Online Food Ordering and Delivery System During Coronavirus Outbreak
The restaurant industry has suffered a huge loss as the number of cases of coronavirus is increasing and the restaurant dining halls are empty and more than thousands of people are facing the problem of unemployment since the coronavirus outbreak.
The impact of COVID-19 on the restaurant industry is terrible as there is no certainty when the situation will become normal. Small restaurants are facing a lot of problems such as lack of funds, shortage of inventory, etc., and many have been shut down temporarily due to COVID-19 but you can save your restaurant business during this crisis by opting for online food ordering and delivery services. Offering delivery services with a short menu can help you survive during and after the crisis. It’s useful to have a QR enabled online ordering and delivery system at your restaurant and it has a lot of benefits for your business.
What are the Benefits of Online Food Ordering for Restaurants
In the restaurant industry, online ordering was the section that was growing rapidly before the COVID-19 outbreak but during the COVID-19 outbreak, online ordering and delivery is the only medium through which restaurants are earning revenue during the lockdown going-on in the entire global world.
It is anticipated that it will prove to be an important source of business post-pandemic also. Not only it will help in increasing sales and enhancing brand value but it will have many other benefits; some of them are detailed below:
- Builds Psychological Connection with Customers: Food ordering and delivery apps are fulfilling the needs of many people during the crisis time. They are not only delivering the food in spite of the present-day difficulties but they are also serving their community at the frontline, particularly the delivery persons who are providing food to millions of customers. This all is building a psychological connection with the customers which is going to continue after the crisis is over.
- First Mover Advantage: A lot of restaurants across the country were not having their own online food ordering and delivery system and many were dependent on third-party aggregators. Due to the crisis, all have made a quick decision to set-up their own delivery service. All the establishments will have advantages of capturing new markets because they are early adopters of the technology. This was definitely going to happen but slowly but due to the coronavirus pandemic this change happened rapidly and suddenly.
- Lead to More Digitized World: The whole world is going to be more digital after the coronavirus pandemic is over. As businesses have been shifting to use the advanced technologies, online ordering and delivering systems have come into play and will be used more than ever before. People are also finding new technologies through which they can run their businesses more efficiently.
- Businesses can expand their Customer Base: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced those customers to use the online services who were not very much comfortable to use them before as it is the easiest and safest method to survive during the crisis. Restaurants can expand their customer base by reaching that market segment which was not using the online services before the pandemic. Businesses must need to pay more attention to their digital and e-commerce experiences currently. Businesses that are able to meet the needs and demands of the customers in this time are going to get their loyalty for lifetime as this is the most sensitive time.
Due to the crisis existing today, businesses have changed the way they were doing business on a daily basis. They are facing new challenges and are also finding ways to deal with them like changing their operational model, shifting to digital medium, pivoting their business, etc. The restaurant industry is also using this crisis as an opportunity to be at the frontline of this fluctuating business environment.
Features of a Good Online Ordering Platform
COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the significance of online ordering systems for restaurants more than ever before. Restaurants are moving from the offline to online ordering and delivery systems during this pandemic as people are staying at home to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. However, selecting which online ordering platform will be a perfect fit for your business is a daunting task.
There are many factors that should be considered before deciding which online ordering platform is best for you. Let’s have a look at some of those factors:
- Business Requirements: The very first thing which you need to consider are the needs of your restaurant such as who are your target customers, what is the volume of orders you can take on a daily basis, what is your budget, and so on. Well, it is also good to check out the platforms used by your competitors in the market. Once you have all the answers to the above questions you can begin to search the online platform that is best suited to you.
- Must Work on Every Platform: Online ordering platforms must be able to take orders from all platforms such as mobile apps, social media, website, etc. If your online platform is workable with all platforms then it can occupy customers from all the mediums because the digital landscape is extensive and diverse and customers will be more comfortable to order from different platforms.
- Offer Flexibility and Customization: An online ordering system must provide flexibility in terms of menu management and payment choices. It should allow you to add, delete or update any items in the menu and that too without any technical job. It should allow you to modify orders, keep track of stock, sales and cash flow. It should also allow for customization of mobile apps and websites according to your brand identity.
- Reasonable Price: An online ordering platform with all the essential features and that too at an affordable price is better than the others. A company that provides the customized packages as per the need of the restaurant with no hidden cost is much better. So, investing in an online ordering system is fruitful for the betterment of the business and especially in this crisis time when delivery services are high in demand.
- Additional Features: An online ordering system must also have some additional features such as in-built marketing modules that help with vital aspects of business such as loyalty schemes, discount coupons, etc. It must also allow access to real-time analytics to identify the taste and preferences of customers so that customized messages can be sent to the customers. These modules are important for every restaurant business.
