Restaurants can shift to deliveries seamlessly by following these simple steps!
Consumer patterns have changed in recent months, even more now with the Covid-19 pandemic and many businesses are pivoting to delivery to sustain employment for their team as well as to ensure that their customers’ supplies are met. Restaurants should now put more emphasis on delivery as food is part of the essential services that have not been put on hold. Governments from different parts of the world have come up with measures that are aimed at reducing the spread of the virus. As a result most restaurants have been urged to serve their customers using take away & delivery services.
Here’s how to seamlessly make the shift to delivery.
Now is the time to leverage on all your communication channels so as to pass the message to your customers. You can use emails, social media or even your website to assure your customers that you have adhered to all the health and safety measures and amongst the list of your priorities is continuing to serve them with a delivery option.
As soon as you have made the public announcement it is important to create personalized messages that you will send to your existing customer base. Get a list of your frequent customers as well as their contacts so that you can speak to them through sms or making phone calls. Customers will develop a sense of belonging when they see that you actually remember and care about them. This will make it easier for you to build your customer loyalty and increase your sales through referrals.
It is important to provide a smooth payments process for your customers when they are ordering online. Ensure that you offer them flexibility of choice when it comes to making payments. At Pesapal we offer restaurants an order management system that connects to Micros which is the most popular POS to make it easier for your restaurant to run day to day operations. Through this system your customers will be able to pay you using Visa, Mastercard, American Express and mobile money. That way you never miss a sale due to lack of varied options.
When you are outsourcing, research about a reliable delivery company that will maintain the highest level of professionalism and good customer service. Inform your customers about the different areas where you deliver, the working hours if they are limited, and how much waiting time is estimated for each order and delivery. Keeping your customers in the know will help you avoid confusion and minimize customer dissatisfaction.
Decide whether you want to charge a distance fee or per-delivery fee. Free delivery could be enticing to your customers however it might not be financially practical depending on the extent of your delivery and how many more staff you will need to employ. You can have a discounted or free delivery package for certain meals or for customers who spend a certain amount of money per order. To encourage repeat customers you can offer daily discounts and promotions.
Train all your delivery staff about how to handle food while on transit. It is critical to ensure that the food arrives at its destination while it is still in perfect condition. It should be mandatory for your staff to adhere to all the guidelines provided by the government when it comes to preventing the spread of Covid-19. Provide all the protective gear such as masks and hand sanitizers for your staff when they are preparing and delivering the meals. In line with this let your customers know if you process digital payments so as to speed up the transactions and to keep all parties safe by reducing the in-person contacts.
Make it easy for your customers to reach you in case they have an inquiry about their order. As soon as a customer has made their order online, provide a tracking number that they can use to follow through their order. Having a dedicated customer support team will make your customers develop trust in you and to also feel comfortable anytime they are making an order. Constantly communicate to your customers the available communication lines so that it is easier for them to reach you. As soon as a customer places an order follow up with them to let them know that their order was received and inform them of all the delivery logistics.
Grow Revenue At Your Restaurant By Enabling Your Customers to Order Their Food Online!
Click Here To Get Started!
