Running a restaurant business can be stressful, especially when you are trying to build your brand. Many restaurants today are struggling to give their customers a great dining experience.
Whether you just started out in the restaurant business or have been running one for quite some time, you probably know how valuable your customers are. After all, it is the loyalty and trust of your customers that helped you build your small business in the first place. So, there can be no price tag on customer satisfaction.
This article lists 7 ideas on how to improve customer experience in your restaurant.
1. Keep your team happy.
Restaurants are businesses built on people. The people who work there have lives and families to take care of. So, it’s no surprise that employee happiness is crucial to running a profitable restaurant.
At the most basic level, happy employees equal happy customers. When your team is happy, they’re more likely to go the extra mile to help you sell food and drinks. That means you’ll spend less time worrying about how things are going and more time making sales.
But employee happiness goes a lot deeper than that. Your staff is the backbone of your operation. They keep the place clean, take care of customers, and take care of the kitchen.
2. Offer online ordering and reservations.
The internet has changed everything, but most people don’t realize how much it has changed the restaurant industry.
It has given consumers more choice. They can pick a restaurant based on reviews, photos, menu, and hours, as opposed to relying on an advertisement. The internet has also allowed restaurants to reach customers better, from allowing them to schedule reservations online to using digital coupons.
For all of these reasons, the customer experience is more important than ever. Today’s customers expect certain levels of service — good, fast, and cheap — and it’s up to you to deliver them.
3. Implement a loyalty program.
One of the best ways to improve your customer’s experience with your restaurant is to invest in customer engagement solutions and implement a loyalty program.
You’ll be able to gain insight into your members’ preferences, personalize and optimize your offers based on their spending habits, and grow your relationship with them. Ultimately, this will encourage your customers to return to your restaurant, spend more, and bring in more revenue to help your business grow.
4. Offer the flexibility of payment options.
It’s easier than ever for customers to pay their bill, so make it easy for them to pay it. Some restaurants have numerous payment options, including cash, a check, credit cards and checks, and debit/credit cards.
Think of your customers, as well. Do they usually dine alone, with a date, or as a group? Some might prefer to pay ahead or to split the bill. Make it a goal to make the experience as seamless and as hassle-free as possible.
5. Give customers some birthday cake.
People love personalised experiences and free food. What better way to enhance your customers’ experience than by giving them a special treat for their birthday? This shows how much you value them as a customer. It’s a small token of appreciation on your end that can go a long way for your customer.
Plus, when your customers come back to claim their free birthday appetizer or dessert, they’ll likely bring an entourage of family and friends with them. They’ll take photos of the special occasion and post it to their social media channels, too.
They’ll get a great meal and a free birthday perk, and you’ll benefit from the added sales. It’s a win-win.
6. Ensure accurate wait timings.
It might seem obvious that restaurants need to have an accurate wait, but making sure you have the right wait times goes beyond making sure you have the right number of tables for the number of customers.
One way to ensure that the wait times are accurate is to use point-of-sale systems or mobile apps that have table-booking features. When a customer books a table, the system can alert the waitstaff that the table will be ready at a given time. The waitstaff can then proceed to the table, ensuring that the wait time is accurate.
You can also keep your customers busy while they wait. Many restaurants offer complimentary bread or a light snack for the customers while they wait for their order. Put a TV in the waiting area so that they do not get bored and never want to come back. Make sure that your waiting area has access to Wi-Fi. You can also have table games in your restaurants to keep the customers busy during the wait time.
Streamline the Wait.
7. Provide an outlet for feedback.
Just as it’s important to provide good customer service throughout your business, it’s equally important to give customers a place to vent.
Look for customer feedback forums on sites like Google My Business and Facebook. Many consumers feel more comfortable vocalizing their complaints on public forums than they do in person. Once your customers are happy, they’ll likely become lifelong clients.
By providing this service, you are taking the time to create your reputation as an excellent company that is willing to go above and beyond. This increases customer loyalty and will yield useful opinions for you about how to improve your business practices.
AND NEVER FORGET: GOOD SECURITY
Here at Zagame Security Group, we make sure that the security guards we have are fully loaded with the competencies needed to provide the strongest security for our clients. You’ve put in the work to grow your business – let’s not let it go to waste.
Secure your establishment with Zagame Security Group today. Contact us today at 1300 989 676 or at our website for a FREE quote!
