Tips to Keep Restaurants Profitable Through Contactless Service
By: Dennis Saldana, CIC, Director of Underwriting, Society Insurance
This past year, many restaurants and bars pivoted toward a contactless delivery and carry-out business model. Those that were able to maintain customer satisfaction are experiencing the most success. Follow these four tips to enhance the food pick-up and delivery experience and improve customer satisfaction in your restaurant.
Ensure a Seamless Customer Journey
“Customer journey” is an all-encompassing term that describes a customer’s experience from the second they lay eyes on a brand until they have made a purchase. The goal of any business is to make that journey quick and convenient. Some easy ways to do this are:
- Including downloadable menus on all social channels and website homepage
- Having clear, concise calls to action on the website for ordering/pick-up
- Updating business hours/delivery info on Google My Business profile
- Having pick-up and delivery protocols displayed prominently on digital channels
- Utilizing third-party delivery apps (though, it may not be right for every business)
While most restaurants have traditionally relied on local foot traffic, people now prefer to do everything online—from browsing the menu, to ordering and paying. Contactless delivery to minimize the amount of time spent in the restaurant is trending, so having the infrastructure to support this is crucial.
Inform customers of Food Prep and Order Tracking
A recent survey from Rakuten Ready found that two of the most important factors for customers when placing online orders are knowing when the order is ready and having clear details on how to pick up the order. The reason behind this is simple: keeping the customer engaged and in the know about their order increases transparency, and therefore, trustworthiness.
Maintain Customer Engagement Through Transparency
There are ways to build trust with customers other than order tracking. Restaurants can rethink and prioritize marketing efforts to concentrate on aspects of pick-up and delivery orders by answering these questions:
- Are we providing details on pick-up and delivery protocol on the website and Google My Business profile?
- Do we provide accessible, up-to-date employee health policies?
- Are we leveraging social media accounts to provide timely updates regarding in-store policies?
It is important to put potential customers at ease, particularly during these uncertain times. People want peace of mind knowing that restaurants are taking their health concerns seriously. Open, honest and frequent updates will win customers more often than not.
Remain Contactless
Many restaurants have been adopting contactless delivery and pick-up methods. With delivery, the driver simply leaves the food at the doorstep and either calls, texts or sends picture confirmation that the food has arrived. Some restaurants may think that contactless pick-up is more challenging. Although it may be a new procedure, it is not more difficult. By implementing curbside pick-up, designated outdoor pick-up areas or other socially distant methods of food pick-up/delivery, restaurants signal to the customer that they are dedicated to making the dining process as easy as possible.
Dennis Saldana is the Director of Underwriting at Society Insurance. The Wisconsin-based insurance carrier plans to launch insurance programs for restaurants and bars in Georgia in 2021. Society is recognized throughout the industry as a leader in providing superior restaurant and bar insurance coverage custom-tailored to fit the unique needs of each operation.
