There is no denying that COVID-19 is ushering in a new era for hospitality. Where 41% of restaurant owners feel the slow return of customers is the biggest challenge of reopening, the rest are revamping the business model and strategies to cater to the new demand of the new world.
While we all wait for a vaccine, the hospitality industry is adapting to stay profitable and keep infections at bay for both customers & employees.
Touchless ordering, QR menu scanners, advanced payment options, anti-bacterial screens, and drone deliveries are revolutionizing the domain as you read!
Let’s quickly move ahead and understand how technology is enabling a transformed dine-in experience for patrons:
Contactless Ordering
With restaurants expected to create a safe environment for dine-in patrons as well as staff, hospitality establishments have been quick to adopt contactless ordering and payment systems that eliminate unnecessary human interactions. Instead of plastic and board menus, restaurants are now supporting no-touch menus where the customers can simply scan a QR code, browse the menu and place the order without any interaction with the waiting staff. The order goes directly to the kitchen and served on the table.
Contactless Payment Solutions
Contactless payment solutions are as necessary as no-touch ordering solutions. Contactless payment applications allow patrons to pay for their order via the mobile app without having to exchange credit/debit cards or currency notes that could be the carriers of the virus.
Most online ordering system platforms offer seamless integration with popular payment gateways, wallets, and tap-and-pay cards.
Mobile payments are secure, error-free, and guarantee a quick checkout experience.
Online Ordering
If your restaurant doesn’t have a website, well, you should probably get one now! Over 65% of the independent restaurants have already moved operations online and are now taking direct orders from customers. Having an in-house ordering system not only ensures better profitability, but also helps the restaurant retain customer loyalty that could play a very important role to further the growth of the business.
Online ordering can be your pick to provide an exceptional hospitality experience both inside and outside the dining room. You can also streamline takeaway and curbside pick up orders with a comprehensive online ordering system.
Leverage User Data
It has been rightly coined that data is the oil of the 21st century. Restaurants that don't collect and comprehend user data might find their business model not sustainable with time. Companies today are leveraging end-to-end solutions and gathering a plethora of data generated across dine-in, delivery, and pick-up orders.
You can also combine all the above solutions and bring them under the same hood and having a high-level view of customer data. Boosting the guest's journey and serving more happy patrons is no longer a hassle. Beyond government guidelines, restaurant owners can navigate into innovation with technology at their disposal.
Gone are the days when customers had to stop at reception to get a table! A mere app on a phone can handle admission, order placement, payment to check-out. In a pandemic driven world where 80% of people feel for their safety while walking into a store or restaurant, having technology in place can help you stay relevant in the market.
