Autogrill®’s subsidiaries HMSHost International and HMSHost North America have an exclusive relationship with California-based tech company Kallpod, which has seen them rolling out its smartwatches and smartpods across a select number of locations, including Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Miami International Airport and Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport.
All staff are equipped with KallWatches, and customers have a Kallpod on their table. Using three simple buttons, customers signal to staff for attention and can specify the type of request – for example, if they’d like the bill or another drink. Staff can similarly interact with one another: the kitchen can notify waiters when a table’s food is ready, or the maître d’ can tell a waiter that a new party has been seated.
The technology has been embraced by some of the industry’s leading names. Not only does Kallpod improve communication between staff, creating a smooth-running front and back of house by allowing for real-time, wireless, type-specific communication, but also, most importantly, it puts the customer in charge. Kallpod eliminates communication barriers; it allows the customer to communicate with staff instantaneously, meaning the waiter can be ever present without needing to always be there or encroach on them.
The result is an efficient turnover of customers and more frequent interaction between customers and staff. When you’ve a flight to catch, speed and clarity are paramount, which is why HMSHost International and HMSHost North America plan to introduce the initiative to a further 80 restaurants.