The hyper-competitive nature of the restaurant business has owners always looking for new streams of revenue. Adding restaurant website online ordering to your business model will provide you with new mediums in which to get your culinary creations into the mouths of hungry customers. Building your own website does not have to be a cumbersome undertaking, especially if you engage with the right partner that can guide you from start to finish and follow these five key steps.
Step 1: Choose the Right POS Solution
Selecting the right POS tools for the job is the most fundamental decision that needs to be made when adding online ordering to your sales strategy. The POS solution you use must be capable of tracking and managing data from multiple sources, and be able to guide it along seamlessly for accurate and fast order fulfillment.
Cloud-based POS systems are the best choice for supporting a mix of in-house service and online ordering. In addition to providing you with a single point of order management for every channel, they present you with click and collect coordination options for both on-site order pickup or delivery. These features, combined with the freedom that a mobility-based POS solution delivers, establish a strong technical foundation to manage new business feats.
Step 2: Construct an Intuitive Order and Payment Interface
Building a website can be complicated, especially when you are unsure of how online ordering should work or how your menu should be displayed and updated. Many of the typical challenges that come with building an eCommerce website can be addressed by using the right POS solutions provider. The perfect partner will provide you with the ability to create and launch your website within a matter of a few clicks, ensuring that your ordering website is also mobile-friendly.
Leaning on the skills and knowledge of your POS provider will also yield another exciting benefit for your new online ordering portal: seamless POS integration. Using cloud-based POS technology to manage the moving pieces of your online ordering website maximizes menu and order accuracy while boosting fulfillment speeds. These features will not only build customers’ confidence in your ability to meet or exceed expectations, but will also improve the chances of them returning to you.
Step 3: Promote and Market Your Online Ordering Platform
With your website now built and backed by powerful POS technology, you can now turn your focus to encouraging its use. Promoting your online ordering site starts with the customer information you already possess, ideally stored in your POS system. This gives you a substantial list of customers to initially reach out to; ones who are already familiar with your restaurant and enjoyed it so much that they opted-in to receive updates on specials and new menu items.
By starting with your current customers, you gain valuable footing in the online ordering space, plus feedback from those most familiar with your services. You can then take this feedback and use it to optimize the online ordering experience and make the necessary adjustments.
Step 4: Use Data Analytics to Drive Promotions and Online Sales
As customers start using your online ordering website, their activity and business will provide you with valuable data that—when properly used—can generate meaningful insights surrounding your business. Some beneficial uses of this data include:
- Determining best sellers in-house vs. online.
- Monitoring customer feedback to see if any menu items do not translate well for takeout.
- Creating personalized promotions from customer information.
These insights can be accessed via data analytics within your POS solution. Leveraging data analytics to build predictive models will give you the necessary tools to enhance your dining experience, regardless if a customer dines with you at your restaurant or at home.
Step 5: Monitor and Adjust Based on Trends
If the POS solution is the foundation of running a successful online ordering website, then its seamless integration with your website is the bedrock on which it all stands. The tools that come with cloud-based POS platforms will allow you and your supervisors to effectively manage all the restaurant’s moving pieces through a mobile app. This frees everyone to focus on excellent customer service while ensuring that any issues that arise can be proactively addressed quickly and effectively.
What Are the Benefits of Having a Restaurant Website Online Ordering POS Integration?
The benefits that can be gained from using an online ordering website are plentiful and will positively impact every area of your operations. Following these steps when creating an online ordering website will naturally increase restaurant exposure to potential customers and will encourage repeat customers. You will also see improved profit margins and greater efficiencies in how you operate, thanks to the data-driven technology that is in place supporting your online orders.
Engaging talech as your guide into the world of restaurant website online ordering will unlock the full potential of your restaurant through the use of advanced POS technology. Our consultants will work with you to develop an online presence that is both intuitive and engaging to your customers, and is certain to broaden your audience reach.
