Implementing a digital ordering platform system for your restaurant is a smart way to bring in new customers and increase revenue. It lets you introduce yourself to consumers that otherwise may have never heard of you. But there are a few things that you must do to make it work for you.

The Importance of Customer Confidence

Consumers are careful about who they do business with online. They are leery about who they share their personal information with and are even more hesitant to give their credit card information to an unknown site. Unless they trust the company they are doing business with, they will walk away.

One obvious turnoff for customers is when they are sent from your website to an unfamiliar page to place their order.  In this case, often they will leave the site quickly because they are leery about the security and its legitimacy. If your digital ordering platform is professional looking and the concept clear throughout all of your marketing channels, the customer will have more trust in you. Consequently, they will feel comfortable enough to place an order with you.

Your look and brand concept should be easily recognized no matter where they are in the ordering process. And you must pay close attention to detail. Consumers can recognize even the slightest difference in hues, headers, footers, and fonts.

Make Transactions Fast and Easy

The ease and simplicity of transactions is just as important to consumers. You must make the process user-friendly and as fast as possible. Things won’t always go your way. A customer may change their mind after looking at the menu or they might order something at a different time. Nonetheless, you’ll want to make their experience a positive one. This means everything on your digital ordering platform should work properly and make sense. If it doesn’t, you might lose the customer. Additionally, you should be able to store information so that repeat customers can easily reorder a favorite dish and not have to put in their address each time they visit.

The Menu and Custom Orders

To make a digital ordering platform system work for your restaurant, the menu items must be clear yet descriptive. Along with describing menu items, pricing should be direct. Additionally, your customers must be able to customize items on your menu such as being able to add or delete a standard item. This should be as easy to do as it would if they were placing an order in person. If it appears to be complicated, the customer might leave the site feeling discouraged.

Pizzerias are a good example of the need to create a system for custom orders. Many customers want to order a pizza with an item on only half of the pizza. Taking this type of order can be a problem with some digital ordering platform systems. This is only one example of the importance of being able to accommodate special requests.

Finally, to increase revenue, the customer should be presented an upsell item. For example, before checking out, they should be offered another item for purchase such as a side salad, wings, cookies, or a 2 liter of pop to complete their meal. The suggestions could be made at the time an order is placed or at checkout. Either way, it presents you with an opportunity to make more money while also satisfying the customer.

Discounts, Promotions and More

Each restaurant brand works differently with discounts and promotions. But when a customer places an online order, they will want to take advantage of any promotions or bundles that you offer to your in person customers. That said, your online menu should offer these same deals. The way discounts and promotions are offered should be consistent with other advertising. Once again, the entire look and concept should reflect your brand.

Food delivery has made online ordering a necessity for restaurants in today's market. When planning your marketing strategy, don’t forget the four most important elements to a successful digital ordering platform - customer confidence, user-friendliness, a clear menu, and online promotions.