How to own Your Customer Experience and Drive Traffic to Your Online Ordering Website

Being in control of your customer's experience while online ordering is one of the basic needs of every business, even for your restaurant or dark kitchen. Surely you know that every time something goes slightly wrong with one of your home deliveries, your restaurant gets blamed, even if a factor outside your control generated the inconvenience: the delivery platform, traffic, or any other. If that's not convincing enough, research shows that up to 80% of consumers blame restaurants if they had a poor food delivery experience. Yes, it's unfair, but it happens all the time. 

Can you think of anything worse than disappointing your customers' expectations? We doubt it. Your customers' experience is how your business grows and how it can plummet. 

The thing is, there's a lot of blind trust and faith after you've done your best to deliver a top-notch dining experience and put that order in the hands of someone else. Once that dish has left your restaurant, you are no longer in control.

So, how do you improve the customer experience from start to finish and live up to expectations? How do you regain control? How do you make the most of that control to gain customer satisfaction? Is it possible?

Research shows that up to 80% of consumers blame restaurants if they had a poor food delivery experience. Yes, it's unfair, but it happens all the time. 

Search no further; we'll give you the answers you want (and maybe need). If you want to elevate your customer experience and satisfaction, you're in the right place!

Introducing Deliverect Direct

Deliverect Direct is a new way to leverage the consumer experience. Interestingly, 64% of delivery customers prefer to order directly from the restaurant!

Whether you want an additional sales channel with more control or are looking for your first online ordering solution, Deliverect Direct is the suitable alternative. 

Create a seamless online ordering experience for pick-up and delivery so your customers can order and pay directly from your online store. It's quick and easy.

64% of delivery customers prefer to order directly from the restaurant!

With Deliverect Direct, you can:

• Own your customer experience

Owning your customer's experience is the key to long, prosperous, and healthy customer relationships.

• Generate an additional revenue stream for your business

An extra channel to generate profitability but in a more simplified and practical way to operate. 

• Cut costs while increasing your profitability (Lower commission, no fixed costs/SaaS fee—you only pay for orders you receive).

With Deliverect Direct, you only pay a 3.8% order fee by integrating with Deliverect Pay! That means more profit and lower operating costs for your business. 

• Easily manage menus, discounts, payments, delivery, and pickups

Manage, update, and perfect your menu and all other important aspects of your online orders from a single point: simple, efficient, and intelligent. 

Want to offer direct-to-consumer delivery on your online store? Our Dispatch solution will allow you to get control over your delivery experience and save time on driver management.

• Create an online store in 5 minutes tailored to your branding

Creating your online delivery system doesn't have to be a headache. Deliverect provides a practical and user-friendly alternative to make everything work as quickly as possible. Once built, your customers will love it.

• Reach your customers directly

Get direct access to your customer data and use it to engage them and drive traffic to your website online via paid media.

Tips that will make you get the most out of Deliverect Direct

Now, to help you succeed with implementing Deliverect Direct, a new alternative way to take control of online orders and, consequently, your customers' experience, let's dive into some valuable tips!

1. Promote your online ordering website 

You could have the best food in the world, but if your restaurant's online store is a nightmare, no one will buy it. Your restaurant or dark kitchen experience is not limited to your food. Regarding your online store, consider web design an extension of your service. 

Perks of our online ordering solution:

• Easy to set up & navigate

• Modern and friendly design

• Mobile and user-friendly - did you know 87% of users order via mobile phone? 

• Easy payment system

 When updating your online store, make sure to:

• Use good quality photos that do justice to your recipes (4 MB optimal for  online ordering website)

• Keep the menu descriptions concise, but make sure to use descriptive words that stimulate the senses (crunchy, slow-cooked, mouthwatering) 

2. Make your brand known

It's really important to make it easy for customers to discover you. Optimize your website for search and update your Google My Business. 

Go social 

You are there, your customers are there, everyone is there! Your online store will sink to the bottom without sufficient social media efforts, allowing the competition to emerge on top. 

Your social media pages, immediate followers, and mailing lists should be your starting point. Proper management of the available assets can surprise you with outstanding results.

It is also important to consider where else those audiences you've established at the beginning are. Perhaps there are other platforms and contact points they use (even when your brand does not have a presence there). Analyze and take advantage of that. 

"Is there any opportunity to advertise on Google Ads, Facebook, and Instagram? Did you know that you can add tag managers/Facebook pixels to your Deliverect website to track conversions? It offers credit for newly registered accounts. (In Canada, it's CAD 500 for PPC campaigns.)"

Think about that and use creativity to engage, attract, and convince your audience. Some of these ads might be expensive. Still, they will open your restaurant doors to many new potential customers! However, make sure you advertise at the right time of the day! Most people are not interested in burgers or pizza when they just wake up. Right before lunchtime and dinner are the best ways to get people's attention! Or right when parents start stressing about what to feed their kids that night.

The more orders you get through your Online Ordering System, the more data you will have to know who and where your customers are - which areas, etc., to create clusters of consumers by specific preferences (promotions, menu types, time of day).

Here are some ideas for you:

• Send and manage special promotions for loyal customers - Offer discounts or have the best offers (and prices) only on your online store and make sure everyone knows it (e.g., 10% less) 

• Create targeted ads for consumers similar to the ones you already have, based on your data (look-alike)

• Announce new launches, meal deals, and restaurant and location openings to inform your customers.

The more orders you get through your Online Ordering System, the more data you will have to know who and where your customers are

Traditional marketing still works!

Consider this: 

1. Distribute promotional flyers to spread the word about your restaurant and how easy and affordable your online ordering is. Make sure to add a QR code so your customers can scan it with their phones and order directly

2. Attach a flyer to every order and offer discounts to customers buying via your website

3. Offer a free dessert or any other snack with every order from your online ordering website 

4. Offer a lower delivery fee for those ordering via your online ordering website, and make sure to indicate that on your flyers  (e.g., 20% lower delivery fee if you order directly from our website)

5. When making the delivery, restaurant' delivery drivers can also pass on the message. 

You know this thing called "word of mouth." When someone loves something and recommends it to someone else — you are guaranteed a free promotion for your online store.

To help you with that, Deliverect Direct gives you everything you need to create your online presence, including the essential factors to ensure a frictionless and friendly experience. 

With strong promotion and brand recognition, Deliverect Direct is right for you!

These are just the first steps to succeed with your restaurant's online store; there is much more to explore and learn. Rest assured, your online ordering system represents an excellent opportunity to expand your revenue streams and prepare yourself for a market that values great dining experiences like the one you offer.

This is just the beginning of a journey full of possibilities. With Deliverect Direct solution, we are confident that you will deliver an experience that your customers will value and repeat many times over. If you want to take control of your customer's experience, contact us for a free demo, and together, let's take your online ordering to new heights.