How La Hacienda leveraged BrainHi´s technology to triple their sales amidst COVID-19 restrictions.

Without a doubt, COVID-19 has been a historical event that has transformed the way of life for each one of us while additionally prompting a global economic emergency, forcing many companies to reinvent themselves to be able to keep their heads above water. Restaurants and food establishments have not been an exception as they have had to maneuver new security protocols and government ordinances. Such is the case of Jorge Bonnet, owner of the renowned gourmet food stores, La Hacienda Foods, which has six locations in Puerto Rico. Jorge Bonnet opted for BrainHi’s technology in order to overcome the limitations caused by COVID-19 and continue operating.

The initial plan Bonet made during the lockdown consisted of closing the stores and only offering and selling his products by phone for pick-up and delivery. “We expanded the phone system in all of our stores thinking that we were ready to handle the volume of calls and serve all customers, but it turns out we weren’t.” The result: an absurd number of calls and customers upset about long wait times and a persistent busy tone over the phone.

In the search for new options, La Hacienda discovers BrainHi

The new limitations prompted Jorge Bonet and his team to explore new solutions for their missed call problem. It was then that his IT consultant told him about the functionalities of BrainHi, and Jorge, without knowing anything about the platform and in the midst of a crisis, chose to learn more about the tool that specializes in rescuing missed calls and sending automated text messages. “Five minutes into the demo I was already convinced that BrainHi would solve the problem of our high call volume. Now we can filter and answer all calls without the need for a call center or someone physically answering them,” he stated. With the implementation of BrainHi, La Hacienda stores are now able to collect information on all incoming calls, rescue missed calls, send messages to clients, and maintain proper communication with all clients. “Now I am much calmer and happier because I know that the client is taken care of. This change assured and calmed our clientele a ton. They knew they would be taken care of.  The improved relationship with our clients was one of the most important results we saw right away.”

Jorge Bonet was able to understand and assess the magnitude of his problem thanks to BrainHi.

Why BrainHi and not an answering service

“The answering service we initially looked into works by the minute and needed an estimate of call volume to be able to adapt the call center to our phone lines. They also needed information for every possible scenario they may encounter on calls.” At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jorge had chosen to open a spreadsheet for people to place their orders, but in just one week around 15,000 people signed up and it was impossible for La Hacienda to meet the demand through the answering service. As soon as the team implemented BrainHi, the platform rescued and messaged over 600 missed calls, the vast majority of which were orders and requests from customers.

“Any business with a high volume of customers that needs better control over business operations should use BrainHi in order to comply with new guidelines while in the pandemic. The opportunities are endless.”

How BrainHi helped improve the sustainability of the business

Bonet says that choosing to integrate BrainHi into its operations was an excellent decision and presented an opportunity in the face of a crisis. “All businesses were in adaptation mode at the beginning of the pandemic. BrainHi quickly addressed the needs of our business and delivered a perfect solution right on time. We were able to easily manage the tool, and it opened up new possibilities for us in our businesses. BrainHi was the only tool to address all of our business concerns at once.  Thanks to BrainHi, we tripled our sales in the midst of a pandemic!”

Without a doubt, BrainHi is a tool that adapts to any type of business facing a high volume of missed calls, among other services. At La Hacienda, after the implementation of the platform, the team was able to better organize its calendars and administrative operations.

The importance of good customer service

After the implementation of BrainHi, La Hacienda has shown a notable improvement in customer service. The leadership team now has peace of mind because customers are attended to at all times. Customers always receive notifications via text messages with instructions and clear information on how to easily place their orders. In the long term, Jorge Bonet projects improvements in customer service through BrainHi: “The vast majority of calls (approximately 80%) are to ask frequently asked questions - schedules, locations, daily menu, and more information about our pick-up and delivery services. Now we can send all of this information to the customer via automated text messages. The system answers them by itself.”

Further, Jorge shares that he is impressed by how quickly and easily customers have adapted to the automated system: “Now our phone barely rings. Emails have decreased because frequently asked questions are answered via text message, and we don’t need someone handling the calls.”

The experience and added value of BrainHi

Currently, La Hacienda uses BrainHi to manage high call volumes, rescue missed calls , answer frequently asked questions via text messages, organize administrative tasks, manage calendars and employee shifts, and strengthen customer communications.

Jorge comments how BrainHi has greatly helped the business in a very difficult time. He can forget about the phones and focus instead on customer service in the store.