This n8n template demonstrates how to create a comprehensive marketing automation and booking system that combines Excel-based lead management with voice-powered customer interactions. The system utilizes VAPI for voice communication and Excel/Google Sheets for data management, making it ideal for restaurants seeking to automate marketing campaigns and streamline booking processes through intelligent voice AI technology.

Good to know

• Voice processing requires active VAPI subscription with per-minute billing
• Excel operations are handled in real-time with immediate data synchronization
• The system can handle multiple simultaneous voice calls and lead processing
• All customer data is stored securely in Excel with proper formatting and validation
• Marketing campaigns can be scheduled and automated based on lead data

How it works

Lead Management & Marketing Automation Workflow

1. New Lead Trigger: Excel triggers capture new leads when customers are added to the lead management spreadsheet
2. Lead Preparation: The system processes and formats lead data, extracting relevant details (name, phone, preferences, booking history)
3. Campaign Loop: Automated loop processes through multiple leads for batch marketing campaigns
4. Voice Marketing Call: VAPI initiates personalized voice calls to leads with tailored restaurant offers and booking invitations
5. Response Tracking: All call results and lead responses are logged back to Excel for campaign analysis

Booking & Order Processing Workflow

1. Voice Response Capture: VAPI webhook triggers when customers respond to marketing calls or make direct booking requests
2. Response Storage: Customer responses and booking preferences are immediately saved to Excel sheets
3. Information Extraction: System processes natural language responses to extract booking details (party size, preferred times, special requests)
4. Calendar Integration: Booking information is automatically scheduled in restaurant management systems
5. Confirmation Loop: Automated follow-up voice messages confirm bookings and provide additional restaurant information

Excel Sheet Structure

Lead Management Sheet

| Column | Description | |--------|-------------| | lead_id | Unique identifier for each lead | | customer_name | Customer's full name | | phone_number | Primary contact number | | email | Customer email address | | last_visit_date | Date of last restaurant visit | | preferred_cuisine | Customer's food preferences | | party_size_typical | Usual number of guests | | preferred_time_slot | Preferred dining times | | marketing_consent | Permission for marketing calls | | lead_source | How customer was acquired | | lead_status | Current status (new, contacted, converted, inactive) | | last_contact_date | Date of last marketing contact | | notes | Additional customer information | | created_at | Lead creation timestamp |

Booking Responses Sheet

| Column | Description | |--------|-------------| | response_id | Unique response identifier | | customer_name | Customer's name from call | | phone_number | Contact number used for call | | booking_requested | Whether customer wants to book | | party_size | Number of guests requested | | preferred_date | Requested booking date | | preferred_time | Requested time slot | | special_requests | Dietary restrictions or special occasions | | call_duration | Length of VAPI call | | call_outcome | Result of marketing call | | follow_up_needed | Whether additional contact is required | | booking_confirmed | Final booking confirmation status | | created_at | Response timestamp |

Campaign Tracking Sheet

| Column | Description | |--------|-------------| | campaign_id | Unique campaign identifier | | campaign_name | Descriptive campaign title | | target_audience | Lead segments targeted | | total_leads | Number of leads contacted | | successful_calls | Calls that connected | | bookings_generated | Number of bookings from campaign | | conversion_rate | Percentage of leads converted | | campaign_cost | Total VAPI usage cost | | roi | Return on investment | | start_date | Campaign launch date | | end_date | Campaign completion date | | status | Campaign status (active, completed, paused) |

How to use

1. Setup: Import the workflow into your n8n instance and configure VAPI credentials
2. Excel Configuration: Set up Excel/Google Sheets with the required sheet structure provided above
3. Lead Import: Populate the Lead Management sheet with customer data from various sources
4. Campaign Setup: Configure marketing message templates in VAPI nodes to match your restaurant's branding
5. Testing: Test voice commands such as "I'd like to book a table for tonight" or "What are your specials?"
6. Automation: Enable triggers to automatically process new leads and schedule marketing campaigns
7. Monitoring: Track campaign performance through the Campaign Tracking sheet and adjust strategies accordingly

The system can handle multiple concurrent voice calls and scales with your restaurant's marketing needs.

Requirements

• VAPI account for voice processing and natural language understanding
• Excel/Google Sheets for storing lead, booking, and campaign data
• n8n instance with Excel/Sheets and VAPI integrations enabled
• Valid phone numbers for lead contact and compliance with local calling regulations

Customising this workflow

• Multi-location Support: Adapt voice AI automation for restaurant chains with location-specific offers
• Seasonal Campaigns: Try popular use-cases such as holiday promotions, special event marketing, or loyalty program outreach
• Integration Options: The workflow can be extended to include CRM integration, SMS follow-ups, and social media campaign coordination
• Advanced Analytics: Add nodes for detailed campaign performance analysis and customer segmentation