5 Points to Ponder Before Going Digital
If you’re looking at entering the digital ordering space, either by launching an app, adding online ordering site or listing your restaurant on a third-party delivery site, take these tips into consideration for a successful launch.
1.Evaluate Online Presence. What is your restaurant’s online presence? Does it have a branding around the domain name? Check out your site’s ranking on Google and make sure your site is optimized for search engines. The site needs to be updated on a regular basis. “Having an online presence is critical to have in place before trying to adopting a digital platform,” stresses MenuDrive, an online and mobile ordering platform for independents and midsize restaurant chains.
2. Reshape Operations. Restaurants need to think how will their internal operations be reshaped. Different pieces be impacted. How does order flow happen when come to store? “The customer expects that convenience. Treat them like the VIPs,” advises MenuDrive. Put in a pickup station or a clearly marked area for digital order pickup.
3 .Order Flow. Evaluate the flow of the order from the customer’s device to in-store pickup. Evaluate the back-of-house operations around it. How will digital orders flow through the system? Even for its single-store clients, MenuDrive tells them to strive for seamless operations where the order goes straight into the POS and prints directly into printer system.
4. Staff Training. To provide a great customer and employee experience, take the time to train your staff. Organize an initial launch training and review the updated order flow. Also it is important to train your customer. Make sure staff and customers alike know about the tools and how to use them.
5. Communications. MenuDrive stresses the importance of communicating and marketing online. “It’s a virtual store. There has to be awareness.” Use guerilla marketing tactics, public relations, and social media channel to publicize the launch and to entice customers to try the digital ordering solution.
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