Applying AI to your business
Applying AI to your business is sometimes best described using analogies. Let’s steal one analogy from the restaurant world.
A well co-ordinated business, like a busy restaurant, can be seen to have a "Front of House" (FoH) and a "Back of House" (BoH) aspect. Each faces distinct challenges and each requires different approaches.
- Front of House is about ensuring customer happiness.
The FoH in business represents your direct interaction with customers. It's where you ensure customer satisfaction, tailor experiences, and build lasting relationships.
Here, for example, AI can step in as a personalized concierge, deepening your understanding of customer needs. It can help you to enhance human connections and spot places where you might delight a customer.
For example, an AI-powered virtual assistant might be fantastic at handling inquiries with a personal touch, or an AI recommendation system might understand individual preferences, helping deliver a unique experience to each customer.
The challenge here is to make the AI an extension of our customer service rather than a replacement. It's about using AI to deepen relationships, not just streamline and cheapen transactions.
- Back of House is about getting better meals out, and faster
In contrast, the BoH focuses on operational efficiency, ensuring everything runs smoothly. This is where AI can optimize processes and solving tricky technical challenges.
For example, AI-driven analytics might reveal new insights, or help forecast demand. Here, the AI isn't just a tool; it's a strategic ally that empowers businesses to make better data-driven decisions. It's about “making the pot boil faster”, yes, but also smarter.
The challenge in harnessing these new capabilities is in doing so without losing sight of the human element - the employees and stakeholders behind the scenes.
The key is to find a balance between these two domains. Just as a restaurant thrives on both excellent customer service and kitchen efficiency, a business excels when it addresses both human and technological challenges through AI.
The beauty of AI lies in its versatility - it can create meaningful customer experiences while simultaneously driving operational excellence. The goal is not to choose between FoH and BoH, but to integrate them seamlessly, ensuring both the customers are happy, and the pot is boiling efficiently.
As the leader/restaurant manager, how are you finding this balance today?
