Customer Communication & Order System
Cafe & Hospitality Wellington 300-400 customers/day, 3 baristas, 2 servers

Customer Communication & Order System

AI phone ordering, catering automation, and SMS loyalty program for a busy CBD cafe serving 300-400 customers daily.

62%
AI-Handled Calls
+$3,800/mo
Revenue
+11%
Repeat Visits
The Client

A busy cafe in the CBD serving 300-400 customers daily during weekday rush hours (7-9am, 12-2pm). They had 3 baristas and 2 servers, and phone orders were constantly disrupting counter service during peak times.

The Challenge

Phone Interruptions During Rush

Staff answered phone calls for takeaway orders during the busiest hours, causing delays for in-store customers.

Missing 30-40% of calls during peak times.

Catering Inquiry Chaos

Corporate catering inquiries came in via phone and email at all hours. Staff forgot to follow up, losing an estimated 3-4 catering orders monthly.

Lost catering revenue worth $200-500 per order.

No Customer Recognition

Regular customers weren't remembered. Opportunities to build relationships and loyalty were missed every day.

Missed upselling and retention opportunities.

No Loyalty Program

No system to reward regular customers or encourage repeat visits.

Lower customer lifetime value compared to competitors with loyalty programs.

What We Built

We built a complete communication system that handles ordering, catering enquiries, and customer loyalty in one place.

AI phone agent for taking takeaway orders during busy hours
Website chatbot for catering inquiries and order questions
SMS-based digital loyalty program
Automated birthday and special offers via SMS
Customer preference tracking (regular orders, dietary requirements)
Results

After 90 Days

62%
Phone Orders Handled by AI

Staff stayed focused on serving in-store customers during rush periods

+3
Additional Catering Bookings Per Month

Automated follow-up converted enquiries that previously fell through the cracks

+$3,800
Additional Monthly Revenue

$2,200 from captured phone orders plus $1,600 from catering follow-ups

180
Loyalty Members Enrolled

A meaningful slice of the regular customer base signed up in the first quarter

+11%
Increase in Repeat Visits

SMS offers brought customers back more frequently

+7%
Average Order Value Increase

More customers ordering full meals alongside their coffee

How We Did It
Wave 1

Phone Order System

  • Set up AI voice agent to answer calls during peak hours (7-10am, 11:30am-2pm)
  • Programmed menu items, prices, and common questions
  • Created order confirmation system via SMS
  • Set pickup time estimates (15-20 mins during rush, 8-10 mins otherwise)
  • Integrated with existing POS system for order tickets
Wave 2

Website Chatbot for Catering

  • Added chatbot to website for catering inquiries
  • Programmed qualification questions (date, number of people, dietary requirements, budget)
  • Set up instant SMS and email responses with catering menu PDF
  • Created follow-up sequences: immediate confirmation, +24hr quote reminder, +3 day check-in
Wave 3

Digital Loyalty Program

  • Built SMS-based loyalty system (text "JOIN" to sign up)
  • Created simple point system: $1 spent = 1 point, 100 points = $10 off
  • Set up automated birthday messages with special offer
  • Programmed "rainy day" promotions (auto-sent when weather is bad)
Wave 4: Go-Live

Launch & Staff Training

  • Trained baristas on new phone order flow
  • Created QR codes at counter for loyalty sign-up
  • Added "Text us" signage for takeaway orders
  • Soft launched with existing regular customers
Next case study

Smart Appointment & Patient Communication System

Dental PracticeChristchurch

Want results like these?

Every business is different. Let us map out the specific opportunities for AI automation in yours.

View all case studies