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More and more hospitality operators are looking to take advantage of AI-driven marketing solutions as an opportunity to streamline their operations and support their staff.



In this guide, we will explore how hospitality operators can utilise AI to strengthen their marketing efforts, increase the visibility of their brand and drive growth at every stage of their customer journey.&nbsp;



From gaining AI-driven customer insights, and leveraging marketing automation, to in-depth data analytics and predictions. There are plenty of ways AI can be implemented in various areas of the business.



Now is the perfect time to jump on board with integrating AI into your hospitality business’s marketing plans.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-in-hospitality-marketing">AI in hospitality marketing</h2>



Artificial intelligence (AI), is the ability of computer systems to perform tasks that would usually require human intelligence.



In recent years, AI has revolutionised the hospitality industry, providing ample opportunities for businesses.&nbsp;



For instance, AI can quickly analyse large amounts of customer data to gain insights into preferences and behaviour. This can be used by staff to tailor the service and marketing campaigns. I.e. greeting a hotel guest with his favourite cocktail upon arrival or treating a customer with a restaurant voucher for their birthday.



In addition, AI can adapt the pricing strategy depending on the current market situation and provide future predictions. Managing and responding to online reviews also becomes much easier with AI tools. To name just a few, we will have a closer look at those and others in this guide.



Overall, by using AI in marketing, hospitality operators can create a seamless guest journey from the moment the customer first interacts with their brand, to the point they come back to the venue. This all leads to higher revenue and customer satisfaction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-ai">Advantages and disadvantages of AI</h2>



It is important for operators to weigh the pros and cons before deciding to incorporate AI into their business operations. We have summarised the most relevant ones in this short list below. 



You can find a more extensive list <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-ai-in-hospitality">in this article</a>.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-main-advantages">Main advantages:</h4>



<ol>
<li>Increased operations efficiency and productivity. AI can streamline and automate repetitive tasks.</li>



<li>Cost reduction. AI allows for data-backed decision-making.</li>



<li>Tailored customer experience. AI provides insights that support personalised marketing and service.</li>



<li>Accurate forecasting. AI can identify revenue opportunities.</li>
</ol>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-main-disadvantages">Main disadvantages:</h4>



<ol>
<li>Impersonal service. AI lacks the human touch that many guests desire.</li>



<li>System failure. Operators are highly dependent on their digital tools to work seamlessly.</li>



<li>Technical limitations. Not all AI tools are able to cater for the needs of the hospitality industry.</li>



<li>High investment costs. Implementing AI is often a major investment.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-as-a-growth-tool-for-hospitality">AI as a growth tool for hospitality</h2>



AI technology is undoubtedly a growth tool for the hospitality industry, and those who successfully embrace it will thrive in the long run.&nbsp;



<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/4-ways-to-optimise-your-hospitality-business-with-ai">Here are 4 ways</a> it can support different areas of the business.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-operations">1. Operations</h4>



AI technology has vastly improved the way hospitality operators conduct their daily operations and provide service.&nbsp;



Chatbots are a great example, as they can scan common customer queries and answer them in real time. This relieves staff of tedious, repetitive tasks, while still ensuring customers receive an excellent level of service around the clock.



Hotels are also increasingly leaning on AI for contactless check-ins and virtual concierges, making sure guests get the most out of their stay. Self-service kiosks in restaurants on the other hand allow customers to place orders more quickly and efficiently. Again freeing up staff time for other duties.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-marketing">2. Marketing</h4>



AI can massively improve the way hospitality businesses communicate with guests and market their services. It can gather a multitude of data points in one place, coming from tech tools such as Guest WiFi, table booking platforms or loyalty scheme.&nbsp;



Marketers can use the data to better understand customer preferences, habits and needs. This then allows them to provide a more personalised experience, offer relevant promotions and optimise their marketing campaigns for maximum results.



With AI automation, tasks such as uploading data are made simpler and faster. This frees up time and reduces human errors. Trigger-based campaigns based on previous customer interactions can also be easily automated. Such as sending discounts to customers who haven’t been at your venue for a while.&nbsp;



Lastly, AI can power up digital advertising by helping with audience and campaign optimisation. On top, it can monitor social media channels for brand mentions and engagement.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-sales-revenue">3. Sales &amp; revenue</h4>



There is promising potential for integrating AI to improve sales too.&nbsp;



AI can analyse customer data to predict their preferences and suggest personalised recommendations. Equipped with these insights staff can better upsell and cross-sell when customers are in the venue. Marketers as well can take advantage of this with highly targeted campaigns that lead to higher conversion rates and ultimately create more sales opportunities.&nbsp;&nbsp;



AI can further be used for improved revenue management for hotels and restaurants. It creates accurate forecasts by analysing past data as well as external factors such as market fluctuations.&nbsp;



This enables operators to adjust their pricing in real time. So they can take advantage of peak periods while still remaining competitive during off-peak times.



For hoteliers, this also means that they can ensure guests always get the best price when booking direct.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-data-analytics-reporting">4. Data analytics &amp; reporting</h4>



By using AI to generate accurate reports hospitality businesses can become more successful in the long run through leveraging data-driven insights into customer behaviour. So that they don’t rely on guesswork anymore.



A lot of, usually manual, tasks can be automated as well. Such as the creation of monthly reports or the building of customised dashboards with the metrics that matter.



AI can present the data in a way that is accessible to the entire team and that also facilitates performance analysis from relevant KPIs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-ai-use-cases-for-hospitality">3 AI use cases for hospitality</h2>



There are already examples of hospitality businesses successfully implementing AI and it&#8217;s likely that more will follow suit in the coming years.



We’ve summarised 3 <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/4-revenue-driving-ai-tools-for-hospitality-operators">popular use cases for AI marketing</a> and operations below.



If you’re a hotelier you can find more relevant examples <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/3-clever-ai-tools-to-support-your-hotel-operations">here</a> and we also got some, especially for restaurant operators <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/3-restaurant-specific-ai-tools-that-drive-sales">here</a>.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">1. Personalised service</h4>



AI enables hospitality marketers to create a personalised customer experience with ease. Through the smart analysis of customer data, AI can segment customers into small groups according to patterns, demographics and historical interaction.



This empowers businesses to deliver targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with individual customers, helping them feel appreciated and increasing loyalty.&nbsp;



AI also helps to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/another-5-step-recipe-how-to-easily-win-back-lost-customers-part-2-of-5">detect and retain lost customers</a> through automated campaigns that are triggered by pre-defined conditions.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">2. Content creation</h4>



AI technology can be used to quickly generate various pieces of content. This ranges from email campaigns to social media posts and website copy. Plus, it can translate content into multiple languages so you can reach wider audiences.&nbsp;



AI algorithms can also analyse the most engaging social media posts and create similar ones. Plus, it can also determine the best posting schedules, hashtags and content for various platforms to grow engagement and followers.



When it comes to website content, AI can improve SEO rankings and develop search engine-optimised content by incorporating relevant keywords.&nbsp;



Another example is restaurant menus. They are often seasonal and need to be changed on a regular basis. AI can support operators to come up with enticing menu descriptions and iterations to speed up the process.



<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-speed-up-content-creation-with-ai-in-hospitality">Check out this article</a> to find out more about how you can create more hospitality marketing content in less time with AI.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">3. Chatbots</h4>



As already mentioned, hospitality operators are now discovering the value of AI-powered chatbots in providing better customer service that is available for customers&nbsp; 24/7.



Chatbots can be used for a variety of tasks. Common examples are answering FAQs, taking orders in restaurants and helping with general service requests.&nbsp;



Plus, they can act as a concierge and support customers with their travel planning by making personalised recommendations based on past interactions.



With the ability to integrate with voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant, hospitality operators can further create a more human experience and eliminate the typing for customers.



With these advanced capabilities, hospitality operators can enhance their services while also improving staff efficiency. All without ever compromising on guest satisfaction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-ai-can-improve-reviews-management">How AI can improve reviews management</h2>



Online reviews play a crucial role in attracting customers. However, managing these reviews can be a daunting and time-consuming task for busy hospitality operators. This is where AI comes in to lend a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-ai-can-facilitate-reviews-management-for-hospitality-operators">helping hand with your reputation management</a>. 



For example, it takes over previous manual tasks done by staff. So instead of analysing each review platform separately and dealing with spreadsheets, AI can automatically gather all reviews in one place. This allows for quick access and a multi-channel overview. Reviews can be dealt with more efficiently and progress on each response can be tracked easily.



To avoid further complications, operators have to react to reach review in a timely manner. This way they can retain unhappy customers and show that their opinion matters to the business.&nbsp;



Depending on the number of reviews flooding in it can be challenging to keep up. With automated response generation, AI can help operators to better handle their to-do lists. Based on keywords AI can generate a personalised reply in no time.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Further, AI-powered sentiment analysis can provide operators with valuable insights into customer feedback. It can detect common themes and tag them accordingly. This enables businesses to quickly identify areas for improvement to enhance their service.



With AI, hospitality operators can better stay on top of their online reputation, and improve their overall scores and customer satisfaction.



If you want to find out how AI can also make it easier for customers to leave a review, check out this article.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-summary">Summary</h2>



AI is a very beneficial tool that hospitality operators should look to explore and utilise to back up their marketing strategy.&nbsp;



AI technology has tremendous potential for increasing speed and accuracy in data collection and analysis. This allows operators to provide more tailored services for their customers based on what they&#8217;ve learned from past engagements. But also to make accurate predictions and more informed decisions which will save them time and money.



Moreover, AI can be used to aid in developing marketing content, automating and supporting daily service operations and improving reviews management.



There may be valid concerns around its adoption cost and potential impact on losing the human touch. Though, when leveraged correctly, AI can have significant positive impacts on your hospitality business.

post

AI In Hospitality Marketing: A Complete Guide

<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-get-the-knowledge-you-need-to-boost-your-revenue-with-customer-loyalty">Get the knowledge you need to boost your revenue with customer loyalty</h4>



Loyal customers spend up to 67 % more than new customers and present a great opportunity to increase revenue in your hospitality business.



Download your free eBook&nbsp;to start unlocking more revenue.



Featuring 7 unique industry examples, a breakdown of the different types of loyalty programs and detailed tips on how to run a simple, but effective stamp card program.

8 Tactics to Increase Customer Spend

Home

<a href="https://www.2stepreviews.com/google-reviews-influence-your-seo-heres-how/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Customer reviews are the third most influential factor in Google’s local search algorithm</a>. In the world of Google, reviews are seen as customers’ online word-of-mouth. They give your business a credibility booster.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



As a result, you will get found more often through organic searches. All this will drive&nbsp;more traffic to your website&nbsp;and lead to more bookings.



Your star rating and Google’s own ranking are the two main factors that impact local search results.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rating-vs-ranking">Rating vs. Ranking</h5>



Your overall rating is simply the average of all your customers&#8217; star ratings.



The composition of the ranking on the other hand is a bit more complex. It is determined by the platform&#8217;s own algorithm which scores your business based on various factors.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Factors Influencing Your Google Reviews Ranking</h5>



There are a number of signals Google pays attention to when calculating your ranking.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">1) Quantity</h6>



It’s no surprise that a&nbsp;high volume&nbsp;of reviews will help maintain your search results position.&nbsp;



Plus, the Google algorithm will&nbsp;pick up on certain keywords&nbsp;within the written parts. So your business will come up when potential customers search for those keywords. I.e. ‘Spanish tapas in Edinburgh’.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">2) Velocity</h6>



<a href="https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/#" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">50% of customers only pay attention to reviews from the last two weeks</a>. The same applies to Google. The more recent reviews on your profile, the stronger your ranking will get.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">3) Diversity</h6>



<a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ranking-factors/local-citations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Citation signals</a>&nbsp;are important for Google as well. Get your company listed on various directories and make sure your reviews come from a mixture of sources. This could be other&nbsp;3rd party sides like Tripadvisor or Yelp.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">4) Content</h6>



Google also gives credit to the actual content of your reviews, i.e. their quality. Do they provide value to the next reader?



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">5) Strong Star Rating</h6>



It goes without saying that the higher your overall score, the better your local ranking will be.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">6) Reviews Management</h6>



The last factor is about how much you are interacting and engaging with your reviews.



Are you responding to both positive and negative reviews? Are you keeping your&nbsp;reviews page well-maintained&nbsp;and all business information updated?



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Key Takeaways</h5>



Here’s what you can do to influence your Google reviews ranking and push your local searches:



<ul><li>Ensure a steady flow of reviews &#8211;&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/get-reviews/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automate the requests</a>&nbsp;to save time</li><li>Keep on top of your reviews &#8211;&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-respond-to-positive-and-negative-customer-reviews-online/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">respond to positive/negative</a>&nbsp;reviews in a timely manner</li><li>Encourage customers to leave longer reviews &#8211; reach out to loyal customers</li><li>Allow customers to review your business on various sites</li><li><a href="https://stampede.ai/reviews-calculator/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Use our calculator</a>&nbsp;to find out how many 5-star reviews you require to get the score you need</li></ul>



Get all the tools you need to ensure better and stress-free review management. Download our&nbsp;<a href="https://assets.stampede.ai/magnets/reviews-toolkit-for-restaurants.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FREE Restaurant Reviews Toolkit</a>.



Save time collecting your reviews and automate your requests.&nbsp;<a href="https://h.stampede.ai/meetings/stampede/demo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch</a>&nbsp;with our team to find out more about&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/get-reviews/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stampede Reviews</a>.

The Secret To Mastering Your Google Reviews

A new kind of marketplace for hospitality apps

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New Features & Updates – September 2023

Feature Update – Improved campaigns, reporting and imports

How To Make The Most Of Your Restaurant Outdoor Seating Space In Summer

A Quick Guide On First-Party Data Strategy For Hotels

UGC Revolution: How User-Generated Content is Reshaping Marketing Strategies

4 Ways To Optimise Your Hospitality Business With AI

The Pros And Cons Of Using AI In Hospitality

Finally, you&#8217;ve landed your dream job of managing and running your own restaurant. But what do you need to do to sustain on a long-term basis? And how could you use your WiFi to help you grow your business? Keep reading!







So, you&#8217;re serving all your favourite foods, the ambience is just right. You&#8217;ve got the latest and greatest IPA on tap for all the twirly moustached hipsters to quaff. After opening, your business did ok for a few months, but, after the initial excitement, traffic seems to have dried up. Even the hipsters have moved on to the next place serving Icelandic grapefruit IPA.



Your dream career is in danger of dying unless you do something &#8211; and fast. You&#8217;ve got a great product &#8211; your restaurant &#8211; the only thing is that nobody knows about it. The problem? Marketing. You&#8217;re doing it wrong. But, before you pull out that chequebook to start paying a restaurant consultant, we wanted to share with you three quick and easy tips. So, you can get started TODAY to drive traffic to your venue using your Guest WiFi to help your business further grow.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Market to 3 Visits</h4>



This is the part that many people in the hospitality business seem to forget. Sure, you want your customers in the door, but you also want to keep them coming back. 



According to Jon Taffer, of Bar Rescue, if a customer comes into a restaurant and has a great experience, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/three-best-restaurant-tips-customer-retention/" target="_blank">the likelihood of them making a second visit is 40%</a>. If the same customer comes and has a great second visit, the possibility of them making a third trip to that same business rises to 42%. Pretty good, right? But here&#8217;s the kicker &#8211; on the third visit, the statistical probability of that customer making a fourth visit rises to over 70%.



And, if you&#8217;ve seen Bar Rescue, you know that Jon Taffer knows what he&#8217;s talking about.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<figure><iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/h5jkpFg7Sho" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



As we all know, that recurring revenue is the sweet spot that we&#8217;re looking for. Imagine if you had a business packed with customers who had visited four times or more and consistently kept coming back!&nbsp;



So what&#8217;s the secret? <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/infographic-how-likely-are-people-to-act-on-promotions/">Incentivise</a>. One restaurant trick of the trade is to seat new customers in a certain part of the restaurant or give them a specific colour napkin to identify them. These are some great tricks, but we&#8217;re in the 21st century now. And you&#8217;ve got <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/5-tips-for-setting-up-wifi-for-your-restaurant-or-pub/">WiFi on your side</a>.



(Right? If not, head over and sign up for a free trial now. Don&#8217;t worry. We&#8217;ll wait.)



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>





<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



Instead of a napkin, send your new customer an <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">automated </a>email or SMS venue 10 minutes after they&#8217;ve left your place with &#8211; and get this &#8211; the offer for a free side dish on their next visit. BAM! Who&#8217;s going to turn that down? The customer sees the message and returns. Sure, you&#8217;re out a few bucks worth of food, but you&#8217;ve earned another visit.



Great, right? Sure, but we&#8217;re not done yet. Let&#8217;s get &#8217;em back in. How about offering a free drink? BAM! This time, another ten minutes after the customer has left your venue they&#8217;ve gotten a coupon for a free drink the next time they stop by. BAM! An easily incentivised third visit.



And the best part? It was all automatic!



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Leverage Social Media</h4>



You might have heard the tale lately of the Instagrammer who was out trying to <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/hotel-bans-influencers-instagram-social-media-stars-elle-darby-the-white-moose-cafe-a8166926.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">score themselves a free hotel room</a>. Just between us, that whole situation got out of hand and we&#8217;re not sure who came out looking better. But that doesn&#8217;t mean you shouldn&#8217;t reach out to influencers on social media. Don&#8217;t worry, it&#8217;s not necessarily going to cost you a hotel room.



Let&#8217;s say you&#8217;re running a taco place in Shoreditch, London. Do an Instagram search for Instagrammers in London. Take a look at how many followers they have. Maybe even concentrate on foodies (easy to spot because they have lots of pictures of food, IPAs and twirly moustaches in their feed). 



Drop them an Instagram message with a coupon for a free taco. The Instagrammer comes to your taco place, tries a taco &#8211; taking a picture first, of course, and sending it through your free WiFi to their feed. In minutes, your taco creation is seen by thousands of followers. And what did it cost you? A taco.



Even better, when you offer WiFi in your business, redirect your customers to your <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/rock-your-restaurant-with-wifi-and-instagram/">restaurants Instagram page </a>after they log in. A not-so-subtle reminder!&nbsp;



Here&#8217;s a short video showing how our friends over at Tapa use their WiFi and social media to keep their business growing:&nbsp;



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<figure><iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hW9wAS0FQqM" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Curate Online Reviews</h4>



These days restaurants can live and die by social media reviews. Tripadvisor, for example, has reviews on over 18,000 restaurants just in London alone (<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/434gqw/i-made-my-shed-the-top-rated-restaurant-on-tripadvisor" target="_blank">not counting the fake restaurant that a journalist concocted</a>). 



So it&#8217;s more important than ever to let your customers have their say. What better way to do this than to (gently) remind them to leave a Google or Tripadvisor review right after they&#8217;ve left your restaurant? But that&#8217;s just the tip of the iceberg. 



Be sure to download our free e-book to see just <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.stampede.ai/blog/importance-of-online-reviews" target="_blank">how important online reviews are</a>. Even more, how you can use them to grow your business by making use of your existing WiFi.



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<h4 class="wp-block-heading">SEND US YOUR PHOTOS!</h4>



See? That wasn&#8217;t so hard now, was it? We showed you three different ways you can use social media and automated marketing to grow your restaurant business. And all this for just a fraction of the pennies you&#8217;d pay one of those fancy restaurant consultants. 



If you&#8217;re still looking for a few more tips, be sure to check out <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="/blog/marketing-your-restaurant-online-a-brief-guide-to-getting-bums-in-seats" target="_blank">this article our friends at Big Flavour marketing wrote</a> about running a successful restaurant.&nbsp;



And don&#8217;t forget the best part of automated marketing &#8211; the &#8220;automated&#8221; bit. So no IT or marketing expertise required. 



When you&#8217;re running a hospitality business like a bar or restaurant you don&#8217;t have time to learn and configure software packages. You just want to run your place the best you can. Which is where Stampede comes in. 



Run automated marketing campaigns, build your email lists, and offer fast, safe and secure WiFi all in one package and boost your business growths. What more could you ask for?



Click the button below to start growing your restaurant business with WiFi today!&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="#schedule-demohttps://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a></h2>

3 Tips for Growing Your Restaurant Business with WiFi

A version of this was originally published in <a href="https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2020/06/29/How-can-pubs-collect-customer-data">The Morning Advertiser 29th June 2020</a>



The 43-page government document outlining how UK pubs, bars and restaurants would reopen from July was notable for how many times it used the word “should” rather than “must” – especially on the subject of customer data collection. The pub industry has rightly called for clarity and for a better understanding of venues’ responsibilities.



For now though, the onus is on venue owners to act responsibly, which means collecting the data needed to help the NHS with track and trace, and disposing of it as required. It is also important that venues have robust systems in place, so that they can adapt as the guidance changes, as the UK enters a new phase of the pandemic, or if we see a dreaded second wave. As pubs make their preparations, it is helpful to look at the other countries that are ahead of the UK, both in terms of their timeline dealing with COVID-19 and their reopening of the hospitality sector. This can tell us a lot about the pros and cons of different models for easing lockdown, potential challenges experienced by other countries/venues, as well as the processes and technologies that pubs should explore before July.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Venue-centric approach</h2>



New Zealand has been widely recognised for its success in handling the COVID-19 outbreak, and its hospitality sector is no exception. At Alert Level 2, hospitality venues were required to take customer contact details and could refuse access if customers did not provide their information. New Zealand also rolled out a <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-resources-and-tools/nz-covid-tracer-app">COVID-19 Tracer app</a> for the public to download on smartphones, which involved scanning QR codes when visiting a venue, so that they could track people’s movement.



By all accounts, this system worked well. The rules were crystal clear for both venue owners and their customers, and New Zealand was able to eradicate COVID-19 cases in the country by implementing this kind of quick, clear, and strict instruction. However, it was a laborious task for some venue owners. There were also examples of privacy violations. <a href="https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2020/05/14/woman-stalked-by-sandwich-server-via-her-covid-19-contact-tracing-info/">A New Zealand Subway</a> customer was harassed online by a now-former employee who took the customers’ details in writing. This kind of data privacy abuse is why many consumers were concerned about having to hand over contact information. It is food for thought for UK venues too, who will want to avoid the same kind of scenario.  



Similar rules have been implemented elsewhere in the world too, including Washington State USA, Germany and Switzerland. The Swiss subsequently changed the rules to put the onus on customers to keep track of who they meet and where. This is less work for venue owners, but it is likely to be far less reliable, accurate and effective than the NZ measures – but only time will tell.



Germany decided to keep the responsibility with venue owners. Berlin’s senate “strongly advises” that restaurants take down customer contact details and keep them on file for four weeks. The German population is extremely sensitive to data privacy and security violations, which is likely why it opted against a centralised Government data collection process, but this was not the case in all countries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Centralised track and trace</h2>



To avoid giving venue owners personal data directly, Australia opted for a centralised government track and trace app. Businesses were sent their venue-specific posters printed with QR codes after signing up on a digital portal. Customers were obliged to “scan themselves in” to a location as part of the tracing process.



The benefit to venue owners is clear, but these measures may not work well in countries that have low trust in the Government. There’s also a risk that a huge trove of personal data becomes available to cyber criminals in the case of a data breach – which coincidentally the Australian Government experienced earlier this month.&nbsp;&nbsp;



In France, the government is doing something unique. It has consulted with tech giants Apple and Google about weakening their existing privacy policies in order to make a contact tracing program more tenable. There are several complexities and challenges when it comes to integrating data across various devices, and with public health data. There is also the issue of whether we should trust ‘big tech’ given its track record on privacy. The concern is that this could have negative implications further down the line and set a precedent for weaker privacy standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The right tech and processes for UK venues</h2>



As evidenced by the approaches of other countries, contact tracing and data collection are issues of great complexity – in terms of technical requirements, consumer privacy concerns and real-world practicalities. In the face of wishy-washy government advice, the onus is on UK venues to act responsibly. If they can demonstrate that they take the issue seriously, venues will also show they are committed to keeping people safe in their venue. In doing so, they may engender trust and loyalty that will last far longer than the pandemic.



From high-end tech to old-fashioned pen and paper, some options for pubs include:



Pen and paper printed log – Physical ledgers are cheap, fast and easy to implement, but they are probably the worst option available to pub owners. They are unsafe, insecure and susceptible to misuse (as demonstrated by the New Zealand Subway story). If done by a staff member, it’s an extra job on their list, if done by customers it defeats the purpose of social distancing and minimising contact.&nbsp;



A digital spreadsheet &#8211; slightly more secure and definitely more sustainable. However, this is still another job for already busy staff, and even though a touchscreen can be cleaned, the potential for contamination on a heavily used surface is high. Data protection is still questionable in the eyes of GDPR.



<a href="https://stampede.ai/covid-19/track-and-trace/">Smartphone registration</a> – Having customers sign in via their smartphone makes logical sense, it is contactless and most people will be carrying one anyhow. The pubs that go down this route need to ensure that they are recording this data securely, and that the process is as simple as possible, whether via a QR code, text message or as people register for the <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/hospitality-reopening/">guest WiFi</a>. Creating a custom app or website portal will be popular for venues wanting to encourage customers to pay for food and drinks at their table vs crowding at the bar. However, it’s important that all guests are registered, not just the person buying the round. Likewise, it has proved difficult to get customers to download these apps in the past, so venues will need to prompt people to do so. As for the small minority of people without a smartphone, their contact details can be recorded separately. 



Government apps – waiting on the UK Government to release its own app is not an option for pubs opening in July. Even after that, there’s no guarantee people will download it. Only 40% of people in Australia downloaded their COVID app, but universal coverage is essential for keeping people safe.



Booking systems – It is possible that third parties such as JustEat, TripAdvisor, or Booking.com will enter the market to offer pubs a quick and easy way of registering visitors and recording their details when they make a reservation. The disadvantage of this, however, is that these brands maintain the relationship with the customer, rather than the venue. We’ve seen with the restaurant industry that these services can be a bit of a double-edged sword.



With so many options available, it’s important that pubs collect data in a manner that makes customers feel safe, with minimal disruption to familiar experiences. These are strange times and many people will come back to the pub with uncertainty or hesitation. It’s the job of the industry to give them a positive and familiar experience, and to make them feel safe.

Customer using smart phone whilst ordering

How are the world’s reopening bars and pubs collecting customer data?