Online Food Ordering Solutions That Help Manage Customer Expectations

Customers today want immediate access to everything with the push of a single button, but is this expectation realistic when it comes to online food ordering solutions? Perhaps not, but it’s important for restaurants to keep the user experience in mind at each step of the customer journey. That starts with presenting your digital best when you’re interacting before, during and after their food purchase. Everything from branding to couponing to reducing the number of clicks required to re-order a favorite all go into presenting a pleasing experience to your pickiest customers.

Turning Expectations Into Reality

Mobile ordering was in its infancy only a few years ago but has rapidly come into its own. Many restaurants are finding that 26 percent of their delivery orders are being processed online — and that number is expected to grow rapidly. Speed of delivery is named by 60 percent of consumers as being the primary factor in their decision to make a purchase. If you’re working with an aggregated delivery service, it can be difficult to predict and tightly manage your brand and the customer’s journey. It’s only when you have full transparency into the process that you can identify any barriers and tighten operations.

Updated Processes

Let’s assume that customers have determined that your platform is easy to use, delivery is quick and personal information is being stored safely. Are there still more ways that you can optimize your processes? The robust growth potential for online ordering has competitors salivating, but integrating your POS and internal systems with your online food ordering solution provides you with ample opportunities for process enhancement. Customer data is another key avenue for brand differentiation. When you fully understand the needs of your customers, you’re able to personalize their experience both online and often in your physical location as well. Updating your online ordering platform to offer convenient, predictable interactions allows customers to feel in control of their experience, which is critical to gaining their short-term acceptance and long-term trust.

Beating the Competition

There are a plethora of aggregated online ordering apps such as GrubHub, UberEats, Postmates, Amazon Restaurant Delivery and more. While these options do offer some benefits for the consumer who is not sure what they want to order, a restaurant-specific app wins for the dedicated consumer every time. One of the best ways to keep your consumers coming back is to make it exceptionally easy to place their favorite order. That way, consumers become comfortable with knowing what to expect (high quality food), how the online food ordering process works (just a few clicks, with a saved credit card on file) and when it will be delivered (quickly, with integrated text followups).

The good news is that even while customers are demanding that your online food ordering systems work to their expectations, they are incredibly loyal once they’ve found a solution or brand that meets their needs. The robust potential for growth, along with the deeper relationship you are able to enjoy with your consumer, makes online and mobile food ordering a strong focus for many larger restaurant chains. See how a customized food ordering solution from OrderTalk can help your restaurant stand out from the competition.