Influencing the hospitality customer journey in a new world

The shape of hospitality has changed forever. One thing, however, never changes and that is the importance of understanding the way in which customers think and behave. Influencing these thoughts and behaviours is becoming harder as they, and the world around them, changes.

To better support hospitality operators and brands as they adapt to the world we now live in, we are pleased to deliver this research report, together with KAM Media, which tracks the hospitality customer’s decision process, from plan to plate.

The report follows the customer journey – from the initial decision to leave the house and venue choice through to ordering, paying and finally leaving a review.

Download the report to discover:

• The new post-pandemic customer journey
• How digitalisation of the customer journey is accelerating
• What the new go-to channels are for consumers researching for places to eat and drink
• Customer preferences, expectations and frustrations in a post-lockdown world
• And much more…

About the data

This report is based on research findings from a sample of 1,004 nationally representative UK hospitality customers, aged 18 or over. The research was conducted from 2–6 April 2021.

The latest GO Technology report from Zonal and CGA reveals that, having accepted the need for technology in hospitality during the pandemic, consumers have discovered just how much tech improves every step of their hospitality journey.

From consideration, arrival to departure, technology now plays a role at every stage of the customer journey in venues with two in five (40%) of people agreeing that technology has improved their hospitality experiences.

The report identifies safety is no longer the main benefit of technology in hospitality for consumers. Instead people rated the top benefits as: speed and convenience (31% of people rated this as their top benefit), ease of ordering (29%) and tracking orders (17%).

Find out how tech can support the customer journey and how consumers views are driving the change. Download the full report to discover all the findings.

About the data 

This report is based on figures from Zonal and CGA’s GO Technology survey, a sample of 5,000 nationally representative British consumers. All figures are taken from the 2021 editions of the survey.

What’s next for technology in hospitality? COVID-19 has fundamentally transformed the relationship both consumers and hospitality operators have with technology. Our latest GO Technology research with CGA looks at how consumers’ use of digital solutions has evolved in the COVID era and which innovations are coming down the line in 2021.

Since summer 2020, three-quarters (76%) of consumers have pre-booked to eat or drink out in a hospitality venue and 45% are now ordering food and/or drinks on mobile devices when eating out – a trend which younger consumers are keen to continue. In fact, over half (56%) of 18- to 24-year-olds would prefer to order online even after the country has been safely vaccinated.

According to the report nearly a quarter of consumers have now ordered from platforms like Deliveroo and Just Eat more often than usual— double the number who said the same in April 2020 during the first lockdown.

About the data 

This report is based on figures from Zonal and CGA’s GO Technology survey, a sample of 3,000 nationally representative British consumers. All figures are taken from the Jan 2021 edition of the survey.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put digital solutions at centre stage in the consumer journey and hospitality’s safety precautions, but how have consumers reacted to this change when eating and drinking out? Zonal and CGA’s latest GO Technology report reveals its latest findings.

Before the pandemic, around a fifth (18%) of the 5,000 UK adults surveyed, said they typically used technology to order and pay for food and drink. However, that number has more than doubled to 43% since hospitality reopened emphasising the pivotal role that technology has played in hospitality since the end of the first lockdown.

Customers feel safer with order and pay technology

The GO Technology findings emphasise the very close correlation between digital ordering solutions and customer concerns over safety. Some 40% of consumers say they feel safer in venues that use order and pay technology, demonstrating how it has been an important tool in operators’ efforts to give people the confidence to eat and drink out during the pandemic. And this is a factor when choosing a venue with more than a third (34%) stating they would be more likely to visit a venue that has order-and-pay technology.

How have customer reacted to the change, what’s driving their behaviour and needs? Download the full report to uncover all the findings.

About the data 

The report is based on figures from Zonal and CGA’s GO Technology survey, a sample of 5,000 nationally representative British consumers. All figures are taken from the October 2020 edition of the survey. The frontline perspective is taken from a survey to CGA’s Hospitality Professionals panel.