According to the National Restaurant Association, 43% of consumers have placed a takeout or delivery order online. Though it has only been available for the last several years, and its mobile counterpart being an even more recent development, consumers have been very quick to adopt the use of this technology.
Consumers now turn to digital alternatives wherever possible, and the restaurant industry is no exception. Customers now order online more often than they do in-house, and with how busy everyone is, the popularity of online ordering comes at no surprise.
Here’s why you should consider adding online ordering software for your restaurant:
Increased Revenue
On average, customers spend more when they place orders online than they do in house. There could be a number of external factors that contribute to this. Online ordering allows them more time to browse your menu and removes any shame or judgement they would feel placing large orders in front of others. Often, customers that order for takeout or delivery will order extra just to have leftovers for later.
However, there are many other factors about online ordering that you can use to your advantage to help increase revenue even more. Leverage upselling prompts to let customers know about add-ons and deals that they may want but have missed when they scanned your menu. Plus, you benefit from the added online visibility that it offers.
Valuable Customer Data
By integrating online orderings software for your restaurant into your POS and loyalty solution, you can offer a loyalty rewards program and have customers log in to their account to place orders. This can allow loyalty rewards members to earn points, and can provide valuable customer insight for you.
This insight is very helpful when it comes to marketing and promotional purposes. By understanding more about what your customers like and want to spend money on, you can ensure your promotions are more successful. You can even personalize promotions by looking up customer order history and suggesting items based on their preferences.
Reduced Order Errors
When you integrate online ordering with your POS, you also cut out the middle man. Customers can input orders directly and can double-check orders before they submit. Placing orders over the phone doesn’t seem too difficult, but often items can get missed while employees simultaneously focus on listening to orders that customers give and inputting them into the system. This leaves a lot of room for human error.
With online and mobile ordering, however, any orders go directly to the POS and are then transmitted to the kitchen display, where staff can get started fulfilling them. They can also view priority, modifiers, special instructions, or any other information the customer gives.
Improved Customer Experiences
All of these features and functions don’t just lead to more streamlined operations—they lead to a better customer experience. Customers want the convenience of online ordering, and are much more likely to become loyalty customers if they know you offer what they want. If you reward customers by meeting their demands, they will reward you with loyalty and higher profits.
To make sure you can get the full benefits of online ordering, choose a system with the features and functions that can help you meet customer expectations. A local partner, such as National Business Systems in Washington, can direct you to industry-leading software, like Heartland Restaurant, for your business and help you implement it to fit the needs of your customers and your restaurant.
Contact us to learn more!