Posted in Loyalty on April 7, 2016
If you want to get your foodservice operation on the fast track to success, you need to get aboard the tech train. As delivery-tech startups like Doordash, Postmates and Seamless show, technology is serving up enormous changes to the foodservice space.
As more and more restaurants depend on loyalty program apps, mobile payment methods, and social media engagement to grow their business, foodservice operators are coming to grips with the fact that today’s consumers have them under their thumb—or at least under the thumb that turns on their mobile device.
If you haven’t already, you need to invest in tech tools to attract new consumers to your establishment and keep your current customers coming back. The National Restaurant Association reports that a quarter of consumers say a restaurant’s technology outreach is a big factor in which restaurant they visit.1
Consumers are sweet on convenience, which is exactly what mobile apps provide. That’s why Back Yard Burgers is piloting a mobile payment app in its Nashville locations.1 Their CEO, David McDougall, says that the app not only makes payment easier but includes a loyalty program that customers love.1
GO MOBILE OR GO HOME
Mobile ordering and payment systems, like PayPal, Apple Pay and Square, have become commonplace in the quick-service restaurant space. Consumers have become accustomed to instant access, so expectations are high that restaurants will offer mobile convenience and perks just as retailers do. People expect the flexibility to order and pay ahead – which is great for them because it makes their lives easier, but it’s also great for you because it allows you to process more payments faster. Speedy service translates into greater sales.
Now, keep in mind that the transition to a tech-savvy operation can be glitchy. A recent study cited that about two in five consumers said that technology made restaurant visits more complicated—another reason why good old fashioned customer service remains important.
In the end, remember that operations are all about hospitality and the customer experience, so be sure your technology and your traditional brick-and-mortar operation are in sync. A seamless process will serve you (and your customers) well.
How do you use technology in your operation? Tell us below.
1 QSR, “The Mobile Age”, May 2015. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/ordering/mobile-age
