Here are 5 Reasons to Choose Digital Ordering for F&B. As F&B businesses prepare to loosen dine-in restrictions amidst the pandemic, consumers have become more concerned about their health and safety. To make the dine-in environment safer for both customers and restaurant staff, businesses have come up with safety measures to prevent the spread of viruses and cater to increasingly health-conscious consumers. One of the most widely implemented measures is to minimise contact between the customer and staff through digital ordering.
What is Digital Ordering?
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Digital ordering allows restaurants to take down customer orders and receive payments remotely.
Digital ordering became a necessity during the Covid-19 pandemic. Consumers became more health-conscious, and governments around the world enacted lockdowns or regulated dining indoors. Digital ordering reduces the duration customers spend in close contact with restaurant staff and other diners. This mitigates the spread of viruses, such as Covid-19, and assuages diner’s concerns.
F&B businesses are steadily moving away from physical menus in favour of online ones. To access the online menus, the customer needs to scan the QR code provided in the store. Alternatively, the customer can type the restaurant’s URL into the search bar (also referred to as click-and-collect).
Customers will be able to browse the menu and select items to be placed into the check-out cart. They will have the choice to include any meal instructions, i.e. any customisations to the dish. Once they are done, they will choose their payment option and fill in their card details before submitting their order to the kitchen. The digital ordering system ensures a secure transaction and no payment details will be stored on any device.
Benefits of Digital Ordering
We have covered the basics of what Digital Ordering is. Let’s look at 5 Reasons to Choose Digital Ordering for F&B in Singapore by analysing the benefits.
Better Accuracy
Traditionally in F&B services, the waiter takes down the customer’s orders before translating them back to the kitchen. Evidently, there are two points where information is transferred which make the ordering process vulnerable to human errors. This results in a higher chance of miscommunicating information to the kitchen. Unlike traditional F&B services, digital ordering allows the customer to directly communicate their order directly to the kitchen. This reduces the chance of the restaurant getting orders wrong, thereby providing a better customer experience.
Quicker Table Turnovers
Digital ordering also speeds up the ordering process. By removing the middleman (the waiter), the process becomes simpler and more efficient. Furthermore, the customer would have already made their payment once the order is sent, hence they get to leave immediately after finishing their food. Therefore, restaurants can expect a higher table turnover rate which translates into more customers and higher earnings. This greatly benefits those operating at reduced capacity.
Increase Sales
Consumers place larger orders when they order online and bypass the waiter and cashier. Without face-to-face interaction, customers feel less pressured to make a “socially acceptable” choice. Thus, they order more online than in a physical store.
Digital ordering also gives you the opportunity to upsell and cross-sell your products. Customers are highly likely to spend more when offered a drink, side, or dessert before they check out. A single prompt is already boosting sales for large F&B companies, and it has the potential to do the same for smaller restaurants too. For example, you can boost your dessert sales when you upsell your sweet treats before customers check out.
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Save on Manpower Costs
Through digital ordering, restaurants would only have to employ a few service staff. Digital ordering eliminates the need for physical menus or receipts, as the customer is able to access those through a link. This frees up the workload of the service staff as they are only in charge of serving orders as well as maintaining cleanliness within the dining area. Therefore, the restaurant can reduce the number of service staff and in turn save on manpower costs.
Data Analysis
Restaurants can use the data collected from the digital ordering system to identify segments of customers with similar characteristics, then tailor personalised offers that build customer loyalty and retention.
How to Set Up Digital Ordering
Digital ordering may seem like an appealing solution, but how do F&B owners set up such a complicated system? Now that the components have been laid out above, let’s dive into the specifics.
Established digital solutions providers, such as SkipQoo, have proven to deliver consistently good results. They have over 5,800 clients worldwide, focusing mainly on the Singapore and Southeast Asian markets. Providers that have experience working with customers with a wide variety of needs will be well-equipped to address your concerns. Furthermore, it is beneficial to source for local providers to ensure smoother communication. SkipQoo also has a 24/7 support service, should you face any urgent issues with the system.
On top of that, digital providers, SkipQoo included, receive support from the government and private companies, strengthening their credibility. SkipQoo is an IMDA pre-approved digital solutions provider, which can reduce your costs by up to 80% with the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG). SkipQoo is also a member of the M1 Digital Transformation Alliance (DTA), which provides SMEs with sufficient support as they go digital.
Conclusion: 5 Reasons to Choose Digital Ordering for F&B in Singapore
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to deal blow after blow to the F&B industry, digital ordering services are becoming increasingly necessary for businesses to stay competitive.
Digital ordering has the potential to revolutionise the F&B industry. It is a powerful tool to increase your sales, reduce your costs, streamline your operations, and most importantly, show your customers that you are investing in your business.
Join other businesses and ride the wave that is sweeping across the F&B industry. Contact SkipQoo for more information and request a free demo to get a taste of digital ordering.