In the rapidly evolving restaurant industry, staying ahead of the curve means not just keeping pace with technological advancements but leveraging them to deeply understand and satisfy your customers. During a recent episode of the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast, Jeremy was joined by Lucas Judice, the mind behind Freatz—a groundbreaking platform reshaping how restaurants engage with consumer feedback to enhance their operations and grow their business.
The Genesis of Freatz: A Journey from Law to Tech Entrepreneurship
Lucas’s story is a testament to the unpredictable path of entrepreneurship. Originally from Brazil and having a successful career as a lawyer, Lucas took a leap of faith, trading legal briefs for the tech world with the aim of starting his own technology company. His journey is not just about changing professions but about following a childhood passion for creating and selling—evident from his early endeavors of selling decorated jars on the beach. This inherent entrepreneurial spirit propelled Lucas towards founding Freatz, a platform at the intersection of customer experience, technology, and actionable business insights.
Freatz: Revolutionizing Restaurant Customer Feedback
The core idea behind Freatz is deceptively simple yet powerful—transform customer feedback into a tool for tangible business improvement. Lucas shared how most restaurants typically only hear from the extremes: those who had exceptional experiences and the unsatisfied ones. Freatz aims to capture the silent majority’s feedback, providing restaurants with a broader and more accurate picture of their customer experience.
How Freatz Works: A Win-Win for Businesses and Customers
Freatz cleverly incentivizes customer feedback through a model that benefits both the restaurant and its patrons. Customers are reimbursed for their meals in exchange for detailed feedback on their dining experience. This strategy not only encourages more customers to participate but also ensures that the feedback is comprehensive and genuine. Lucas highlighted the importance of understanding not just what customers like but diving deep into the why—enabling restaurants to make informed decisions that enhance the dining experience, improve customer retention, and drive sales.
AI at the Heart of Freatz
A significant part of Freatz’s efficacy lies in its AI-driven analysis, offering restaurants actionable insights across a myriad of operational areas. From menu selection and service delivery to ambiance and beyond, Freatz uses advanced algorithms to sift through customer feedback, identifying patterns and suggestions for improvement. This AI-backed approach ensures that recommendations are not just based on aggregated data but are deeply personalized and relevant to each restaurant’s unique context.
Real-World Impact: Transforming Insights into Action
Lucas shared compelling success stories where Freatz has helped restaurants achieve remarkable results. For instance, a multi-location brand saw a 17% increase in sales by focusing on identified key areas of improvement such as friendliness, speed, and food quality. Another establishment leveraged Freatz to uncover a hidden opportunity in wine sales, leading to a significant boost in average check sizes. These examples underscore the platform’s potential to not only enhance customer satisfaction but also to drive significant business growth.
Freatz’s Offer to Restaurants: A Cost-Effective Solution
One of the most appealing aspects of Freatz is its cost model. The platform operates on a net-zero cost basis for restaurants—meaning the revenue generated from increased orders and additional patrons essentially covers the cost of the feedback program. This ingenious approach allows for scalable, risk-free deployment of the feedback system across any number of outlets, making it accessible to a wide array of establishments looking to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
Embracing the Future with Freatz
In the conversation, Lucas extended an open invitation to restaurateurs eager to dive deep into understanding their customers’ desires and preferences. With a model that promises not just insights but actionable strategies for growth, Freatz stands out as a beacon for the industry, illuminating the path to enhanced customer satisfaction and business success.
The episode with Lucas Judice was not just inspirational but also enlightening, shedding light on how embracing technology and customer feedback can propel the restaurant industry forward. For those looking to explore Freatz and harness the power of customer insights, the journey begins with a simple step—reaching out and being open to the transformative potential of understanding the heartbeat of your business: the customer.
For more insights and stories from the frontier of restaurant technology, continue following the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast, your go-to source for the latest trends and tools shaping the future of dining.
