Sponsored by PizzaCloud
Pizzeria restaurants operate in a highly competitive industry where standing out requires more than great pizza. With shifting consumer preferences, evolving digital marketing trends, and the need for strong customer relationships, many pizzerias struggle to connect with their audience effectively.
From managing online reviews and social media engagement to creating targeted promotions and loyalty programs, navigating modern marketing strategies can be overwhelming. Without the right approach, even the best pizzerias risk losing customers to competitors who have mastered the art of digital connection and brand storytelling.
PizzaCloud provides pizzerias with innovative solutions to enhance customer connections and streamline marketing efforts. With advanced VoIP phone systems—a technology that allows customers to make voice calls using a broadband internet connection—data-driven call tracking, and seamless integration with online ordering platforms, PizzaCloud ensures restaurants never miss a call or order.
Their technology improves customer service by reducing hold time, enabling call forwarding, and offering detailed analytics to optimize marketing campaigns. Additionally, PizzaCloud’s marketing tools help pizzerias implement effective customer loyalty programs, targeted promotions, and automated outreach, making it easier to engage with customers and drive repeat business. One popular pizzeria, Rosati’s Pizza, has integrated PizzaCloud to enhance its franchise operations and maintain a strong customer connection.
With over 60 years of experience and five generations of serving up secret family recipes, Rosati’s Pizza has built a reputation for quality and authenticity. “Successfully operating more than 130 locations nationwide, Rosati’s success is driven by its unwavering commitment to quality and an exceptional customer experience,” says Loredana Gianino, director of marketing for Rosati’s Pizza Enterprises, Inc.
The brand offers three franchise models—Sports Pub, featuring a full bar and TVs; Fast Casual, with dedicated dining space; and Carryout/Delivery, designed for a more economical footprint and streamlined operations. “We have above-average AUVs, so the tech stack we provide to support our franchisees is critical to the overall health of the system,” Gianino says. “The technology must be simple and integrate seamlessly with our existing systems. We are always looking to improve our tech stack because it’s one of the most important pieces in offering a great model for prospective franchisees and for providing a great customer experience.”
Rosati’s has been partnered with PizzaCloud for over a decade due to PizzaCloud’s vast experience in this arena and its motivation to advance Rosati’s technology and integrations. “PizzaCloud grows with us, which is what we want out of any partnership,” Gianino says. “Restaurants rely on a lot of digital and online technologies to provide great service to our customers and when that technology fails for reasons out of our control sales can suffer greatly. PizzaCloud steps in during those hiccups with cellular backup to ensure our POS, phone, and credit card processing all remain in operation during an outage. If you have power and a partnership with PizzaCloud, you are still running your business.”
Since integrating PizzaCloud, Rosati’s day-to-day operations have improved. “We now have 100 percent uptime, improved labor and consistency, expanded call management with re-routing options, and added an additional marketing tool with their on-hold and SMS messaging,” Gianino says.
Additionally, the platform has helped streamline customer interactions and order management. “Their Caller ID integrates with our POS system, so when a customer calls into the restaurant, their information, order history, and rewards status are all in front of the order taker, helping to expedite and streamline the ordering process while building our reward database,” Gianino says. “This has also helped us stay top-of-mind with consumers by going beyond traditional marketing and advertising channels, where competition for attention is high, and instead fostering a more personal, one-on-one connection with our customers.”
Rosati’s recently leveraged PizzaCloud’s SMS service to run a highly successful marketing campaign during one of the biggest pizza days of the year—Super Bowl Sunday, which coincided with National Pizza Day. By utilizing targeted text messaging, Rosati’s was able to directly reach thousands of customers with timely messages, ensuring they were top-of-mind for game day orders.
“The main goal of our recent text campaign was to create Top of Mind awareness leading into National Pizza Day and Super Bowl Sunday,” Gianino says. “Knowing pizza was already a top consumer choice that day, rather than leading with an offer, we simply wanted our customers to think of Rosati’s. We targeted consumers who had purchased in the last 120 days and we gave them an ordering link for their favorite Rosati’s location to place the order ahead of time for the game.”
The results yielded a 17 percent increase in YoY comp sales and a 12 percent increase in YoY comp traffic on Super Bowl Sunday. “We will continue to explore non-offer vs offer-based SMS messaging since we saw such great results without an offer,” Gianino says.
Rosati’s franchisees have responded positively to PizzaCloud’s text messaging functionality, praising its ease of use, precise targeting, and, most importantly, its affordability. “This is one of the most cost-effective, paid marketing channels for franchisees that delivers an immediate ROI,” Gianino says. With the ability to reach 1,000 customers for just $10—at only a penny per message—franchisees see a return on investment from just a single order. This high-impact, low-cost marketing tool has not only boosted sales but also strengthened franchise satisfaction, contributing to a thriving and successful franchise system.
Rosati’s is always looking ahead when it comes to implementing new tools and technology into their daily operations, ensuring they stay ahead in an ever-evolving industry. They understand innovation is key to maintaining a competitive edge, which is why they continuously evaluate and invest in solutions that enhance efficiency, improve customer experience, and support their franchisees.
“We will continue to leverage PizzaCloud’s messaging services and expand into automation, allowing us to send personalized messages immediately after a guest dines in or places an online order,” Gianino says. “This will enable us to thank them, invite them to share feedback through a survey, and seamlessly integrate loyalty by automatically notifying them when they’re close to their next reward—encouraging repeat visits and strengthening customer engagement.”
By embracing technology and innovative marketing strategies, Rosati’s Pizza continues to set itself apart in a competitive marketplace. Through its partnership with PizzaCloud, Rosati’s has enhanced operations, strengthened customer relationships, and provided franchisees with cost-effective tools that drive real results.
From improving call management and order processing to leveraging SMS marketing for increased customer engagement, these advancements ensure Rosati’s remains a lead in the pizza industry. As the brand looks to the future, its commitment to integrating cutting-edge solutions will support its franchisees and elevate the overall customer experience—solidifying Rosati’s as a go-to choice for quality pizza and exceptional service.
“SMS is a highly targeted, consistent, and relevant marketing tool,” Gianino says. “Moving forward, we will be exploring SMS automation to drive predictable, sustainable results and maximize customer engagement.”
To learn more about PizzaCloud’s messaging services, visit pizzacloud.net.
By Abby Winterburn
