Automation Offers Hospitality Businesses Instant Control Over Customer Experience

Automation is giving hospitality businesses and the restaurant industry across the country instant control over internal processes, as well as the customer’s overall experience.

Modern Restaurant Management reported that ELAN, from Core Brands, was recently selected to help redesign and renovate AV technology designed to enable seamless communication across many rooms for five City Winery locations.

“We absolutely love the new system’s ease of use,” said City Winery Vice President of Business and Venue Development Greg Kitowicz. “The instant control allows our staff to change the ambiance on the fly as needed. Particularly, having the mobile app has been a game changer for all five of our facilities. It’s very convenient. It’s a one-stop shop for total control, enabling you and your staff to improve the customer experience.”

Sophisticated automation systems can “significantly streamline internal processes and enhance the customer experience for the restaurant industry and other hospitality businesses,” said Joe Lautner, director, business development, at Core Brands. “With a single touch, staffers can control climate and lighting, access security and video cameras, control music and video content and more. And the best systems can be automated with customized ‘events,’ making facility management easier than ever.”

Lautner added that customers have even started to expect more automation when going out, especially since they’re able to control their own homes’ lighting, sound, etc., with the touch of a button. Restaurants, bars and lounges can now do the same, enabling staff to comply with requests to change a song, lower the volume or raise the temperature instantly from their smartphones.

And owners don’t necessarily have to be “tech-savvy” to use a system. Lautner pointed out that once a dedicated technology integrator configures the system, control is as simple as tapping on a button to enhance the customer experience.

“High-end automation systems enable the configuration of ‘events’ that simplify commands further,” he said. “For example, a ‘party’ mode can be customized to include the automatic increase of the audio volume and the automatic dim of the lights. Or managers can automate this event to happen at a certain day and time without the need to lift a finger. Any event can be customized for a restaurant manager’s use.”