5 Strategies for Successfully Implementing Digital Ordering in Food & Beverage Industry

When restaurant owners first heard about digital ordering systems, they were understandably skeptical. Their question was, “Could a simple app really make that much of a difference?” The answer, backed by numerous success stories, is a confident yes.

This led me to perfecting the solution we were offering here at EZ-Chow and why shouldn’t I? According to a recent study, customers tend to spend about 20% more when they order food through digital platforms. [Source] Not just that, in March 2024, 70% of customers preferred to order food online instead of dining out. [Source] This underscores the importance of the solution for food and alcohol serving businesses.

These statistics aren’t just numbers—they represent a world of potential growth for businesses like yours. The key is to adapt this technology and truly utilize it. In this blog, I’ve listed 5 strategies for successfully implementing a digital ordering solution in your business and unlocking its vast benefits.

5 Strategies for Successful Implementation of Digital Ordering in Your Business

So, let’s say you have found a digital ordering provider that you want to do business with, but how do you take it from ‘just using the tool’ to ‘mastering the art of customer convenience with it’?

Before you roll out the solution to your staff, ensure you have a good grip on navigating the platform yourself. Self-training isn’t just that; it also involves training your employees. Let them ask as many questions as they want; a little hand-holding will go a long way. Above all, ensure that the service provider you have partnered with offers uninterrupted support.

Pro Tip Consider designating “power users” who can help train others and serve as go-to resources. This will ensure that your staff is not entirely reliant on you and that they can help each other even when you are not around.

But self-training isn’t a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process of adaptation, and as a business owner, you play a crucial role in this. Digital ordering systems often update with new features or improvements. Stay on top of these changes by regularly checking for updates from your provider, and take responsibility for your system’s evolution.

Moreover, actively seek ways to adapt the system to your specific needs. Most providers offer customization options – explore these thoroughly. You may need to adjust the layout of your digital menu, or you may want to integrate the system with your loyalty program. Feel free to experiment and fine-tune.

Keep a close eye on how the system is performing in real-world conditions:

• Are there bottlenecks in your process? 
• Are customers struggling with any particular aspect of ordering? 

Use these observations to further adapt your approach and potentially provide feedback to your service provider.

Remember, self-training and adaptation aim to make the digital ordering system a seamless extension of your business. It’s not about forcing your operations to fit the technology but molding it to enhance your operations.

The first thing you will do is look closely at your current order fulfillment process. How do orders typically flow through your business? With a digital ordering system, this flow will likely change.

Orders will come in through the digital platform, so you’ll need to establish a new process for receiving and confirming these orders. This might involve designating a staff member to monitor the digital orders or setting up notifications on a dedicated device.

Pro Tip Ensure that the provider you have chosen offers easy integration of leading POS systems. This will ensure that orders are recorded and reflected accurately on your existing POS systems.

Next, consider how you’ll integrate the digital orders with your in-house operations. For example, if you’re a restaurant, you’ll need to decide how digital orders are communicated to the kitchen.

• Will they be automatically printed? Displayed on a screen? 
• How will you prioritize these orders alongside in-house orders? 
  
  

Customer service workflows will also need an overhaul. How will you handle customer inquiries or complaints through the digital platform? You should assign someone to manage digital customer service or integrate these inquiries into your existing workflow.

Don’t forget about your financial processes. The digital ordering system will likely have its own payment processing, so you’ll need to establish new procedures for reconciling these payments with your accounting system.

Lastly, consider creating new workflows for data analysis. Digital ordering systems provide valuable data on customer preferences and ordering patterns. Develop a process for regularly reviewing and acting on this data to continually improve your offerings and service.

One often overlooked strategy when implementing digital ordering is strategically adjusting your online menu prices. While it might seem counterintuitive at first, setting slightly higher prices for your online menu can actually benefit both your business and your customers. Here’s why:

• Convenience Premium: Online ordering and home delivery offer significant convenience to customers. Many are willing to pay a bit extra for the comfort of ordering from their couch and having food delivered to their doorstep. This convenience justifies a small price increase.

• Offsetting Costs: Digital ordering platforms and delivery services come with associated fees. Slightly higher prices can help offset these costs without significantly impacting your profit margins.
  
  
• Room for Promotions: With slightly higher baseline prices, you have more flexibility to offer appealing discounts and promotions for your online customers without cutting too deeply into your profits.
  
  

Pro Tip Start with a small increase, perhaps 5-10% over in-store prices. Be transparent about any delivery fees or service charges. Ensure your online menu items are well-described and visually appealing to justify the premium. Regularly analyze your sales data to find the sweet spot for pricing.

Remember, the goal is to strike a balance where customers feel the convenience is worth the slight premium, while your business benefits from increased revenue.

I’ll say it again; the digital ordering platform you are considering going with should have a robust loyalty program integration feature. This is one of the most powerful strategies for successful implementation of digital ordering in your business for a bunch of reasons:

• Automatically track customer purchases and award points or rewards for each order placed through the digital platform.

• Display a customer’s current points balance or reward status prominently during the ordering process, encouraging them to reach the next tier or redeem available rewards.

• Offer exclusive deals or early access to new items for loyalty program members, creating a sense of VIP treatment.

• Send targeted promotions based on a customer’s ordering history and preferences, increasing the relevance of your marketing efforts.

• Allow customers to easily redeem rewards or apply points to their orders with just a few clicks, enhancing the user experience.
  
  

Pro Tip: Leverage Data for Personalized Micro-Rewards While traditional loyalty programs often focus on big milestones, use your digital ordering data to create personalized micro-rewards that surprise and delight customers. For example: Recognize a customer’s 5th coffee order with a free size upgrade. Offer a complimentary appetizer on their birthday month. Reward trying a new menu item with bonus points. Acknowledge order streaks (like ordering every Monday for a month) with a special discount.

By integrating your loyalty program with your digital ordering system, you’re not just offering convenience – you are creating a compelling reason for customers to choose your business over and over again. It transforms each order into an opportunity to build a stronger relationship with your customers, turning casual buyers into brand advocates.

As a service provider, I cannot stress enough how crucial it is to customize the platform to truly reflect your brand. You may be tempted to use the default setup and get started immediately. But remember, customizing the platform is not just a task; it’s an opportunity to enhance your brand’s online presence and customer experience.

So, take full advantage of the customization option of the digital ordering platform by performing the following:

• Visual Branding: Work with the provider to incorporate your logo, color scheme, and fonts into the ordering interface. This consistency helps customers immediately recognize they’re in the right place when they land on your ordering page.

• Tone and Voice: Customize the text throughout the platform to match your brand’s personality. Whether it’s playful and casual or sophisticated and formal, the language used in prompts, descriptions, and confirmations must align with how you communicate with your customers in-store.
  
• Menu Presentation: Collaborate with the provider to organize your menu items in a way that makes sense for your specific offerings. Consider creating custom categories, highlighting specialties, and adding beautiful, high-quality images of your dishes.
  
  

Pro Tip Take advantage of providing customization options to your customers. For instance, add a section for daily specials and another one that allows customers to customize their orders extensively just like they would at your physical store.

Your digital ordering platform will be the first point of interaction for many customers. By customizing it to truly reflect your brand, you’re setting the stage for a cohesive customer experience that extends from the digital world to your physical business.

Wrapping Up!

Embracing digital ordering isn’t just a smart business move – it’s an investment in your future. It’s about meeting your customers where they are, streamlining your operations, and opening up new avenues for growth. Whether you’re a small local eatery or a growing chain, the potential benefits are too significant to ignore.

So, if you are on board to take your business to the next level with digital ordering, let EZ-Chow be your faithful partner.EZ-Chow’s Digital Ordering Platform offers a comprehensive, customizable solution designed to meet the unique needs of businesses like yours. From user-friendly interfaces to robust backend systems, EZ-Chow has everything you need to launch your digital ordering success story.

Ready to get started?