Service device boosting sales, customer service

Published 1:19 am Thursday, July 19, 2018

Andalusia native getting  national attention for Kallpod

It worked for David’s Catfish; now Chick-Fil-A is giving it a try.

“It” is a Kallpod.

Steven Barrow Barlow

Andalusia native Steven Barrow Barlow and co-creator Gabriel Weisz developed the Kallpod in 2014. The handy device is designed to enhance customer service in the restaurant industry.

As area patrons of David’s Catfish know, the wireless device allows a diner to call a member of the wait staff. The device is designed to increase human interaction as well as increase sales through convenience.

Four years ago, the Kallpod made its way to David’s Catfish House, but today the tiny three-button device that summons servers can be seen in more than 600 venues, including resorts, casinos, stadiums and amphitheaters and restaurants.

People can find Kallpods just about anywhere- Marriott, HMS Host, Live Nation, and most recently, a few Chick-Fil-A restaurants in Texas.

And since the addition of Kallpod to Chick-Fil-A restaurants, they’ve seen a 500 percent revenue increase.

“We wanted to create a product that reinforced the human element of service experience,” Barlow said.

“We didn’t want to remove human interaction. We also wanted to make a product that looked good aesthetically.”

Barlow said that customers also consume more when ordering with a Kallpod due to the simple ordering process.

“Customers consume more, especially impulse items such as beverages and deserts with ordering incidence up over 15 percent on average, simply because the ordering process is more responsive, and easier,” Barlow said.

Both Forbes and CNBC recently have featured the Kallpod.

Barlow said he’s excited to see where things will advance with the company.