Food delivery giant DoorDash announced today the development of a new AI-powered voice ordering system for restaurants. The innovative offering aims to help restaurants increase revenue and maintain excellent customer service without adding labor costs.
The new "white label" voice ordering solution will allow select restaurants to implement a customized voice ordering system under their own brand name, powered behind the scenes by DoorDash's AI and human agents.
According to DoorDash, the goal is to enable restaurants to capture customer demand and incremental revenue opportunities from phone orders that may currently be going unanswered due to staffing challenges. The company says up to 50% of customer calls can go unanswered at peak times.
By combining AI conversational technology with human agents, DoorDash says the new system will ensure no customer calls are missed. The AI will be able to take routine orders and make personalized recommendations, while human agents can handle more complex interactions.
For restaurants, a key benefit is the ability to focus staff on in-store customers during busy times, rather than managing phone orders. The voice ordering technology also provides services like order tracking and smoother onboarding thanks to DoorDash's existing integrations with restaurants' point-of-sale systems.
The introduction of AI into voice ordering reflects DoorDash's efforts to provide restaurants with innovative technology solutions that go beyond food delivery. As consumer preference for phoning in takeout orders remains strong, DoorDash aims to help partners adapt to evolving customer demands.
The solution will integrate seamlessly with existing offerings. With DoorDash’s established network of middleware and point-of-sale integrations, onboarding for restaurants is simplified. Moreover, restaurants that need to facilitate delivery of phone orders can also leverage DoorDash Drive, a white-label solution that allows restaurants to offer on-demand delivery within their own app or website.
The company highlighted the launch in conjunction with its 2023 Restaurant Online Ordering Trends Report, which found 20% of customers still prefer to phone in takeout orders. DoorDash plans to share more details with interested restaurants in the coming months.