Safe to Serve - How Zing are helping UK Hospitality to Reopen

Safe to Serve - How Zing are helping UK Hospitality to Reopen

Like many countries, the UK is reopening its hospitality sector after the COVID-19 lockdown. To support the NHS Test and Trace service, hospitality businesses are now expected to capture the name, contact number and arrival time of all customers – and keep a secure record of this for 21 days.

Many establishments are doing this the old fashioned way, with pen and paper. It’s obvious that this method is rife with issues, notably hygiene and security of personal information. I for one don’t want my personal information to be sat out on a piece of paper for hours on end. On top of that, how can you guarantee that people will give real or accurate information?

Many Twilio customers have found people using their phone to sign up for services can dramatically cut down on incorrect details. In this case, it could literally be life and death.

Twilio Consulting Partner Zing also thought this was a ridiculous situation for the UK hospitality industry and turned to Twilio SMS, Chat, Studio and Autopilot to solve this problem. Twilio Consulting Partners are members of the Build Partner Program, that gives partners exclusive access to Twilio resources to help their customers get to market faster.

When the hospitality customer arrives at the venue, they simply text a dedicated mobile number and are asked for their name. In return, they receive a “Safe 2 Serve” badge that they use to demonstrate to serving staff that they have registered. Customer details are then held on a secure database, accessible only by selected individuals chosen by administrators, thereby reducing the exposure of personal data. If there was a COVID-19 case identified, that data can be shared with healthcare providers to help minimise the outbreak.

For venues without mobile coverage, Zing also implemented Twilio Chat so customers can join the venue wifi and chat with a bot to get their Safe 2 Serve badge. This is particularly useful for one of my local pubs in my native Dorset, The Fontmell. Rural Dorset is known for many things, but not for its great mobile phone coverage, especially in valleys where villages (and pubs!) tend to be. Customers without mobile phone coverage can join The Fontmell’s free wifi and use Twilio Chat to communicate with the bot that collects their information.

The Fontmell is delighted with Zing’s innovation that’s helped them reopen:

“I love the ingenuity from the Zing team – it solves a small but important problem at a time when we’ve already got a lot on our plate. Our staff are really looking forward to serving customers again and this helps keep everyone safe and avoid an admin headache on our side too. That’s something everyone can drink to!” Ben Moxham, Manager, The Fontmell

Likewise, Zing’s CEO Julian Hucker is enthused by the response so far: “What started as an opportunist piece of work has grown into something much bigger than we expected, with other pubs signing on and conversations happening with other establishments. But what this also reminds us is how flexible and responsive the Twilio platform is. As recent events have already taught us, this trait is essential as we adapt to new challenges and thrive in the months ahead.”

To do their part, Zing is offering Safe 2 Serve to the first 10 UK hospitality companies who sign up free of charge. Bravo! I look forward to visiting The Fontmell again once travel restrictions are lifted and grandparents can be visited again. The 1.6-mile walk from Iwerne Minister definitely justifies the pint at the end? 🤪

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