How Wildflower Gin Distillery Turned Missed Calls into a 22% Revenue Boost with Chaty

Running a boutique distillery sounds like a dream, but for the team behind Wildflower Gin Distillery on the Gold Coast, the reality involved far more ringing phones than relaxing G&Ts.

As a small, hands-on business, Wildflower’s core team was frequently away from the phone. Whether they were distilling gin, bottling product, hosting weekend bar sessions, or enjoying their well-earned days off, one thing was constant: calls were going unanswered.

“On Mondays and Tuesdays, we have no staff. During the week, we’re flat out with production. And after hours? That’s just me, with my phone glued to my side, hoping I don’t miss a booking.”
— Owner, Wildflower Gin Distillery

The nature of their business meant that every missed call could be:

• A bar booking was lost to another venue
• A gin class that didn’t get filled
• A wholesale enquiry that never came back

And while voicemail existed, very few callers left one. Sound familiar?

Wildflower’s situation isn’t unique. In fact, according to recent data:

• Between 22% and 62% of calls to Australian small businesses go unanswered.
• 85% of people don’t try again if their call is missed.
• The average small business loses over $126,000 per year from missed calls aloneChaty blog dumper.

For hospitality venues like Wildflower, where weekend bookings are critical and bar seats are limited, every call matters. But without a full-time receptionist, answering everyone simply wasn’t feasible.

Initially, the team at Wildflower was hesitant about using AI to handle such an important and personal part of the business. Could an AI assistant really manage customer conversations with care and competence?

“We were a little nervous at first. But it didn’t take long to train Chaty in the kinds of questions people asked and the results were incredible.”

In just days, Chaty was up and running. The AI receptionist:

• Answered every call day or night
• Answered FAQs about bookings, classes, private events and hours
• Took bookings directly into our Rezdy system
• Captured wholesale leads and instantly notified the team
• Delivered conversation summaries so they could follow up promptly

Once Chaty was in place, something remarkable happened: Wildflower started seeing more bookings, not fewer.

“We were blown away when we saw the numbers. We didn’t just stop missing calls... we grew. We’ve seen a 22% revenue increase since adding Chaty.”

Here’s how:

• Recovered missed calls: The 15% of calls they used to miss are now answered instantly
• Captured after-hours enquiries: Many bar and class bookings now come in during the evening, even when the team is off the clock
• Created freedom for the owner: No more phone anxiety while out or on holidays
• Call insights & summaries: Every call is logged and summarised for easy action

For small business owners, true time off is a luxury. But with Chaty in place, the owner of Wildflower has finally been able to step back without stepping away.

“Now I can actually take a holiday. I don’t need to sleep with my phone anymore. Chaty takes care of things even if I’m on a plane or at the beach.”

And during the week, when the distillery is busy crafting and bottling their award-winning gin, the phone no longer pulls focus. Instead, it becomes a source of opportunity, not interruption.

Wildflower’s success with Chaty came down to a few key factors:

• High-value, time-sensitive calls: Bookings and sales needed real-time handling.
• No full-time admin staff: Like many small businesses, they had to juggle roles.
• Integration with existing systems: Chaty synced seamlessly with Rezdy, with no manual effort.
• Customised voices and hours: The AI had a friendly, branded voice and knew when to speak differently after-hours
• Low cost, high ROI: Chaty paid for itself in just weeks
• Failover safety: If something couldn’t be handled, the call was redirected to a real person

Chaty didn’t replace the team’s personal touch; it simply filled the gaps, reclaimed revenue, and gave the owner their life back.

If your business is missing calls, even just a few a day, you could be losing tens of thousands each year. And if you’re constantly “on call,” Chaty may be the invisible teammate you didn’t know you needed.

With:

• 24/7 call answering (weekends and holidays included)
• Instant booking integration with platforms like Rezdy
• Custom voices, branded greetings, and adjustable call handling rules
• Missed call alerts, call summaries, and customer sentiment insights
• Built-in failover system to ensure no call goes unmanaged

...Chaty ensures you’re never out of touch, even when you’re off the clock.

Wildflower’s verdict? “We’d never go without it now.”

Ready to stop losing business to missed calls?

Try Chaty for yourself:  Free for 14 days. No contracts, no setup fees, no hassle, just better business.

 Start your free trial at chaty.com.au

Whether you're distilling gin, running a café, managing a clinic, or just trying to take a weekend off — Chaty has your back.