated answer.
  

19. Drift

• Feature/Setting: Playbooks automation; automates scripted response paths for table inquiries.
  
• Sample: Playbook identifies "table now?" and pushes dynamic reply.
  

20. Genesys Cloud CX

• Feature/Setting: Bot flows and triggers; automate inquiries via chat and SMS for table status.
  
• Sample: Bot listens to keywords, calls external system, replies automatedly in session.
  

21. ManyChat

• Feature/Setting: Automated sequences; automates messenger replies based on keyword triggers.
  
• Sample: Setup sequence for "availability", return answer and capture contact if needed.
  

Benefits

1. Automates customer engagement and reduces staff workload by handling repetitive inquiries.

2. Speeds up response time, delivering answers in seconds and improving guest experience.

3. Ensures consistent, accurate, and up-to-date information using automation for each inquiry.

4. Allows automating integration with reservation systems to prevent double bookings.

5. Facilitates 24/7 support, as automation does not require human intervention after hours.

6. Engagement data can be automatedly analyzed for marketing, forecasting, and demand planning.

7. Automation increases reservation reliability and logs all inquiries for compliance and improvement.

8. Staff are freed from routine replies, focusing on delivering better in-person service.

9. Automator solutions scale effortlessly with business growth and seasonal demand spikes.

10. Enables cross-channel automation to reach more customers in their preferred communication medium.