Whitbread PLC Deploys PolyAI Voice Assistant for Enhanced Guest Service

Customers expected to make 700,000 table bookings per year using artificial intelligence

PolyAI, a leading provider of enterprise voice assistants today announces the launch of a Digital Host for Whitbread PLC’s Beefeater restaurants – a new industry-leading voice assistant taking table bookings over the phone at all 173 Beefeater locations across the UK.

The Whitbread Digital Host from PolyAI can speak with customers in natural language, allowing free-flowing, natural conversations. The Digital Host takes table reservations over the phone and can answer a whole range of questions about the brand as well as specific questions about the local restaurant.

The Beefeater brand operates over 170 restaurants across the UK. The Digital Host can understand callers with even the strongest of regional accents, meaning Beefeater guests can be understood whoever they are or wherever they’re from.

The Digital Host is expected to spend 2.25 million minutes per year speaking with customers on the phone, freeing up staff to better assist guests on the restaurant floor.

The Whitbread Digital Host by PolyAI is a bespoke system that began trials prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. Whitbread was looking for a solution that would prevent missed calls and relieves restaurant staff from having to answer calls whilst serving guests.

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Simon Ewins, Managing Director for Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants said: “The introduction and launch of the new Digital Host by PolyAI across our Beefeater restaurants is an exciting development for our business and has come at a key time. It has meant that our teams have been able to focus on what they do best – delivering excellent guest care.

The team at PolyAI have worked in partnership with us to develop a system that is unique to Whitbread, and we look forward to seeing how our business, guests and teams can benefit from the new service.”

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Nikola Mrksic, CEO and Co-Founder of PolyAI said: “We are thrilled to be working with Whitbread. PolyAI is obsessed with delivering better customer experiences and so is Whitbread. Together we have been able to deliver a game-changing voice assistant with customer experience at its core.”