Pizza IVR Telephone Orders

[November]

sourdough girl and petef,

Whether your particular pizza business can afford to turn away difficult customers depends upon how much demand there is for your pizza. Case in point, we have a pizza place here in NJ that has the reputation of making one of the best Tomato Pies on the east coast. Last time I checked, they won't even take your order over the phone. You have to come in to order and the wait is typically 30 to 45 minutes, in my experience. I would classify myself as being a difficult customer because I demand faster service than that and I hate having to wait, but the demand is so high for their product that they can afford to turn me away and many others like me. So it's a complex issue and every business owner needs to weigh all the pros and cons before making a decision.

After all this discussion, I think this is petef's most distilled and defining argument, although I would change "difficult" to "demanding" in the description.  When it comes to dealing with businesses I would classify myself as demanding, but relatively patient (not difficult) at the same time.  As an example of the difference, I try to avoid having my time wasted because I consider it more valuable than money in most cases, but if I get caught in a situation where my time is being wasted, I'm not likely to say anything about it.  Of the thousands of businesses I've dealt with in my life, I think I might have complained to two or three.  So from that perspective, I can see what petef is trying to convey because each business survives based on demand, and either a customer sees what they want in a business or they don't.

Ironically though, I would never use an IVR system for ordering because I know that the alternative, a website solution, meets my demands more completely.  So what petef is really saying is that his IVR system filters out those who demand to speak to a person.  It has nothing to do with "difficult" customers.  "Difficult" customers are those who complain a lot, among other things, and while it remains to be seen if sourdough girl is actually "difficult" when dealing with businesses, it's obvious that what she's expressing is simply a demand.  Whether the demand is reasonable in a technology-centric society is another matter.  As long as she has options that fulfill her demands, she has a right to exercise them.  I already know I'll have options for a long time to come since my business related demands are for the most part driven by efficiency.

My social science interests provide a twist to my attitude on the issue.  I like living in the 21st century, because somebody has to, but I also like looking back through all the centuries of past civilizations, as well as at various cultures of our own time.  I really enjoy visiting museums and historical sites, and more specifically the people at those places who are either knowledgeable on the historical subject or prepared to reenact the antiquated role.  A cheesy example of this can be found at theme parks like Walt Disney World where cast members dress in period costume to complete the effect at a historically themed venue.  However, I can only afford to spend so much time in these other times and cultures.  So, on the one hand I recommend that the masses join the 21st century because I like the progress we're making over here.  On the other hand there is a part of me that wants what sourdough girl wants.  I just don't want it at the expense of business time.

Life's too short

Yep.

- red.november

[sourdough girl]

red.november,

Thank you for your input.  I think it all makes perfect sense, especially considering what I was trying to get petef to see.  I'm glad you made the distinction between "difficult" and "demanding".  "Difficult" is what it is, but "demanding" can be a range of behaviors from innocuous to, well, "difficult" when the demands become unreasonable.  I feel that the desire to speak to a human over a machine is rather innocuous.

Having lived 50 years of my life in the previous century, I admit to some fondness for that century and its lack of "technology" in the earlier years of my life.  However, I have happily given up typewriters, as one example, and now embrace keyboards and word processing programs.  I, as well, enjoy museums and historical sites and marvel at how those people lived, and how they thought they were so much more advanced and better off (with easier lives) than the generations before them.

I agree also with your website solution and use that avenue quite often.  I am very computer literate, so if petef offered me the ability to contact him directly, through a website, I would readily use that option over picking up the phone.  Actually, I am beginning to dislike the phone altogether for business purposes because it seems to waste my time (being put on hold, IVR menus etc.) more than it saves me time.  Last week, I had a small issue with some mp3 downloads from amazon.com so I contacted them through the site... I got an email back from them in less than 15 minutes and the issue was resolved in less than 20 minutes.  I wonder how long it might have taken on the phone?

petef,
I'm through trying to get you to see my point.  I have told you twice that I like to play devil's advocate but you read my posts as... let's see, what names have you called me?  Ah... "difficult" "overly sensitive" "emotional" "intolerant".... did I miss any?  Seems that you are now becoming the emotional one, probably because you are taking me too seriously.

You must remember that each and every person who reads your posts (or anyone's posts) will filter them through their own past history so that each person will interpret them differently.  It appears to ME (others may read it differently) that you profile customers based on YOUR IVR, not IVRs in general.  If that's what you want to do, more power to you.  It's your life and your business... and I couldn't care less how you run them.

And, BTW, to help your reading comprehension:

"Then in a new paragraph (separate thought), I speak generally about "an automated system" and
how it could *possibly* be used to filter out difficult customers. NOT MY
IVR SYSTEM, but an IVR sytem in general."

When you start a new paragraph with "In other words..." 

"In other words, an automated system could posssibly serve to filter out difficult customers."

it is NOT a separate thought but rather a restatement, clarification or distillation of the preceding paragraph(s).

~sd
 

[petef]

"Then in a new paragraph (separate thought), I speak generally about "an automated system" and
how it could *possibly* be used to filter out difficult customers. NOT MY
IVR SYSTEM, but an IVR sytem in general."

When you start a new paragraph with "In other words..." 

"In other words, an automated system could posssibly serve to filter out difficult customers."

it is NOT a separate thought but rather a restatement, clarification or distillation of the preceding paragraph(s).

~sd
 

Ok sd, I'll agree with you that my post was not perfectly clear and
I can see how you misinterpreted what I meant to say. My bad.
For the sake of harmony and good will on these forums, let's leave
it at that.

No hard feeling on my part. It's been a most interesting thread
and I do understand what you were saying. I might not agree
with you, but I do understand what you were saying.

Let's get back to making pizza!
Again, no hard feelings.

---pete---

[sourdough girl]

Thanks, petef
I'm glad we can agree to disagree.  I understand your reasoning with regards to your business but don't necessarily agree.  And that's just fine.

I hope it makes you feel better to know that I am much like November in regard to how businesses treat me.  If I am being cheated or wronged, I speak up.  This doesn't happen often.  Much more often, I am the one filling out the comment card praising the great service I got and the person who gave it.   I'm the one calling to thank the small business owner for going the extra mile for me.  People need to hear that because too many customers think they are entitled to complain about the smallest detail.  I like to be the bright spot in someone's day.  It's good for them, it's good for me.

You're right, this has been a most interesting thread.  I know that our world is changing quickly and IVRs will become the rule instead of the exception, but I still don't have to embrace them happily.  I'll stick to websites and let someone else's fingers do the walking.

No hard feelings here, either... and glad that you harbor none.

~sd

[pbx800]

That was one big list of notes I made out of this conversation. Thanks everyone. Really really appreciate it.


Can someone help me/us understand other aspects we are looking


- What is the percentage of repeat orders? Is it around 55% or more?

- What is the percentage of custom orders, a store processes?

- Will IVR  help get through language barriers for international community (Spanish, Chinese,  Indians, Vietnamese etc.).?

Thanks everyone.

[jeanlerymg]

Another point to consider is from the business owner's point of view. I operate a home
based business and rely upon an automated answering system to take calls of potential
customers and my regular customers while I'm out on service calls. I have found that
customers who use my automated system to either obtain info about my fees and
services or to leave a message about their problem, are generally my best customers
and enjoyable to work with. I'm perfectly comfortable with passing up on customers
who will not talk to my machine. If I had to hire a full time human answering service,
I'd need to raise my rates. I' d rather offer low rates for my good customers than
try to satisfy everyone and have to raise my rates.

In other words, an automated system could posssibly serve to filter out difficult
customers. It all depends upon how selective you want to be for your particular
business. If you make the best pizza on the east coast, I think you can fully
automate your ordering process and the customers will adapt to it, but if you
are just the average pizza shop, I doubt that you could afford to lose any
customers by adopting a fully automated ordering system.

---pete---

Home based business are really easy to operate especially when you have the idea on what attracts custmoers. Pizza is more likely attractive to buy, and if I was going to have a business, I will also prefer an automated system to serve customers and make larger profits. I think, Pizza vending machine will make a successful business for me.