Separate contact routes by the job staff need to do

The decision this workflow supports

A single contact form can mix catering opportunities, reservation questions, supplier messages and employment inquiries. Give visitors enough guidance to choose a useful route while keeping a fallback for people who are unsure.

Put the review process in place

Use plain category names that match real staff ownership. Explain the difference between a new table request and a question about an existing arrangement. Check that every advertised route has a reviewer and that no page exposes a staff member’s private contact details.

Worked example for your team

A fictional visitor wants to change an existing table arrangement while another wants to discuss catering. They should be able to select different routes without understanding the restaurant’s internal department names. Test those tasks with someone unfamiliar with the page. If both choose general contact because the labels are vague, revise the labels or explanations. Then check the receiving queues with the staff owners. Good categorization on the page is not enough if every message ultimately goes to an unattended address with no clear review responsibility.

Sample wording to approve

“Choose the topic that best matches your question, or select general inquiry if you are unsure. Restaurant staff review requests; this form does not confirm a booking, order or payment.” This wording is a draft for the restaurant owner to approve before use.

Fields for the staff handoff

Staff need contact category, assigned owner, fallback route, published address or link, and last routing check. Mark uncertain details explicitly and keep the requested action separate from anything restaurant staff have already confirmed.

Acceptance tests before use

An unsure visitor can continue. The selected topic reaches its real owner. Private staff contact details are not published as a shortcut. Record the observed result, assign any mismatch, and repeat the affected scenario after correction.

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