By Matt Brooks, Product Delivery Manager – Mobile Applications, Zonal

 

For most of your customers, their mobile device will probably never be more than a few metres away from them, so it’s likely that a customer’s first, last, and possibly only digital experience of your hospitality brand will be on their mobile device.

In fact, the 2020 Ofcom UK benchmark found that over four-fifths of time spent online is now spent on mobile devices in the UK. What’s more, the world’s biggest search engine, Google, switched to mobile-first indexing in March 2020, which means that it primarily uses the mobile version of a site’s content – instead of the desktop version – to rank pages from that site, proving just how important the experience of your brand is on a mobile device.

On top of the natural growth of mobile devices, the pandemic has accelerated usage even further in our everyday lives, including how we now work remotely, browse and shop online, and stay in touch with our family, friends, and colleagues.

What is a mobile-first strategy?

 A mobile-first strategy is a term that has been around for just over a decade and is used to describe an approach where digital interactions are designed and created with mobile devices front-of-mind. Mobile-first, however, doesn’t mean mobile-only; it should mean that the experience has been optimised and tailored for a mobile device.

We’ve included some top tips and pointers below, to help you ensure your guest journey is mobile-optimised:

• Walk through a typical guest journey, considering the points of engagement with your brand that would take place on a mobile device
• Validate Google’s mobile-first indexing – check your website on mobile – how does it display? Can customers easily and clearly do all the things they need to do such as look at menus, access directions and book?
• Ensure that all email communications are mobile-optimised and easy to read without pinching or expanding the screen to read the text
• Remove any potential barriers on your website, your order and pay at table service, mobile app or any other digital platforms that would prevent the customer from completing their task
• Ensure that ‘guest checkout’ is available for transient or infrequent customers
• Ensure that a consistent brand experience is shared across the real world (in-venue) and digital world (online on your website, your digital platforms and 3^rd party services).
• Ensure that privacy is put front and centre
• Include mobile as part of an overall technology strategy

And the benefits if you get it right?

• It will meet the needs of your customers, who primarily access your brand using a mobile device
• It can help simplify interactions, shortening the number of steps needed to be taken to perform an action
• It will allow you to prioritise the most important content that you want to show and your customers want to see – this is sometimes referred to as “content-first”
• You will build stronger customer relationships, leading to improved loyalty and retention
• The experience of your brand and guest journey will be consistent, regardless of the platform used, leading to better brand awareness and positive customer sentiment

The future of mobile will continue to be dictated by customer behaviour and tech innovation, but one thing the pandemic has shown is that the hospitality industry is more than capable of adapting quickly to these needs.

Get in touch with Zonal today to discover how our connected technology solutions are helping hospitality businesses of all shapes and sizes to understand and enhance their customer journeys, make significant service improvements and exploit new revenue streams.

By Glenn Tait, Strategic Product Manager, Zonal

‘Frictionless’ is a buzzword used by many in the tech industry to mean a quick and easy/stress-free customer experience.

The word ‘friction’ then, is the opposite to this, where obstacles can occur at various touchpoints throughout the customer journey. From finding a venue and booking to ordering and paying, potential obstacles exist to detract from the customer experience. Understanding these potential points of friction and removing them is as good for your business as it is for your customers.

Top 10 customer frustrations and points of friction

Source: Plan to Plate Research Report, May 2021, KAM Media/Zonal

1. Being forced to queue outside a venue (i.e. no bookings)
2. Being told a certain dish has run out when you order it
3. Under-attentive waiting staff
4. Being forced to order food and pay via an app
5. Trying to get a waiting staffs’ attention when waiting to pay
6. Being told about the specials rather than having them written down
7. Trying to get a waiting staff’s attention when wanting to order
8. Waiting to be seated at a table
9. Being forced to have a to book a table (i.e. no walk-ins)
10. Not knowing how much you’ve spent until you see the final bill

Results from Zonal’s GO Technology research programme, and more recently Plan to Plate in partnership with KAM Media, repeatedly cite not being able to attract the attention of the server to order or pay the bill among consumers’ top frustrations. Customers actively want to pay quicker. And quicker payment means quicker table turns, which means extra capacity and ultimately extra revenue.

Removing friction, it would seem, is a win-win!

Revival of the QR Code

Since the Coronavirus pandemic hit at the beginning of 2020, QR codes have experienced a come-back as a simple solution that can achieve everything from checking in for Track and Trace to viewing digital menus. The development in smart phone camera technology that enabled QR code recognition and redirection to website pages has meant that QR codes are now a simple solution to many of the points of friction in the hospitality customer journey.

40% of customers prefer to use guest checkout rather than creating a user account, Zonal May 2021

Whilst a primary benefit of using QR codes in-venue may be to enable quicker payment of the bill, they also allow fewer steps and fewer button clicks to order, plus improved accuracy of ordering. All the customer needs to do is scan a code, taking them directly through the ordering process at the correct venue, at the correct table – they just need to choose their food and pay.

7 reasons why QR codes remove friction in the customer journey:

1. You can direct your guests to a specific menu, ordering website or even table number so that the number of steps required before ordering is reduced.
2. An in-venue QR code is specific to your site and location. Customers don’t need to find your site from a map view or list on a mobile app.
3. QR codes on menus can be specific to that particular menu but can also be used to ask the guest to choose a table number.
4. Outside, pop-up tables without specific table numbers can also benefit from QR codes. By providing each table with its own unique QR code, you can allow customers to locate a menu and order to that specific location with fewer steps as possible.
5. QR codes printed on menus direct a user to the digital ordering version of that menu – this can be site-specific so that the guest has less steps in the ordering process.
6. QR codes on the windows of venues can navigate the user to a click and collect menu as well as advertising this method of ordering.
7. Codes on tables lead the customer to their specific bill for their table – all with one scan of a QR code, cutting the number of clicks to pay the bill by five and reducing the time it takes the guest to wait to pay. This can also work well with blended operations where the server takes the orders, and the guests use the QR code through which to pay.

Zonal has long recognised that enabling hospitality businesses to provide easier and quicker ways for guests to order and pay will not only increase guest satisfaction but will make ordering more efficient, increase revenues and cut down waste.

Discover how Zonal’s connected technology solutions can help you understand and enhance your customer journey.

By Matt Brooks, Product Delivery Manager and senior mobile lead

Whether you’re launching a pay-at-table service, loyalty app or any other mobile service which requires a change in customer behaviour or operational processes, it’s essential that as much time and effort goes into the launch as did the development – to ensure your new tech investment is a success.

Zonal’s Matt Brooks shares his top suggestions for a successful app launch, based on some of the best we’ve seen over the past few years:

1. Ensure staff are 100% behind it

The most important people to get on board in any new app roll-out are your front-of-house team. But this also extends to senior management and the board (if you have one). Why have you invested in this technology in the first place – is it to increase revenue? To encourage repeat business? To reward loyal customers? Whatever your reasons, explain what the benefits will be to your customers, to your staff and to the rest of the business. Encourage them to give their feedback and ideas on how to make it a success and of course get them to try out the new app for themselves to see how easy it really is to use. Finally, make sure any concerns are acknowledged and addressed.

If you don’t focus on achieving this one, you may as well ignore the rest of this list… it really is that important!

2. Support tipping

Make sure any new mobile ordering technology supports staff tipping – especially when the new service is replacing a task that the front of house team may have undertaken as part of their role, such as order and pay at table. Any negative impact on tipping will inevitably have a knock-on effect to how much staff are willing to promote the new service. Make sure this is also communicated to staff, including how and when they will get their tips.

3. Full and comprehensive training

Organise a series of dedicated training sessions for staff before launch, where you can provide a safe, non-live environment to help them get comfortable with the solution and practice real-life scenarios before they happen. This can also provide a great opportunity to gather feedback from the team and win their buy-in.

4. Emphasise the benefits in all of your customer comms

When considering the communications channels and touchpoints you plan to use to launch the new app, remember to lead with the key customer benefits. Think: ‘what’s in it for them?’ Why should they download it? Can they pay the bill quicker? Can they get a round of drinks at the touch of a button? Can they avoid the queue at the bar? Is there a special offer or discount? If they understand the benefits, they’re more likely to adopt the new app.

5. Make a splash about it

Think about where and how you will promote your new app and make sure you promote your new service everywhere you can – the more visible reminders the better. Consider table point of sale materials such as menus and flyers, as well as till receipts and staff clothing to help spread the word. Use all areas in-venue to advertise the new service: reception, bar, lounge or smoking area and even the back of toilet doors (yes really!).

6. Launch with an offer or incentive to download/register

Whether it’s a free drink, dessert or starter, if you’re asking customers to hand over their details, register for a service, download an app or even use the ‘guest checkout’ facility, launch offers or incentives are a great way to generate engagement in your new service.

7. Constant feedback

Your app is an important part of the customer experience. It is vital to actively solicit and respond to stakeholder feedback throughout all stages of the roll-out. Listening and responding to feedback and suggestions, adapting the technology itself or your communications will help to ensure its success in the long term.

8. Share numbers and reward success

Be transparent with the results – share the key numbers and metrics with the team: downloads/usage, spend per head, number and increase in orders, contribution by channel, dwell time, customer satisfaction. Something as simple as a small reward or team prize could help galvanise staff to hit and exceed any targets you’ve set for the new service.

9. Encourage competition

If yours is a multi-site business, leader boards can be a great way to drive behaviour and new app adoption. Encourage competition between staff and sites by offering a prize for the most revenue/registrations/downloads/new members via the new service.

Zonal is trusted to power mobile ordering technology for thousands of customer sites around the country. To find out more about our EPoS-integrated mobile ordering solutions, visit our dedicated web page >

This Q&A article with Zonal’s product delivery manager Matt Brooks on how the pandemic has changed the industry’s view on mobile ordering and payment technology first appeared in Big Hospitality on the 3rd Feb 2021.

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The pandemic has given mobile ordering and payment a real shot in the arm, so to speak…​

Even prior to the pandemic it felt as if the industry was reaching a tipping point in terms of adopting digital order and pay products, but lockdown has undoubtedly accelerated this. Zonal has been at the forefront of such technology for many years but over the last 12 months we’ve seen a 500% increase in the take up of our order and pay solutions.

What would you say to operators that are still on the fence about the technology?​

There is now a real danger for any operator left behind, as shown in our recently published GO Technology report. In a survey for the report 34% of consumers told us they would be more likely to choose a venue with order and pay technology and 40% feel safer in venues that use it. The report also found that three quarters of consumers are satisfied, or very satisfied, with the ease of digital ordering and payment and satisfaction levels are similarly high for ease of set-up and user-friendliness.

How big do you see mobile order and payments getting?​

We believe order and pay will become not just standard but something people expect. Suddenly removing it so consumers find themselves having to queue at the bar again will result in frustration. And any operators still concerned that order and pay technology could detract from the guest experience by limiting interaction with team members, should bear in mind that a properly thought-out solution will give staff more time to have meaningful interactions with guests.

What are the benefits for operators?​

Of course, order and pay technology doesn’t just benefit consumers. There are significant advantages for operators too – and those benefits are especially pronounced where systems can be integrated. The Zonal platform for example, is integrated to our POS in real-time, and powers our order and pay, click and collect, and loyalty white label apps, as well as our more recently developed browser-based ordering system. And it handles integration with third parties too, including the major delivery players, including Deliveroo and UberEats.

What are the benefits of a fully-centralised system?​

Everything is managed in one place, meaning operators can easily see orders, manage menus and pricing in real-time across multiple platforms and from multiple channels – including different delivery partners. There’s no double keying needed, saving a significant amount of time and removing the risk of human error.

Any examples?​

Take digital menus. Operators have reported that one of the major advantages of these over analogue menus is dynamic pricing – the ability to change prices according to the day of the week or time. A digital menu can also be set to automatically suggest add-ons and upgrades, perhaps offering people a side or the option to switch normal fries for sweet potato fries. Traditionally, operators have had to rely on staff to remember to do this but those using our system have found that automating the process yields great results for the bottom line.

What’s coming down the track that might shake things up?​

This area of technology is a fast-moving space. One thing to look out for over the coming months is the rollout of Apple’s App Clips. These are essentially mini versions of apps that don’t take up much space and – crucially – appear the moment a customer needs them. This is an area Zonal is looking at, as it offers the best of both worlds –  a native experience that’s as quick as using a mobile website. App Clips are also the gateway to customers downloading the full app with additional functionality, such as loyalty features.

Where does Zonal stand on the app versus browser-based order and pay debate?​

At Zonal we offer both solutions so it’s an and/or for us rather than versus. The beauty of technology today is that it can be on whatever platform the customer wants to use it on. The main advantage of apps is that they tend to be quicker, slicker and have the potential to offer more functionality, while browser-based solutions are instant and don’t require a download or a smartphone.

Any other predictions for mobile ordering and payments?​

Increasingly, we’re going to see hospitality businesses borrow from the playbooks of the likes of Amazon and Netflix to drive profitability. Personalisation is going to be key, but a balance does need to be struck between offering the customer the same thing over and over again and encouraging them to try new things. Ultimately, every restaurant and pub will use technology slightly differently but there’s always a way that it can improve operations for the business and the experience for the customer.

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly put digital solutions at centre stage in the customer journey. As operators across all sectors of the industry put a laser focus on safety measures and managing cash flow in order to survive, we’ve seen an explosion of innovative revenue streams and ordering channels – many of which have been made possible through technology.

Most notable of these have been order and pay at table solutions – from apps to web ordering, which, prior to the Coronavirus pandemic were still emerging technologies – used mainly by early adopters – both operator and consumer. Zonal and CGA’s GO Technology research programme has been tracking the adoption of order and pay technology over the past two years, and findings from the most recent study show that the percentage of UK adults using order and pay tech has more than doubled since before the pandemic – up from 18% to 43%.

Satisfied customers

And consumers have reacted positively to the new ordering channel. Just over three quarters (77%) say they have been satisfied or very satisfied with the ease of ordering, and even more (79%) with the ease and speed of payment – a notorious and recurring pain point for customers in hospitality venues.

Safety first

Whilst order and pay was previously viewed with scepticism by some as a replacement to human interaction, it has in fact, enhanced the customer experience and served to provide reassurance for customers around safety issues. According to the 5,000 UK adults surveyed: nearly nine in ten (86%) of those who used order and pay solutions reported that their interaction with staff was the same or better than it was before lockdown, and 40% of consumers say they feel safer in venues that use order and pay technology. A further third (34%) stated that they would be more likely to visit a venue that has order and pay technology.

The future

So is order and pay here to stay? With current adoption almost doubling compared to pre-COVID times and almost half of 18-44 year-olds intending to use the technology going forward, even when COVID measures no longer need to be implemented, we say yes.

Lockdown in March caused chaos and uncertainty in the industry. Within days businesses were forced to close their doors and no one could predict what was going to happen next.

As the industry emerged from lockdown, technology very quickly became the solution to a whole raft of new challenges, from social distancing to table service and contactless payment, leading to an acceleration of three to five years in the demand and usage of self-ordering and payment solutions. At Zonal alone, we’ve seen over 40 times the amount of orders go through our online ordering platforms than prior to COVID!

Many operators were forced to adopt new technology solutions at record speed, or make better use of those they already had over the past few months – for everything from managing bookings and capacity, to creating completely new ordering channels via click and collect and delivery. 48% of business leaders suggest that implementing new technology has been a major, or their biggest focus post lockdown to help safely reopen their businesses.

Fast forward seven months and we were presented with a second lockdown. So how can you use this time effectively? What have we learned and how are things different this time round?

Many of our customers are using this time to build for the future, not just for post-lockdown – planning long-term operational strategies, and for many this includes reviewing their entire technology suite.

Now is the time to look back and reflect how this tech is performing

You’ve implemented online ordering, click and collect or delivery. What now?

Having embraced these new technologies, it’s time to ask some serious questions of them – are you getting the most out of the solutions? Are they performing as you hoped they would? Is your provider giving you the right level of support or has it highlighted the cracks in your tech infrastructure? Has it put pressure on other systems showing they can’t cope with an omnichannel approach? A technology review will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of these solutions to ensure they are fit for purpose and capable of delivering your business needs.

Not sure where to begin? Here are a few points to consider when undertaking your review:

1. Sharing of data

Do your platforms sit in silo or do they talk to one another, can you capture this data centrally to give you a single view of your operations? Is it giving you access to the insight and data intelligence that you need to help you make informed decisions?

2. Operations

Do your tech platforms offer everything you need to support all your operations? Are they adding more time pressure on your staff, for example do online orders need to be re-keyed into your POS or kitchen management system or accounting tool? How do you ensure nothing is missed and how do you account for human error? Are the systems giving you complete control of all your customer touch points?

3. Protect your brand

With more ordering channels now available, this brings more opportunities for customers to engage with your brand. How is this being managed, is the brand experience consistent or is it being compromised? How do you ensure you offer the same experience customers expect from your brand even if they are not in-venue? Do the new platforms allow you to add your brand personality and unique offering, but still allow for that personal touch when needed?

4. Availability

How are you managing your available stock items or even available tables on different channels? Can customers order things that are no longer available? Not only is this an additional task for your staff to keep on top of but also leaves a negative impression of your brand with the customer.

5. Right partner

You may have needed to act quickly in implementing your new solutions and not had time to complete all the research that you would normally do when choosing a new technology partner. How is the partner working for you, how are they supporting you during this time, if you need help can you contact them outside of the standard 9-5pm? Can they meet your growth plans and expectations, can they grow with your business? Ensuring a partner can provide solutions that can integrate into your existing technology infrastructure will stand you in good stead for a successful, profitable business in the future.

Adding new technology to your business to meet changing demands is not as simple as a tick box exercise, it’s not easy and you’re not alone, 94% of leaders suggest that implementing new technology is at least somewhat challenging, with 1 in 3 suggesting it is a major challenge. You need to review, listen to your customers and work with your technology partner to ensure you are providing the best experience to keep those loyal customers.

With customer touch points becoming increasingly varied and arguably more complex, the seamless data sharing and integration becomes ever more vital to ensure the customer experience is not compromised and to minimise the burden on operations.  With a plethora of platforms now available to operators, never has there been a greater need for a holistic view of customer touch points and this can only be achieved through an integrated approach to technology. The data available from this approach will be invaluable to any business, it will aid planning, ensure operational efficiency and help meet your business goals not just for re-opening but for the future.

For a complete integrated approach, check out Zonal’s range online ordering tools