Automated waitlist notifications

Purpose

1. Automate sending instant, personalized waitlist notifications to guests when their table is nearly ready, reducing manual communication and wait time.

2. Automating guest engagement through multiple channels (SMS, email, push) in real-time as guest moves up the waitlist.

3. Automates staff workflow and informs guests about changes (estimated time, table assignment, delays) via seamless system integrations.

4. Automated communication reduces human error, optimizes seat turnover, and boosts guest satisfaction by automating expectation management.

Trigger Conditions

1. Guest is added to the digital waitlist (e.g., via POS, reservation platform, QR sign-up, or host input).

2. Table status updates to “almost ready” or approaches estimated wait time.

3. Guest’s waitlist position is advanced, or their turn is reached.

4. Manual staff trigger or automated trigger based on POS system status update (e.g., table cleared or food ready).

5. Automated reminders for unresponsive guests or re-communication in case of delay.

Platform Variants

1. Twilio

• Feature/Setting: Automate via Programmable SMS or Notify API to send SMS when guest status changes (sample: Use /Messages endpoint for custom notification templates).
  

2. SendGrid

• Feature/Setting: Automates reservation status emails using Send Email API (sample: Dynamic Templates on transactional triggers).
  

3. Firebase Cloud Messaging

• Feature/Setting: Automating push notifications to mobile app users as their turn approaches (sample: SendMessage endpoint with device token logic).
  

4. Slack

• Feature/Setting: Automate staff alerts/channels for queue changes using Incoming Webhooks or Workflow Builder.
  

5. Zapier

• Feature/Setting: Multi-platform automator; use “New Record in Airtable” → “Send SMS via Twilio” zap.
  

6. Airtable

• Feature/Setting: Automatable table to queue and monitor guest status, trigger automations using Automations section.
  

7. Outlook 365

• Feature/Setting: Automated email notifications via Power Automate Flows for reservation updates.
  

8. Google Sheets

• Feature/Setting: Automates tracking and notification trigger via Apps Script connected to waitlist updates.
  

9. HubSpot

• Feature/Setting: Automate guest journey triggers in CRM using Workflows and custom property changes.
  

10. Mailgun

• Feature/Setting: Automating transactional emails with Events API on waitlist move-ups.
  

11. Pusher

• Feature/Setting: Push real-time updates to front-end dashboards or apps as guests advance.
  

12. OneSignal

• Feature/Setting: Automated push notification campaigns for guests waiting, segmented lists per table type.
  

13. Intercom

• Feature/Setting: Automates in-app messaging via Events API as part of reservation workflow.
  

14. FrontApp

• Feature/Setting: Automate collaborative notifications to the host stand for coordination via API triggers.
  

15. SMS Magic

• Feature/Setting: Automated SMS flows for queue notifications via Webhook integration.
  

16. WhatsApp Business API

• Feature/Setting: Automating personalized WhatsApp notifications with pre-approved templates.
  

17. ClickSend

• Feature/Setting: Automated multi-channel (SMS/email/voice) notifications using the Send Messages API.
  

18. PagerDuty

• Feature/Setting: Automatedly escalate issues (delays, no-shows) via event-based API triggers.
  

19. Plivo

• Feature/Setting: Automate queue status SMS or calls using SMS API and Call API.
  

20. Salesforce

• Feature/Setting: Automator triggers for guest communications using Process Builder or Flows.
  

21. Oracle Hospitality

• Feature/Setting: Integrate and automate guest notification triggers from POS status via REST APIs.
  

22. ActiveCampaign

• Feature/Setting: Automates omni-channel notification sequences via Automation Builder when a guest is added or updated.
  

23. Microsoft Teams

• Feature/Setting: Automate notifications for managers or staff via Adaptive Cards or Flow triggers.
  

24. Zendesk

• Feature/Setting: Automatically generate support tickets for delays or issues in queue via API or Automations.
  

Benefits

1. Automatedly reduces waitlist confusion and manual calls or texts.

2. Automates guest communication, raising satisfaction and turnout rate.

3. Raising staff productivity by automating real-time notification tasks.

4. Prevents human error with automated, templated messages for waitlist events.

5. Automating responses and status updates boosts guest confidence and brand reputation.

6. Enables scalable, multi-channel automation tailored per guest preference.

7. Automated prepping of staff and resources for incoming guests.

8. Gathering automated data analytics on guest flow and notification performance.