About

Cul+ure Collective Hospitality Group is a noteworthy player in the hospitality sector in Asbury Park, NJ. It boasts three diverse eateries: Barrio Costero, an innovative coastal Mexican restaurant, REYLA, a modern Middle Eastern restaurant, and Laylow, a music-driven cocktail lounge. The group, led by Development Partner, Chris Viola, a Cornell School of Hotel Administration graduate with significant experience at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, has a profound mission: to lead with genuine hospitality, share remarkable experiences, and impact their communities.

Challenge

Cul+ure Collective Hospitality Group faced a significant challenge in managing their phone services across their three unique locations. With the staff fully engaged in providing top-notch in-house guest experiences, answering incoming calls became a distracting and often neglected task. Despite their efforts to establish a call center during the COVID-19 pandemic, the labor costs and logistical challenges proved prohibitive. Cul+ure Collective was in search of a solution that would streamline their call experience, reduce labor costs, and, most importantly, not compromise their commitment to exceptional customer service.

Solution

Slang.ai proved to be the perfect solution for Cul+ure Collective. According to Chris Viola, the ease of onboarding and implementing the product was a standout feature. With Slang.ai, they were able to manage all calls for their three locations effectively and efficiently. Slang.ai took the load off of their staff, handling 2,023 calls in 60 days, and saving the group 125 hours in labor.

This resulted not only in significant cost savings but also in enhanced customer satisfaction. Hundreds of hours of staff time were freed up, allowing for more focus on diners within the four walls of the restaurant. Now, even during peak hours, their staff can focus on in-house guests, ensuring that no customer calls are missed or neglected. The labor cost savings alone highlight the ROI, as Chris puts it, but the relief and appreciation from the team are priceless.

"Even with better staffing than during Covid times, my staff would likely boycott if we were to stop using Slang.” — Chris Viola, Development Partner, Cul+ure Collective 

The solution that Slang.ai provides has been so integral to the operations of their businesses that removing it would be a setback. Through Slang.ai, Cul+ure Collective has found a way to balance in-house guest attention and efficient call handling, ensuring every customer, in-house or over the phone, is well taken care of.

Results

1. Managed 2,023 phone calls over a span of 60 days, ensuring no customer inquiries were missed.
2. Saved the restaurant group 125 hours in labor, translating into savings of $1,766.25 in wages.
3. Achieved a 98% caller satisfaction score, demonstrating the high efficiency and quality of automated service.
4. Successfully handled 85.5% of all conversations without human intervention, indicating the system's proficiency.
5. Sent text messages that directed guests to relevant services and information with an 89.3% click-through rate.