How Technology is Disrupting the Restaurant industry

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Technology became a catalyst for change and has revolutionized our way of living. It undeniably transformed our society and disrupted almost all industries. Consumers are now searching for more efficient and convenient options to make their transactions hassle-free and straightforward.

For the past few years, several restaurants have leveraged technology to generate more revenue and improve their operations. Many of them are utilizing digital channels to produce greater sales and attract more customers. Here are some ways how technology is helping these establishments create a great dining experience for their consumers. 

Increased customer retention and engagement

Image source: Builder.ai

Location-based push app notifications enabled restaurant owners to cater to potential and existing clients. Restaurant owners can send notifications to former and new customers within the area using location-based mobile marketing. They can send promotional coupons, incentives, rewards, or discounts to their target audience, promoting client retention. Customers will feel more valued when they receive these personalized offers, increasing the chance of them visiting the restaurant. 

Allowed restaurants to grow their brand

Social media enabled restaurants to widen their network of customers and engage with their loyal patrons. It became a platform for communication between owners and their customers. Most successful restaurants utilize multiple social media platforms to reach out to new customers, interact with their existing ones, and generate interest in their establishment. 

Restaurant owners can also take advantage of the analytics of these platforms to improve their operations. When someone reviews their food, likes their page, scrolls through their menu, and tags their restaurant, these restaurant owners will better understand their customer’s preferences and insights. It allows business owners to reevaluate their methods so that they can enhance their clients’ overall customer dining experience.

Infographic created by Clover Network, a restaurant POS System company

Transformed the marketing strategy of restaurant owners

Digital marketing is helping restaurant owners grow their businesses. It helps them tell their story, sets them apart from their competitors, and entices their audience to experience their restaurant. With the advent of the digital world, restaurant owners can effectively develop a marketing strategy that will increase their clients and drive more sales. Having an online presence also increases the chance of restaurants to drive awareness to their businesses. Aside from utilizing social media, business owners are also developing and enhancing their websites to drive traffic to their restaurants. 

Offered better customer service

It is important that restaurant owners keep a record of their customers’ information. Gone were the days when they needed to manually write down the email addresses and phone numbers of their patrons. With the help of technology, they can now store everything in a database for easy retrieval and management. Aside from their customers’ details, they also need to log the customer complaints, if any, and the appropriate action that they took to address them. In this way, they can improve their customer service based on the complaints and recommendations from their patrons. 

Image source: Builder.ai

Restaurant owners can also keep track of their customers’ usual orders, making it easier for them to offer recommendations and anticipate future orders. Their customers will feel valued when they are treated like regular clients and will definitely increase the chance of them coming back frequently. Moreover, with the information at their disposal, restaurant owners can analyze their customers’ buying behaviour which will allow them to come up with more dishes that can satisfy their needs and preferences. 

Made transactions more efficient and simpler

Before technology came into the picture, customers had to go through the process of ordering by calling the restaurant, and sometimes the experience is not pleasant. Online food ordering became a game-changer as it lessened the miscommunication of orders, reduced wait time and potential errors, and increased staff productivity since they can focus on other tasks instead of answering the phone all day. Since the customer’s information and previous orders are already stored in the system, customers can process their succeeding orders more efficiently.

The use of mobile applications made it easier for restaurants to meet their customers’ demands and needs. Mobile applications became a platform for transactions. It made the process uncomplicated; from ordering, paying, check out, and delivery, technology made it convenient for consumers to order their food without unwanted stress. 

Increased the demand for restaurant technology

Due to the increase in demand for these innovations, several companies are constantly producing products that could improve the quality of operations of these restaurants. Business owners can choose from several innovations such as chatbots for their coffee cafe, order and pay at the table technology, contactless payment solutions, POS system for pizza restaurants, menu display screens, self-order kiosks, touchscreen terminals, thermal printers, and robotics for their kitchens and waiter staff. 

Technology has the power to elevate any business. It is no longer a trend but a growing necessity of every business that must be embraced, nurtured, and sustained.