The hospitality industry has been through transformative technological changes, and self ordering systems for restaurants is a clear case to note. Enabling customers to control their eating options independently, these systems create efficiency in operation. However, it also means that the implementation of self-ordering systems must be planned and coordinated correctly. In order to optimize the advantages, businesses have not only to think about their requirements but also about customer ones.
Below is a comprehensive guide in the dos and don’ts of self ordering systems for restaurant business.
Self-ordering technologies – the list of things you should do when planning its adoption or integrating it into your business or employees’ daily routine.
- Market focus on friendly interfaces and technologies: The user interface is one of the most important principles of unpinning any successful self-ordering system. Orders should be placed and customers should be able to manage them also; the payment methods should also be manageable.
- Accessibility also means using design approaches containing easily recognizable icons, buttons, and logical menus.
- It is wise to provide support in different languages if you serve customers from different regions of the world.
- Make sure everyone can use the system –designers, engineers, technicians—people with disabilities too.
Tip: Carry out user testing close to the launch to identify problematic areas of usability.
- Yes Offer Options On Customization: Flash provides a positive attitude to the consumers by letting them choose what they want from a restaurant.
- Some of the user interface additions that may be allowed in the product incorporation include the opportunity to change the ingredients used in preparing the food, the option to choose portion sizes, or the option to add extra toppings or garnishes.
- The focus should be made on allergens and available meals to consumers.
Example: One should be able to conveniently modify the type of cheese used in a burger or the number of lettuce slices in the burger.
- Do Train Your Staff: Even if self-ordering systems are in practice, your employees remain key to the process’s success. With proper training, they can guide customers whenever they encounter issues with the system.
- A company should let its employees resolve simple problems on their own.
- Promote the staff members to lead the first-time customers and the old age persons.
Bonus Tip: Provide portable gadgets to the employees in case they need to change the length of orders.
- Perform routine updates and maintenance: Technology is dynamic and must be updated frequently to be safe and effective.
- Plan regular maintenance to avoid unplanned outages.
- Incorporate seasonal specials, new menu items, and price changes into the system.
- To safeguard client payment information, make sure security patches are applied.
Pro Tip: For real-time changes, spend money on technologies that provide remote updates.
- Keep an eye on analytics and feedback: One of the self-ordering systems’ main benefits is its capacity to produce useful data. Use this information to improve customer experiences and operations.
- Monitor data such as popular menu items, peak usage hours, and average order value (AOV).
- Respond to consumer input to address issues and enhance the system.
- For instance, if analytics reveal clients abandoning orders at a certain step, review the interface for bottlenecks.
The Don’ts of Implementing Self-Ordering Systems
- Don’t Ignore Hardware Placement: The physical location of kiosks or devices is critical for their accessibility and usability. A system’s interface that is misplaced may hamper customer use of the system.
- Do not locate kiosks at places with huge traffic flows or close to exits/entrances with high traffic volumes.
- It is important to have sufficient lighting and well-arranged signs pointing customers towards the kiosks.
Mistake to Avoid: Locating kiosks near the eating zone will cause crowding problems and inconvenience.
- Do Not Totally Eradicate Social Contact: Since a self-ordering system cuts off human interactions to a certain extent, ensuring the touch of human contact is not completely done away is essential.
- Keep your staff members on board to fulfill complicated orders or to respond to customer complaints.
- Ensure that the company’s approach to integrating TCS into selling is automated and personal.
- Example: Families having trouble with the kiosk may find it helpful if a member of the staff helps them order so that they can do it faster.
- Don’t Overcomplicate the Menu: This is because a large number of items or too many options can make a menu unattractive and cause customers to leave halfway through placing an order.
- Show only several choices at once and group objects into several subdivisions.
- Do not use a long description, which may confuse customers, or use pictures, which are not relevant.
Pro Tip: If you must incorporate high-quality pictures into the menu, ensure you do it selectively. A menu filled with too many pictures becomes tiring to the eyes.
- Ensure That Your Website is mobile friendly: Customers do not want to use signature tools when ordering, and many of them prefer to order using their gadgets. Mobile compatibility neglect may turn off this group of consumers.
- Ensure your self ordering system for restaurants responds to mobile apps or QR codes when ordering from the table.
- Make the layout responsive to other devices and platforms like tablets or phones.
- Example: If a customer is using their device and scanning a QR code at the table, the kiosk features should be on the screen.
- Don’t Rush the Implementation Process: Launching a self-ordering system without proper testing can lead to technical glitches and negative customer experiences.
- Take time to beta-test the system in a controlled environment before full deployment.
- Phase the rollout across locations to identify and fix issues incrementally.
Pro Tip: Start with a pilot program in one location and gather feedback before expanding.
Conclusion:
Implementing a self-ordering system for restaurants can be a game-changer, but it requires thoughtful planning and execution. You can guarantee a seamless transition to this technology by emphasizing user-friendly interfaces, thoughtful positioning, and frequent updates. However, you can save your company money by avoiding common hazards like speeding the deployment or doing away with human connection.
Self-ordering systems can improve your restaurant’s operations and produce a dining experience that entices patrons to return for more if you use the proper strategy and have a customer-centric mindset.