For many Australian restaurants, Voice AI is becoming an important tool to extend the operating capacity of venues. When the venue is unstaffed, or staff are stretched thin, Voice AI can pick up the overflow, recovering revenue that would otherwise be lost. 

Restaurant Voice AI is software that answers incoming phone calls 24/7, taking care of bookings, enquiries and general questions to extend the operational capacity of venues.  

ARCA CEO Wes Lambert explains the impact of Voice AI solutions: 

“AI-driven solutions like Sadie are no longer optional - they are critical infrastructure for the survival of the industry, enabling venues to do more with fewer staff, improve efficiency in real time, and remain commercially viable in an increasingly unsustainable operating environment.” 

Employing a Voice AI phone receptionist helps restaurants capture every enquiry, converting calls to bookings 24/7, even outside of staffed hours or during busy service. For profit-conscious operators, the question isn’t whether or not to utilise Voice AI, but rather how to pick the right option for your restaurant.  

Sadie is a Voice AI solution built specifically for restaurants, trusted by venues across Australia to handle incoming calls. From working with thousands of venues, Sadie knows exactly what factors venue managers and owners consider when selecting a solution.  

For restaurants considering a Voice AI solution, these are the four questions that have to be answered when assessing solutions. 

1. Does Voice AI integrate with existing restaurant technology?

2. How does the Voice AI handle events enquiries?

3. Does Voice AI uphold customer service standards?

4. Is Voice AI easy to set up, and locally supported?

1) Does the Voice AI integrate with existing restaurant technology? 

Most restaurants are already using hospitality technology in-house. Therefore, the first consideration when selecting a Voice AI solution is whether it integrates with their existing technology stack.  

Integrates with Booking Platforms

At the very least, a restaurant Voice AI solution needs to have a deep integration with the online booking platform the restaurant uses to handle reservations. If the solution needs to take bookings over the phone, a comprehensive integration is non-negotiable.  

Lorraine Francis, Head of Customer Success at Sadie, explains:  

“Effectively managing bookings over the phone is more than just capturing information. Sadie handles calls with the kind of logic you'd expect from an experienced staff member - routing group booking requests to the right person, prompting callers with relevant offers at the right moment, and redirecting to a sister venue when availability is tight.  

Sadie can even make thoughtful recommendations based on the nature of the visit - suggesting the best seating area for a romantic dinner, a table that works for elderly guests, or a spot where a four-legged friend is welcome. The result is a smarter, more consistent caller experience every time.” 

Sadie integrates with most major booking platforms used in Australia, with more integrations being added all the time. These deep integrations enable Sadie to handle booking enquiries, including editing bookings, just like a real staff member would.  

Integrates with POS Systems

During peak hours, it is not uncommon to have multiple customers calling to place orders at the exact same time. Not even the most talented staff member can serve patrons in-venue, handle multiple calls, and process multiple orders all at the same time. But when patrons call to order and can’t get through, revenue is lost.  

For many restaurants, takeaway and delivery orders comprise a large portion of overall revenue. Advanced Voice AI solutions, like Sadie, have deep integrations with POS systems, and can handle orders over the phone end-to-end.  

When multiple people call at the same time to place orders or enquire about menu items, Sadie can handle those enquiries end-to-end, so staff can better attend to the customers in front of them, and work on filling orders. 

2) How does the Voice AI handle events enquiries?

An important consideration when assessing different restaurant Voice AI solutions is how the solution handles event enquiries. Patrons looking to make events enquiries have to call venues at times that suit them, before or after work, or during their lunch break.  

This makes it challenging for staff to get to the phone, as these are times when the venue tends to be unstaffed, or busy with peak service.  

Voice AI solutions, like Sadie, help venues capture these enquiries, even when staff can’t get to the phone. On the call, Sadie can respond to event-specific FAQs, and deliver function packs via SMS, giving customers the immediate answers they’re after.   

For venues leveraging event management platforms, Sadie can pass these details through as a warm lead that the events team can efficiently follow up. 

3) Does the Voice AI uphold customer service standards?

One of the major hesitations around adopting a Voice AI solution is concerns around customer service. Customer service is what underpins great hospitality, and a great in-venue experience should be mirrored over the phone.  

Great hospitality staff are warm, attentive, and knowledgeable, but they’re also managing the floor, greeting guests, coordinating staff and keeping an eye on the door, all at once. Even the best staff can’t be everywhere at once, so when the phone starts ringing during busy service, something has to give.  

Andrew Joy, owner of Carlton Wine Room, describes the impact he has seen in-venue:

“There’s a huge difference for staff during service, it allows them to do their job and focus on being customer-facing, rather than worrying about the phones.” 

Voice AI solutions help to pick up the overflow, reducing the pressure on staff and removing any friction for the customers calling the venue. Rather than waiting for someone to call them back, Sadie consistently delivers accurate information with calm and friendly energy.  

Max Mitchell-Adams, venue manager at True South, explains the impact in their venue, saying:

“Sadie has helped relieve the workload on staff during busy periods, and allowed customers to get a faster response time.” 

For customers, Voice AI doesn’t replace a conversation with a person, but it is a way for them to get their questions answered when staff cannot get to the phones. Sadie can handle general enquiries end-to-end, reducing the pressure on staff in-venue and enabling them to focus on face-to-face interactions.  

Izadora Montoril, venue manager at The Bank on Collins, explains her experience with Sadie:

“Sadie acts as an extra staff member who never misses a call. She’s a strong support tool that takes the pressure off during service, and fills the gaps when staff can’t get to the phones.” 

While Voice AI solutions aren’t the same as talking to a human, solutions like Sadie are lifelike enough to create a fluid experience for the caller. Sadie's accent can be customised to suit each venue, she understands colloquialisms and slang and can even tell a joke on request.  

Sadie is a customer service expert in her own right, having millions of calls under her belt. She handles enquiries end-to-end, even handling complicated and layered enquiries, including recommending menu items or seating areas based on customer needs.  

4) Is the Voice AI easy to set up, and locally supported?

With any software solution, the complexity of setup and availability of support should be central to a buying decision. Customisation needs to be easy for in-venue teams, without requiring hefty development fees every time an adjustment is needed.  

Local, on-shore support can make a world of difference when things don’t go to plan. Not even the best software in the world is completely infallible, and the right solution is the one that has support available in the right time zone, and in the right language.  

Built specifically for hospitality, Sadie is a proven solution that can be up and running within days, with full local support available in every region. 

For JBS Hospitality Group, local support was an important consideration when selecting a Voice AI. Nita Kisun, Marketing Manager for JBS, who led their Sadie implementation, says:

“The support we received was a huge factor, the team are brilliant and having onshore support makes such a difference. A lot of other solutions are purely US-based, and we have had issues with that kind of thing before.”  

Is Sadie the right choice for your venue?

Sadie is the market-leading Voice AI solution for restaurants. Built specifically for hospitality, Sadie integrates with major booking platforms, POS systems, and events management software.  

Easy to set up and completely customisable, Sadie is supported by local, on-shore hospitality experts. Book a demo today to see how Sadie can help your venue capture every revenue opportunity, while controlling costs.