Waitlist management notifications

Purpose

1.1. Manage guest flow for Anhui cuisine restaurants by automatically notifying waitlisted customers about table availability, estimated wait times, and reservation updates.
1.2. Optimize seating turnover, reduce manual follow-ups, and improve guest satisfaction through timely, multi-channel communication.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. Customer adds name to digital or physical waitlist.
2.2. Cancellation or completion of a table triggers availability.
2.3. Manual staff update of estimated wait time.
2.4. Reservation is confirmed, altered, or cancelled.

Platform Variants (with configuration details)

3.1. Twilio SMS
• Feature/Setting: Messaging API — configure webhook to send SMS on status update.
3.2. SendGrid
• Feature/Setting: Transactional Templates — trigger email to customer upon table availability.
3.3. Slack
• Feature/Setting: Incoming Webhooks — notify staff channels with live waitlist status.
3.4. Microsoft Teams
• Feature/Setting: Flow Bot Connector — push internal alerts for changing reservations.
3.5. Telegram
• Feature/Setting: Bot API — send direct chat notification to guests and managers.
3.6. WhatsApp Business API
• Feature/Setting: Template Messages — update customers on wait time and table readiness.
3.7. Facebook Messenger
• Feature/Setting: Send API — notify via Messenger on status progression.
3.8. Google Calendar
• Feature/Setting: Events API — auto-update staff and customer calendars for reservation slots.
3.9. Outlook Calendar
• Feature/Setting: Microsoft Graph API — sync table bookings with staff calendars.
3.10. HubSpot
• Feature/Setting: Workflow — integrate calls and SMS for reservation status to CRM contacts.
3.11. Salesforce
• Feature/Setting: Process Builder — fire notification tasks for reservation pipeline changes.
3.12. Mailchimp
• Feature/Setting: Automated Customer Journeys — email segment targeting for waitlist updates.
3.13. Zendesk
• Feature/Setting: Trigger/Automation — create ticket or notify when guest escalates issue.
3.14. Intercom
• Feature/Setting: Behavioral Messaging — automated chat updates for reservations.
3.15. Pushover
• Feature/Setting: User/Group Key — push mobile alerts for immediate guest updates.
3.16. Discord
• Feature/Setting: Webhook — announce to staff or VIP groups when tables free up.
3.17. Zapier
• Feature/Setting: Multi-step Zap — link CSR systems, send chain messages (SMS/email) to waitlist.
3.18. Shopify POS
• Feature/Setting: POS API — trigger waitlist left/cancelled via register closure events.
3.19. Google Sheets
• Feature/Setting: Apps Script — auto-update and trigger notification as sheet status changes.
3.20. Airtable
• Feature/Setting: Automations — send notifications from view filtered by wait time.

Benefits

4.1. Reduces no-shows and waitlist walk-aways.
4.2. Enhances staff efficiency and consistency of messaging.
4.3. Provides real-time, multi-platform guest engagement.
4.4. Supports analytics on waitlist conversion and service flow.
4.5. Scales easily to high-traffic periods without manual intervention.