Handling reservation changes and cancellations automatically

Purpose

1. Automate the process of receiving, processing, and updating reservation changes and cancellations for a Modern French restaurant, ensuring real-time synchronization across booking channels, customer communication, and staff schedules.

2. Automatedly handle guest-initiated modifications or cancellations via web, phone, SMS, or third-party platforms, reducing manual work and human errors.

3. Automate instant customer notifications, staff alerts, system updates, and availability re-calculations for seamless guest experience and revenue optimization.

4. Automator orchestrates multi-platform data flow, ensuring automatable consistency, audit trails, and compliance with restaurant policies.

Trigger Conditions

1. Automatedly triggered when a guest submits a reservation change or cancellation via online booking portal, mobile app, email, or SMS.

2. Triggers when third-party platforms (e.g., OpenTable, Resy) notify of changes/cancellations via API/webhook.

3. Triggered by front-of-house staff updates in POS or reservation management system.

4. Automation also responds to specific keywords or template matches in customer communications.

Platform Variants

1. Twilio SMS

• Feature/Setting: Automate SMS keyword triggers; setup auto-reply and webhook to process 'RESCHEDULE' or 'CANCEL' texts.
  

2. SendGrid

• Feature/Setting: Configure automation for transactional email templates and event webhooks for reservation update/cancellation emails.
  

3. OpenTable

• Feature/Setting: Use Partner API for automated reservation object PATCH/DELETE; webhook for automating event notifications.
  

4. Resy

• Feature/Setting: Reservation API endpoint for automated handling of updates and cancels; automate outgoing customer confirmations.
  

5. Google Calendar

• Feature/Setting: Automate event change triggers; syncs with master restaurant reservation calendar.
  

6. Microsoft Outlook Calendar

• Feature/Setting: Use Calendar API for automated creation, updates, and deletions when reservations change.
  

7. Slack

• Feature/Setting: Automated reservations bot posts updates to kitchen/FOH channels via Incoming Webhooks.
  

8. Zapier

• Feature/Setting: Automate multi-step flows between platforms; use ‘Schedule by Zapier’ with reservation-related triggers.
  

9. Salesforce

• Feature/Setting: Automate Lead/Contact updates and task creation via Salesforce API upon reservation modification.
  

10. Square

• Feature/Setting: POS integration API for automated reservation-related order/cancellation linking.
  

11. HubSpot

• Feature/Setting: Automates ticket creation/email sequences from reservation change or cancellation event info.
  

12. Mailgun

• Feature/Setting: Automate reservation communications; event triggers for cancellations/changes using webhooks.
  

13. WhatsApp Business API

• Feature/Setting: Automated reservation status notifications and confirmations using template messages.
  

14. Zendesk

• Feature/Setting: Auto-generate support tickets when a reservation is changed/cancelled for staff review.
  

15. Calendly

• Feature/Setting: Automatedly adjusts booking slots and sends notifications upon changes/cancellation via Calendly API.
  

16. Stripe

• Feature/Setting: Automated refund process for pre-paid or deposit reservations; Stripe API handles automated reimbursement.
  

17. Google Sheets

• Feature/Setting: Automated script/app updates sheets tracking reservations and available tables in real time.
  

18. Freshdesk

• Feature/Setting: Auto-create tickets for changes, automates customer notification for support resolution.
  

19. Microsoft Teams

• Feature/Setting: Reservation automation posts in pre-defined channels; uses webhook or Graph API.
  

20. Shopify

• Feature/Setting: Automate adjustments to reservation-linked products or add-ons; Shopify API for inventory adjustment upon cancellation.
  

Benefits

1. Automates routine administrative tasks, reducing errors and labor costs.

2. Enables real-time customer and staff communication for a seamless guest experience.

3. Automation ensures accurate updates across all systems and platforms.

4. Automatedly increases guest loyalty through timely, consistent communications.

5. Optimizes occupancy and revenue by automatedly freeing up slots after cancellations or changes.

6. Ensures all reservation data is audit-trailed and automatable for compliance and analytics.