Automated order confirmation and status updates (email/SMS)

Purpose

1.1. Automate the process of sending order confirmations and order status updates (preparing, ready, completed, cancelled) via email and SMS to customers for Costa Rican restaurants.
1.2. Ensures every customer receives timely communication about their order status, reduces manual intervention, and automates follow-ups in case of status changes or delivery updates.
1.3. Improves accuracy and speed of notifications, automating end-to-end customer engagement through the order and delivery journey.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. New online or in-person order placed (via POS or web platform).
2.2. Order payment confirmed or declined (POS, payment gateway event).
2.3. Order status changes to preparing, ready for pickup, out for delivery, completed, or cancelled.
2.4. Scheduled reservation triggers (table ready or no-show).
2.5. Manual status update by restaurant staff in POS or kitchen display system.

Platform Variants

3.1. Twilio SMS
• Feature/Setting: Programmable Messaging API; configure outbound SMS for order status events using REST API calls with dynamic templates.
3.2. SendGrid
• Feature/Setting: Email API (v3/mail/send); set up dynamic transactional email templates and trigger via API on order or status change.
3.3. Nexmo (Vonage SMS)
• Feature/Setting: SMS API; automates sending SMS alerts using order status as message body payload.
3.4. Mailgun
• Feature/Setting: Messages API; automates sending customized order emails using templates for each status type.
3.5. AWS SNS
• Feature/Setting: Publish API; automates multi-channel (SMS, push, email) notifications on order updates.
3.6. Plivo
• Feature/Setting: SMS API; send automated status updates and confirmations using callback URLs.
3.7. Pusher Beams
• Feature/Setting: Notification API; send automated push notifications for order events.
3.8. Firebase Cloud Messaging
• Feature/Setting: Cloud Messaging API to push status updates to mobile applications.
3.9. WhatsApp Business API
• Feature/Setting: Send Message endpoint; automate WhatsApp notifications on order progress.
3.10. SMTP2GO
• Feature/Setting: SMTP and API; automates sending order and status emails reliably.
3.11. MessageBird
• Feature/Setting: SMS API; setup templates for different status and send automatedly when triggered.
3.12. Postmark
• Feature/Setting: Transactional Email API; automates personalized status notifications to customers.
3.13. Klaviyo
• Feature/Setting: Flows; trigger email/SMS flows on order or reservation events.
3.14. ActiveCampaign
• Feature/Setting: Automations; configure triggers for order status and send emails or SMS.
3.15. MoceanSMS
• Feature/Setting: SMS REST API; setup to automate sending status notifications upon trigger.
3.16. OneSignal
• Feature/Setting: API for push/email/SMS; used to automate customer notifications.
3.17. Slack
• Feature/Setting: Incoming Webhooks; internal automated order updates, notify staff.
3.18. Outlook SMTP API
• Feature/Setting: SMTP Connector; direct automated emails as status updates.
3.19. Gupshup
• Feature/Setting: Messaging API; automate and streamline SMS/WhatsApp order notifications.
3.20. Brevo (ex Sendinblue)
• Feature/Setting: Transactional Email and SMS API; automates dual-channel update flows.

Benefits

4.1. Automated notifications decrease staff workload and human error.
4.2. Automates customer engagement, building satisfaction and trust through real-time updates.
4.3. Automator boosts operational efficiency and reduces wait inquiries.
4.4. Automating updates improves transparency and customer loyalty in a competitive food & beverage market.
4.5. Automatable solution scales easily as order volume increases.
4.6. Automatedly increases repeat orders and reduces missed communications.