Fixed Point of Sale for Retail Stores
Mobile Point of Sale & Line Busting App
Dashboard and Analytics Mobile App
Free Inventory Management App
Full Service Inventory Management App
Order Management Solution
House Accounts and Invoicing
Premium Suites Catering & Pre Order Management
Centralized Management Platform
Workforce Empowerment App
Hospitality Point of Sale App
E-Commerce Solution Platform
Table Mangement for Restaurants via Mobile or Tablet
Kitchen Display System
Seamless Sales Across All Channels
Elevating Sports & Entertainment Transactions Effortlessly
Streamlining Retail Transactions for Seamless Shopping
Optimizing Transactions for Vibrant Festival Experiences
Transforming Hospitality & Suite Service Management
Smart Inventory Management with RFID
Building Relationships, Rewarding Loyal Customers
Insights-Driven Decisions for Business Growth
Premium seating areas in sports stadiums are becoming more popular than ever, changing how fans experience live events. These exclusive luxury options not only enhance comfort and enjoyment but also play a key role in shaping fan behavior and loyalty. With their elevated level of comfort, fans feel more engaged with the event, making it a standout experience compared to a typical game.
Here, we’ll take a closer look at various premium seating options available in stadiums. We will also discuss some key strategies for improving the experience for these fans. We’ll focus on the importance of innovation, personalization, and top-notch service in creating an indelible atmosphere that resonates with the transcendental sports culture.
The stadium fan experience includes every interaction a fan has with the venue during a sporting event. This premium suite wraps around all elements a fan engages with, beginning with the atmosphere, where the crowd’s energy, cheers, music, and even the aroma of food can transmute an average game into something extraordinary.
Comfortable seating is an absolute necessity. Recent surveys reveal that fans prioritize essential features such as extra legroom, padded seating, lumbar support, spatial arrangements, cushioning, and unobstructed views. There are also options for premium stadium seats equipped with adjustable recliners and charging stations.
For stadiums, hassle-free navigation is critically important and must be supported by easy access to food, beverages, merchandise, restrooms, concessions, and exits, along with expansive concourses and ramps. Improved convenience can mitigate disruptions during the events.
All of these amenities, combined with friendly interactions with staff members and fellow fans via fan zones, contests, digital engagements, and augmented reality experiences, contribute to a better stadium fan experience.
Here are some strategies that can be considered by stadiums to attract and retain fans at sporting events:
Stadiums that offer in-seat ordering have seen a significant increase in the average amount fans spend per order, often by 15-20%. This technology allows fans to conveniently order food, drinks, and merchandise without leaving their seats, which not only reduces wait times but also encourages impulse buys.
By integrating QR code ordering, fans can simply scan a code, view menu options, and place their orders directly from their mobile devices. This convenience enhances the fan experience and boosts revenue for venues by facilitating personalized add-ons and upsell options, which have been proven to increase food and beverage sales by an additional 10-15%.
Pre-order management systems streamline operations in premium seating areas by allowing fans to place orders before the event begins. Implementing such systems has been reported to reduce staffing costs by up to 20%, as fewer staff are needed to handle orders during peak periods.
This system also enables stadium kitchens to operate more efficiently by preparing orders in advance and ensuring timely delivery. Such enhancements not only allow venues to focus on delivering a superior fan experience but also simplify backend operations, as noted by several stadiums that observed a 25% increase in operational efficiency after adoption.
Personalization is crucial for making premium seating stand out. Platforms now allow venues to customize pre-order options, assign servers to specific suites, and adjust menus based on the event type, whether it’s a concert or a major sports game.
This customization ensures that premium guests receive a unique experience tailored to the occasion, leading to higher engagement and repeat visits. Venues that have utilized event-specific customization report a significant increase in guest satisfaction and loyalty metrics.
Across the industry, venues employing personalized services for their premium offerings witness higher fan satisfaction and increased loyalty. By leveraging data-driven insights, these venues can tailor services like menu items and promotional offers based on individual fan preferences.
Sending tailored offers based on past purchases or recommending items based on likely preferences enhances the connection between fans and the venue.
Offering in-seat merchandise ordering allows fans to effortlessly order exclusive team gear or limited-edition merchandise from their seats. This method makes the purchasing process convenient and attractive. In-suite delivery ensures that fans can continue enjoying the event while receiving their purchases promptly, promoting impulse buying.
Modern suite management systems empower attendants to manage orders, track open tabs, and finalize transactions directly from their mobile devices, thereby facilitating fast and personalized service. Integrating pre-orders with game-day orders in a single system improves operational efficiency and delivers an unparalleled experience for premium seating guests.
In-seat QR code ordering has proven effective in improving fan engagement and operational efficiency. Fans can scan a QR code to order without missing any action, enhancing their event experience significantly.
Beyond improving the fan experience, this technology reduces staffing requirements and streamlines operations, which has been particularly beneficial during peak event times, as observed in multiple stadiums with a documented increase in both sales and fan engagement metrics.
Equip suite management systems with advanced analytics capabilities to generate real-time reports on sales patterns, inventory levels, staff performance, and customer preferences. This data can guide business decisions, help optimize pricing strategies, and customize marketing campaigns, ultimately leading to better business outcomes.
Incorporate eco-friendly options within the suite and premium seating options such as biodegradable packaging and locally sourced food products. Promoting sustainability can not only appeal to environmentally conscious fans but also reduce waste and potentially lower operational costs.
Ensure that the ordering and delivery systems are accessible to fans with disabilities. Features like voice-activated ordering, high-contrast menus on digital devices, and wheelchair-accessible delivery options can make the service inclusive, enhancing the reputation of the venue and complying with legal accessibility requirements.
Integrate interactive elements within the app or QR code systems, such as live polls, trivia games related to the event, or opportunities to win merchandise or food upgrades. This can enhance fan engagement, making their experience more memorable and increasing their likelihood of spending more.
Include options for immediate feedback on food and service directly through the ordering platform. This enables real-time service recovery if needed and helps in maintaining high service standards. Positive reviews can be showcased to increase the credibility and attractiveness of premium seating options.
Leverage the digital platforms used for in-seat ordering to display advertisements or promotions from sponsors, creating an additional revenue stream. Tailored offers or exclusive content from sponsors can also enhance the fan experience while providing value to partners.
In the wake of health concerns, such as those highlighted by the pandemic, include features that promote safety like contactless payment and delivery, indicators of sanitized areas, or even health tips related to the event (e.g., hydration reminders during hot weather).
Using these strategies, organizations can significantly improve fan experiences, resulting in increased loyalty and future attendance.
The evolution of stadium fan experience has undergone a sea change, shifting towards a more refined, personalized service. This is particularly evident in the rise of premium suites at venues, which has raised the bar for fans’ expectations when it comes to bespoke services. No longer just a seat in the crowd, attending live events has become an immersive experience that truly caters to individual preferences.
In response to these emerging trends, SuiteSpot, an all-in-one premium seating app developed by retailcloud, an innovative omnichannel e-commerce platform, plays a key role in enhancing this experience. This comprehensive premium seating application is designed to enhance suite members’ experiences across various events, perfectly capturing the growing demand for luxury and convenience in sports management. With SuiteSpot, fans can enjoy the finer things in life while savoring every moment of the action.
SuiteSpot improves the premium suite experience in several ways:
Instead, fans can quickly purchase desired items, which are delivered right to their suite. This keeps them fully immersed in the event’s excitement without missing a beat. The sales inventory order management software from retailcloud ensures efficient fulfillment, directing orders to the appropriate store or warehouse, which streamlines the entire purchasing process.
Whether addressing concerns regarding available spaces, package offerings, or real-time availability, the app improves the fan experience and supports streamlined operations for venues of all sizes, making it an invaluable tool for effective management.
Integrating venue POS into operations enables venues to provide exceptional service that consistently meets and surpasses the expectations of discerning guests, thereby enhancing their competitive advantage in a saturated market.
SuiteSpot enables venues to deliver exceptional service that exceeds the expectations of today’s premium guests, ensuring that attendance at an event in a luxury suite is both memorable and enjoyable. This service includes convenient merchandise delivery, exceptional food, and beverages.
SuiteSpot is a user-friendly application built for suite management. Whether in stadiums or concert venues, this easy-to-use and user-friendly premium seating and suite management app offers a stress-free experience for both the owners and guests. The efficient pre-ordering system enables guests to submit and oversee orders prior to events effortlessly.
Understanding user preferences based on data analytics and perhaps previous orders, the app customizes services and hence increases guest satisfaction. SuiteSpot also provides real-time order tracking and seamless communication between suite attendants and the back office, resulting in increased efficiency and faster service.
Through automated order management, SuiteSpot reduces manual tasks and operational costs while ensuring quick service. It offers tailored guest interactions, simple ordering through user-friendly interfaces, and secure payment options for a seamless experience.
Likewise, SuiteSpot enhances suite operations with personalized menus, detailed reports, and simple integration with other apps, ensuring smooth transactions and valuable insights for every event.
Premium seating areas in sports stadiums play a key role in shaping fan behavior and loyalty, enhancing the game-day experience. This change is driven by improved comfort, social interaction, exclusive amenities, technology integration, and the building of long-term relationships.
As sports venues respond to evolving fan expectations, it’s highly important to understand these louds and softs to create engaging environments that attract a diverse audience. Investing in premium seating and using tools like SuiteSpots from retailcloud enables fans to connect with live events, appealing to both traditional fans and newer generations looking for unique social experiences. Stadiums can use real-time inventory tracking systems like nGauge and customer relationship management (CRM) systems to increase loyalty while increasing revenue.
The future of sports entertainment lies in creating inclusive environments where every fan feels valued and connected to the game. For more information on premium seating and how retail POS software suites and services from retailcloud can influence fan behavior, contact us today.
The new rules in Major League Baseball aimed at shortening average game times can have several impacts on merchandising and concession sales at stadiums: MLB revealed the pitch clocks have shaved an average of 26 minutes a game to 2 hours and 36 minutes. The following are some of the ways that game day sales have been impacted.
Reduced sales volume: With shorter game times, fans will spend less time in the stadium, which could lead to fewer opportunities for them to purchase merchandise and concessions. This may result in a decrease in overall sales volume.
Shift in spending patterns: As fans adapt to the new game duration, they may alter their spending habits. For example, they might make quicker purchases before the game or during breaks, rather than casually browsing and buying items throughout the game. This could lead to increased sales in specific periods, such as pre-game or between innings.
Focus on efficiency: With a shift in buying habits, stadium operators can increase the efficiency of their merchandising and concession operations with sports and entertainment POS systems. This could include streamlining product offerings or offering item of the day promotions, optimizing staffing, and adopting technology to speed up transactions.
Changes in pricing: Stadiums may adjust their pricing strategies to compensate for the potential decrease in sales volume. This could involve offering discounts or promotions to encourage fans to spend more in a shorter time frame, or even increasing prices to maintain revenue levels.
Increased emphasis on fan experience: To keep fans engaged and spending during shorter games, stadiums may invest more in enhancing the overall fan experience with premium suites in seating. This could include offering unique or limited-edition merchandise, creating innovative food and beverage options, or providing interactive experiences that encourage fans to visit concession stands and merchandise outlets.
Off-stadium sales: Teams and stadiums might also increase their focus on online and off-stadium sales channels to offset potential losses from decreased in-stadium sales. This could involve improving their online stores, offering exclusive online deals, or partnering with local retailers for co-branded merchandise.
Ultimately, the impact of the new rules on merchandising and concession sales at a stadium will depend on how well teams and stadium operators adapt to the changes and implement strategies to maintain or increase sales in the new environment. Improving the fan experience with improved checkout efficiency, allowing fans to return to their seats will be paramount.
To speed up transaction times in merchandising at stadiums and improve the overall fan experience, there are several technologies that can be adopted:
RFID technology: Integrating RFID tags into merchandise and using RFID scanners at the point of sale can expedite the checkout process by instantly updating inventory and allowing for quicker transactions.
Mobile ordering apps: Fans can use their smartphones to pre-order and pay for merchandise, allowing them to skip lines and simply pick up their items at designated locations or have them delivered to their seats.
Self-service kiosks: Equipped with touchscreens and payment processing systems, these kiosks enable fans to quickly place orders and pay for merchandise without waiting in line at traditional counters.
Automated inventory management: Smart inventory systems can help ensure merchandise is always in stock and readily available, reducing wait times for items to be retrieved from storage.
In-seat merchandise: Installing small vending machines or merchandise storage lockers near seating areas can allow fans to quickly purchase items without leaving their seats.
Digital wallets: By creating a digital wallet or a stadium-specific currency, fans can preload money onto their accounts for faster transactions at merchandise stands.
Queue management: Implementing queue management systems, like virtual queuing or line-monitoring apps, can help distribute customers evenly among available service points and reduce wait times. Giving fas access to approximate wait times at different stands can also help them plan their purchasing trips
Augmented reality (AR) shopping: AR can allow fans to virtually try on merchandise and make purchases from their seats, eliminating the need to visit a physical store or stand.
By adopting these technologies, stadiums can create a more efficient merchandising experience for fans, allowing them to spend less time waiting in line and more time enjoying the event.
Determining the Item of the day sales can be complicated, ideally they should create an urgency for fans to buy a specific item without cannibalizing existing sales, you can follow a systematic approach that leverages data and considers various factors. Here’s an algorithm to help you identify the “Item of the Day” for each game:
Collect data: Gather historical sales data for all items in your inventory. Ideally, you should have data for the past few seasons to better understand sales trends and customer preferences. Also, take note of any special events or promotions that might have influenced sales.
Determine item popularity: Calculate the average sales per game for each item. Rank them according to their popularity. This will help you identify the items that are selling well and those that need a boost.
Identify slow-moving items: From the ranked list, identify items that have a low sales volume per game and could benefit from being the “Item of the Day.”
Factor in seasonality and trends: Consider the time of the year, special events, or other trends that might affect item popularity. For example, if your team has a rivalry game coming up, you might want to promote items related to that rivalry.
Create a non-repeating schedule: Once you have identified a pool of items that can be featured as the “Item of the Day,” create a schedule for the 81 home games that ensures no item is repeated.
Set a discount strategy: Determine the discount percentage or pricing strategy for each “Item of the Day.” You might want to offer a higher discount for slow-moving items or lower discounts for more popular items to avoid cannibalizing sales.
Monitor and adjust: Track the sales performance of the “Item of the Day” and compare it with historical sales data. If you notice any negative impact on overall sales, adjust your strategy accordingly.
“If there was ever a time for brands and businesses to integrate services across numerous digital platforms (touchpoints) to better satisfy customers’ constantly-changing wants and demands, it is now.”
The Head (frontend)
When a client opens an app or a web runner, engages with an audio voice adjunct, an AR or VR operation, a chatbot, or indeed a game, he’s interacting with the head aka the UI ( stoner interface). The specific system of commerce is inapplicable, as what matters for businesses and brands are the platform guests use to interact with your service and the need for a head in each platform out there.
The Body (backend)
Computing needs to be done in the background along with, data analysis, and data arrangements and, principally, that’s what the body does. As the functional subcaste of the digital service being rendered, it manages the data ( storehouse and processing). Guests don’t get to interact with the body, because it stays inaccessible
The Neck (API)
The Neck (API, application programming interface) serves as the link between what the client sees and interacts with and the data the business or brand gets and organizes in the backend. In other words, the neck is the multi-platform processor acclimatized to help process data between the frontend and backend quickly.
Similar to how slow service often results in poor restaurant reviews and fewer future customers when a customer sits down to eat at a restaurant, slow site speed can lead to poor search engine rankings, lower overall site traffic, and negative user experiences.
Site Load Speed Matters!!
Here is a look at how site speed affects conversion rates;
According to a study conducted by Google/Deloitte; Improving your load time by 0.1s, boosts conversion rates by 8%
Another survey by bytes.co clearly says 56% of customers abandon websites that take more than 3 seconds to load
&
20% users will never return to a website after a bad load time experience
Yet one more hammer on the nail was when amazon came up with a stunning piece of statistic that said A slow down of just 1 second of amazon.com would cost $1.6 billion in sales each year
First and foremost, a headless content management system will assist you in getting your content to where it needs to go. For an eCommerce business, this means delivering your products, product videos, and blog posts to any new or emerging channel.
Prepare to sell through Alexa Skills, digital signage, progressive web apps, and even touchscreens in our vehicles!
The best part is that you don’t have to re-architect your platform to publish across channels if you use a natively headless commerce platform like Core dna. It’s all part of the same comprehensive, future-proof package.
Every few weeks, major commerce brands that use a traditional platform release an update. In comparison to Amazon, which deploys updates every 11.7 seconds on average, they reduce both the number and duration of outages.
You can deploy rapid updates without affecting your back-end system with a headless commerce platform. And you can easily adapt your front-end to keep up with the rapid pace of consumer technology.
When a front-end system is loosely coupled with the back-end, you don’t have to update the entire system; only a portion of it needs to be updated. As a result, you’ll be able to deliver what your customers want faster while still remaining competitive.
You can experiment with different templates and approaches once you have a headless commerce system in place. For example, while running the same front-end search, you could try out a different back-end search solution.
As a result, headless commerce enables you to run continuous tests and optimization cycles, allowing you to gain a better understanding of your customers while learning at a faster rate than most retailers.
To sum up, headless commerce is the way of the future, and getting on board is the best option for brands and businesses.
Although retailers are increasingly using the digital channel to reach consumers, they’re not closing their physical stores—which is where an integrated solution comes in. New technology makes it possible to shift digital and physical inventory seamlessly and deliver a seamless buying experience to shoppers.
What’s more, an integrated solution can help you streamline your back- and front-of-house operations. An omnichannel sales system will help you expand your market reach and keep items moving through your distribution channels. Some business owners and marketing managers are daunted by the prospects of trying to reach out to customers using multiple channels and media, but an omni-literate strategy can change all that.
Many online shoppers would rather have products delivered than picked up locally, but only a small percentage of eCommerce retailers offer same-day delivery and most retailers are missing out on the opportunity to deliver quickly.
Most of us are busy and don’t have time to run all over town, so we’re getting more and more of our stuff delivered right to our doorsteps. But if you want to gain the highest possible number of loyal customers, you need to offer flexible pickup and delivery options so that you are able to cater to more customers!
Retailers have a big challenge ahead as a lack of workers could make it harder to keep up with increased demand. To make sure they can handle more customers, many retailers are turning to technology to do some menial tasks as they try to find ways to reduce their cost.
Three areas where retailers say they will most benefit from automated technology are: streamlining the way they manage orders, running customer loyalty programs, and communicating with customers. Retailers who want to hire more employees should consider investing in software that helps automate these tasks.
If you’re a retailer, it’s important to make a good impression on your customers by providing an excellent selection of products in your store and creating opportunities for shoppers to connect with you online.
Today, the number of shoppers who shop online are in a steady incline so establishing an online presence and maintaining a local presence is key. E-commerce is a powerful tool for retailers, who can benefit from the reach and convenience that Internet sales provide.
As social media becomes the primary place for consumers to shop, retailers are increasingly selling through channels such as Instagram and Pinterest. Retailers are bringing together multiple sales channels to stay competitive in today’s evolving retail landscape.
Social shopping trends show no signs of slowing down, Facebook and Instagram continue to be the most lucrative platforms for retailers to sell on. As consumers continue to connect with brands and retailers on their favorite social media platforms, more retailers are turning to those platforms in order to drive inevitable increases in sales.
retailcloud is pioneering omnichannel order management solutions that provides businesses of all sizes access to tablet, windows and phone solutions with API integration to ERP and ecommerce systems. retailcloud provides retailers a way to increase sales, better manage inventory, collect valuable data on the shopping habits of their customers and much more. The system is scalable and grows with your business. Interested in knowing more about retailcloud’s solutions? You may contact us directly at sales@retailcloud.com
Each year, over $1 trillion worth of goods and services are shipped by businesses across the globe with help of different order fulfillment technologies and strategies.
But not all companies can afford to hire a call center or follow up on every order manually. This problem is especially severe for growing e-commerce companies and smaller brick-and-mortar stores. As a result, many owners turn to humans who work at home as virtual assistants (VA). These operatives answer customer calls or handle orders that come into their inboxes via email or automated voice system; however, there’s one simple step they often neglect: little things like storing the information about each order in your database.
Instead of sticking to these traditional methods of order fulfillment, retail stores should consider the latest and improved solutions. The use of affordable online ordering solutions and many other advanced solutions can make the whole process a lot more efficient and easier. Here are a few steps that retail stores should implement for easier online order fulfillment:
There is one thing that most modern order fulfillment systems have in common: better and faster communication with customers. With these solutions, each retailer can build its own website and integrate it with the most popular online shopping carts and inventory management systems. They can even make it open for mobile devices, thus making the whole process of order fulfillment easier and more pleasant for the customers.
Many online retail companies still stick to traditional ways of showing off their products to customers by posting them on a website or sending brochures in mailboxes. They do not realize that every new customer is an opportunity to expand your business and generate more sales. Instead of wasting time and effort on paper, coupons, and other marketing materials, online retailers should integrate a fully automated voice system in their ordering software.
Customers love being informed about their order’s progress, but many retail stores have not yet adopted this idea. Instead of using a traditional desktop solution that sends an email to the customer when an order is placed, online shops can choose automatic notification systems that send text messages or show notifications on mobile devices within seconds after a customer enters their credit card details or selects a delivery method. The convenience provided by this technology makes users feel less rushed and generate more sales for companies.
By making these simple changes online retailers can increase their sales and cut down their costs. There is a lot to discover about improving the eCommerce order fulfilling process. It’s time for the retail store managers to adopt the new trends and strategies that can boost the business. Apart from these steps, don’t forget the shipping fees because 61% of the online shoppers abandon the shopping carts due to higher shipment charges and delivery fees.
With different types of products and customers from different places there is no one-size fit for all orders. Getting these details right is important to have options for customers. Providing various fulfillment options is one of the most important steps. While eCommerce and Online ordering have traditionally operated on shipping only, there are various options that are available today. Customers can use Curbside Pickup, Instore Pickup or even have your own crew do the local delivery. This can sometimes save a significant amount of cost when you can control these
offering various shipping options are very important as well. It is a well known fact that customers prefer to have free shipping options. While it may not be cost effective to provide free shipping options for every single order, custom shipping rules come handy in those situations. Free Shipping based on a certain threshold, Custom Shipping Rules based on Weight and specific products are very commonly used approaches which balances business and customer satisfaction. Local businesses should be able to set up a nominal fee for local delivery along options for Delivery zones and rules.
When an order is placed it is utmost important to take care of it or keep the customer appraised of the progress. When a customer shops in store they already have the products on hand and customers are anxious to get what they bought as soon as possible. Delivery Windows , lead fulfillment times can help to set these expectations realistically as much as possible. Email Alerts or notifications will also improve when the orders are getting shipped or being processed.
It is very important to have the order processing streamlined as business. Right from Accepting orders, Keeping track of inventory all the way to fulfillment and delivery are key steps in streamlining order processing. Usage of proper tools at each stage is important for this.
A system which can track all the inventory when an order is placed or processed is important. Most of the small and medium sized businesses use one of their locations with a shared inventory pool for the fulfillment.
Solutions such as the Orderup app which allow you to manage the fulfillment lifecycle is very important where you can see all your orders, notified and processed even without having a Point of Sale or Browser. OrderUp can print delivery receipts and even send notifications to customers as you manage your order.
When you offer curbside delivery options it is also important to have available tools handy to support those customers. Orderup offers accepting payment using handheld devices and helps to perform contactless checkout and print/email receipt. Ability to fulfill orders, accept payments and
last but not least automating using available tools is important to ensure that orders are processed smoothly and efficiently. Whether it is automatically printing your picklist of orders on your printers or automatically creating shipping labels using shipstation, it is very important to understand and automate wherever possible.
Checkout retailcloud’s Order Fulfillment Solution app – Click Here!
Checkout retailcloud’s eCommerce Solution – Click Here!
1. Wait ! Are you really not online yet
In the post pandemic world, it’s rare to have a business model that does not include online sales. Here are some easy steps to get your restaurant taking online orders, fast!
With other restaurants in your area taking online orders, allowing their customers to easily browse their menus and place their orders, now is the time to add this sales avenue. Most online ordering solutions provide customers with a history of their orders, as well as allow them to place orders using facebook or instagram stores. The following are important areas to think about to ensure that your online store runs efficiently for you, your staff, and customers.
2. Keep your menu simple & expressive
Complex online menus can be confusing and frustrating for customers to navigate, especially those with complex modifier and sub modifier options. A limited selection of items, a couple of 3 course meal choices and a family pack that represent your top selling items is a great approach.
Pictures, pictures and pictures; look at pictures that your customers have posted on Yelp or Instagram and use them (with appropriate permission, if needed) – pictures are a great way to give your customer an idea of what to expect.
Include relevant details regarding ingredients, allergies and any other information that will help customers make informed decisions.
3. Set expectations
Make sure your online system allows you to manage your pick up times, delivery areas, delivery and service fees. With different types of products and customers from different places there is no one size fit for all orders. Getting these details right is important to setting reasonable expectations for customers and making it manageable for you.
Here are a few recommendations:
a) Providing various fulfillment options is one of the most important steps. While eCommerce and Online ordering have traditionally operated on shipping only, that has all changed in 2020. Most effective options may be Curbside Pickup, Instore Pickup or even have your own crew do the local delivery. This adds options that work well in today’s environment.
b) Defining various shipping rules are very important, as well. It is a known fact that customers prefer to have free shipping options. While it may not be cost effective to provide free shipping for every single order, custom shipping rules come in handy in those situations. Free Shipping based on a certain threshold, Custom Shipping Rules based on Weight and specific products are very commonly used to balance business and customer satisfaction. Local businesses should be able to set up a nominal fee for local delivery based on delivery zones and rules.
c) When an order is placed it is important to keep the customer appraised of the progress. When a customer shops in store they already have the products in hand and customers are anxious to get what they bought as soon as possible. Disclosing delivery windows and lead fulfillment times can help to set these expectations realistically. Email Alerts or notification also improve the communication regarding the order.
4. Engage your customer
Many email marketing solutions have social media engagement tools including those that allow your customers and potential customers to get to know you across all channels. Have cross promotions between your website and your social channels, tied in with a targeted ad campaign to always stay in front of your customers. They love your brand, they want to support you during the downturn – give them opportunities to do that by purchasing from you.
5. Open a gift shop
Convert your restaurant space into a gift shop – sell wines from your wine list at a discounted price – package food in serving dishes like Staub, for an upscale heat and serve option – maybe a take out meal combined with fun reusable products like those from Aplat. Offer meal subscription plans so your customers never have to worry about what to cook up for Wednesday night dinner, they just swing by and pick it up every week. Other interesting products like Repour or glasses for wine drinkers, or kitchen tools from GIR for the in home chef. Fun ways to add revenue and add excitement for your customers.
6. Streamline Order Processing
With orders coming in online, via the phone and walkin orders, it is important to streamline the business. From the time you accept the order, keep track of inventory all the way to fulfillment and delivery are key steps in streamlining order processing. Having the proper tools at each stage is important.
a) A system which can track the inventory from the time an order is placed or processed is important. Most small and medium size businesses use one of their locations with a shared inventory pool for the fulfillment.
b) Solutions such as Orderup app allow you to manage the fulfillment lifecycle, to see all your orders, notify customers of the status and process even without investing in a Point of Sale or using a browser. Orderup can print delivery receipts and even send notifications to customers as you manage your order.
c) When you offer curbside delivery options, tools should be automated to support the option of payment at pickup. Orderup offers payment acceptance using handheld devices with contactless checkout and print or email receipt
d) Last, but not least, look at automating using available tools to ensure that orders are processed smoothly and efficiently. Whether it is automatically printing your picklist of orders on your kitchen printer or automatically creating shipping labels and using shipstation, it is important to understand where efficiencies can be improved and automate wherever possible.
Steps taken now, will help your restaurant success during these challenging times and prosper in the future, as customers will demand these new approaches to ordering and restaurant services beyond the near term situation. Embrace the changes in customer expectations to improve and success for years to come.
Checkout retailcloud’s Online Ordering System for Restaurants – Click Here!
Checkout retailcloud’s Fulfillment Solution app – Click Here!
It’s time to refocus your online ordering efforts – back in March when you first rolled it out it was a stop gap measure for a few months and then outdoor dining happened and things settled back to normal – the hurdles you experienced when you set up your online store were minimized as customers returned to your restaurant and enjoyed all the benefits of outdoor dining.
Now as many states are calling for shutdowns and prohibiting outdoor dining or where the weather is just not conducive to it – it’s time to get back to online ordering and curbside delivery. Except now, you need to be more exact about how you do it – your customers continue to be loyal and supportive, but they are expecting a more efficient process from you. So how do you do that?
You need a multi-tiered strategy that allows you to draw customers using third party delivery apps but then convert them to your no commission ordering system. There are three challenges in developing your online ordering system
a) How do you draw customers?
b) How to manage orders and deliveries?
c) How do you engage customers on reorders and other promotions?
Third party providers eat up a significant part of your revenue in fees, although they do cast a wide net for you in terms of reaching customers. It’s not unusual to see fees of 20-25% from these services, and while it may make sense to pay that for delivering the customer the first time, it’s not feasible for operators to continue to pay that high a percentage all the time.
Operators must incorporate their own online technologies that will allow them to move customers from these third parties to “direct” orders thus eliminating these fees. These online systems are flat fee with no commissions, no server and hosting fees which means more money in your pocket as an operator; which is key in today’s environment. These online ordering sites can be up and running in less than 24-48 hours in most cases and have nominal startup fees, if any.
Having your own online site allows you to manage the offers, the brand experience and ultimately control your costs and margin; and while third party sites perform an important role in driving new customers; your online ordering system will provide you with key data on your customers allowing you to manage the relationship moving forward. So use a third party system; but then move that customer to your online ordering system.
The next area to focus on is order processing. Your online system should allow you to centrally manage your orders and update customers as the order gets processed and ready for pickup; keeping customers notified in real time greatly improves your customers experience and creates a very favorable impression of your brand. Updates create transparency in the whole ordering process and removes the mystery of will my order be ready, how long do I have to wait to pick it up etc. Having a way of clearly labeling and organizing the orders at the point of pickup with marketing and promotional information (such as a napkin or tag with a coupon code on your OLO site) also allows you to start the migration from a third party delivery service to your online ordering. Another way of doing this is by raising your prices on third party sites, but including a discounted price on your direct site; many restaurants find this the single most successful tool in encouraging customers to use their direct sites.
Lastly, use your POS or Online Ordering CRM to start building your customer data; create facebook and Instagram links to your OLO page for multi channel reach; promote your online ordering page in your restaurant, on your web page and through email campaigns, offer a loyalty program that’s tied into your online site that’s tied into experiences and services, rather than just free product; it’s clear that customers want to support local restaurants and are open to engaging with them as brands – you can’t do that if you are not willing to protect your brand and the relationship with your customers.Checkout retailcloud’s Online Ordering System for Restaurants – Click Here!
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