Haidilao, China’s largest hot pot franchise, captivates with unique experiences that combine culinary enjoyment with entertainment.
A few years ago, Haidilao opened its first Smart Robot Restaurant, which quickly became a popular attraction, especially for foreign tourists.
Customer experience is a top priority at Haidilao. Despite its success, there were challenges in internal processes that negatively impacted the guest experience. In collaboration with our joint venture YIGU and the Artop Group, we developed a sustainable customer experience strategy aimed at optimizing these processes and further strengthening the innovative restaurant concept. Through a consistent and outstanding customer experience, the unique restaurant concept was intended to be established globally and serve as a blueprint for the opening of more restaurants of this kind.
Haidilao: Innovation meets experience
Customer experience strategy for a unique restaurant experience
The challengeCultural diversity meets innovative cuisine
Our approachFrom analysis to implementation – a thoughtful process for optimized experiences
Our approach to sustainably increasing guest satisfaction follows a structured process, implemented in several targeted steps. The process began with the research phase, during which valuable insights into optimization potential were gathered through in-depth interviews with staff and guests. These insights were then processed in synthesis workshops to prioritize opportunities and develop initial concept ideas. The resulting findings were compiled into a detailed report that provided strategic recommendations for the next steps. During a three-day ideation workshop, innovative solution ideas were developed to elevate the guest experience to a new level. Finally, an optimized customer journey was created, serving as the central foundation for implementation and ensuring a long-term, sustainable improvement in the overall guest experience.
The resultTargeted measures to increase guest satisfaction and service quality
Our analysis identified five key areas for improving the customer experience:
A consistent guest experience begins right from the reservation and must be ensured throughout the entire visit. Efficient wait management with interactive offers can make waiting times more pleasant and increase guest satisfaction. Smart technologies help optimize processes and make service more seamless. The qualification and motivation of staff are crucial for maintaining consistently high service quality, while successful additional offerings like nail salons and live shows should be further expanded to provide guests with a unique experience.
The resultDesign concepts for a unique customer experience
Based on these insights, we developed practical design concepts that offer innovative digital and interactive solutions for a one-of-a-kind restaurant experience. A seamless end-to-end experience is at the heart of these concepts, designed specifically as a communal group experience. At the same time, the concepts address both operational and economic challenges. For example, staff effort could be reduced by allowing guests to choose how much attention they want. Additionally, we proposed the development of an app offering personalized meal suggestions and the use of robots in the waiting area to highlight lesser-known dishes with sample bites.
The design concept features an interactive display at each Haidilao table that shows the group's orders in a virtual representation. Guests can use their mobile phones for the ordering process, while the display visualizes the results in real time. A key component of the concept is the service snooze function, which allows guests to signal to the staff whether they would like to be left alone or need service.
Another design concept allows guests to place their orders individually, while all orders are displayed in a shared view. The orders are recorded separately but visible to the entire group, either on the table display or in the shared cart. The system informs guests about the wait time and reminds them to check in. Those who check in receive loyalty points, which would otherwise expire. These points can be redeemed for gifts or a membership upgrade.
The resultCustomer journey for long-term success
The resulting ideal customer journey forms the strategic foundation for successful implementation in additional locations. This ensures consistent service quality across different sites and creates a seamless, positive guest experience. At the same time, staff benefit from clearly defined processes that make their work easier and increase efficiency. Furthermore, it opens up new opportunities for the targeted use of innovative technologies to tackle operational challenges and further optimize processes. This way, the restaurant experience can continuously be adapted to the changing needs of guests, ensuring long-term competitive advantages.
About our clientAbout Haidilao
Haidilao is China’s leading provider of hot pot experiences, renowned for excellent service and innovative technologies. The restaurants offer guests a unique experience through a combination of hospitality and technological innovation.