Australian Foodservice is perhaps one of the most competitive industries around, garnering thousands of new participants each year all willing to take the chance their venue will be one of the lucky 51% to survive more than 3 years.
Fantastic, on-trend food is one thing that keeps customers coming back, but what about how you serve your food? How are you reviewing and perfecting your customer service? Are you utilising technology to offer a better, cost-effective way to order, deliver and pay for meals? And are you keeping up with the needs of the growing number of Gen X diners?
THE BIG PICTURE
In January 2014, 65% of the entire Australian population used a smartphone and of this, a massive 90% of smartphone users searched for local business information via their phone. With restaurant and foodservice searches taking up the majority of local business searches on smartphones (24%), the statistics paint a not so pretty picture for the majority of foodservice outlets.
In fact, only 1 in 5 Australian websites are mobile optimised (according to statistics taken from We Are Social: Global Digital Statistics 2014). With a potential reach of 13,023,563 people, making your business site mobile friendly should become your number one New Year business resolution.
Read on to learn our top survival tips for the 2018 foodservice industry.
HOW DO POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS FIND YOU?
OLD: pamphlet/ menu drops, radio advertising, local newspaper ads
NEW: Not only having a website but ensuring it is mobile optimised is one sure-fire way of knowing potential customers will be able to find you. But getting online reviews on places like Urbanspoon, Yelp & Facebook are as important, if not more. According to Keep It Local Project, 74% of internet users read online reviews before making dining decisions. Word of mouth is great, word of keyboard is even better.
HOW DO CUSTOMERS PAY FOR THEIR MEAL?
OLD: Cash only, $10 minimum, no split bills
NEW: 15 years ago, 90% of payments at restaurants were made with cash – today more than 90% of customers pay with card, meaning a complete transition in customer payment behaviour in just over a decade. But with the rate of smartphone usage exploding in just 3 years, mobile payment is set to be the next big thing. Don’t fight it- embrace these changes! Mobile payment services are quick and convenient for the customer and staff, plus it will allow you to collect data on buying decisions, allowing you to improve your menu based on measurable, definitive data.
HOW DO YOU COOK YOUR FOOD?
OLD: Full kitchen equipment, large space
NEW: Let me say this first: if you have space, there is nothing wrong with a full commercial kitchen equipment (it’s fantastic!). But for many operators, this type of kitchen takes tables off the floor and money from your bottom line – in fact, according to Restaurant & Catering Australia, 53% of operators saw a decreased profit over the last 3 years. Save time, money and labour by investing in smart, multifunctional equipment. Speed Ovens cooks oven-quality food in the same time as a microwave and can be located the front of the house, operated by wait staff yet still providing perfectly cooked, deliciously crisp pies, focaccias, pizzas and more.
For the back of the house, you can’t go past RATIONAL’s VarioCookingCenter® which boils, fry’s, deep fry’s up to 4 times as fast, using 40% less energy and up to 90% less oil. A commercial cook top, commercial deep fryer, commercial bratt pan, commercial kettle & commercial pasta cooker all in one unit – need I say any more?
HOW DO YOU STORE YOUR FOOD?
OLD: Plastic ice cream tubs, cheap shelving, lots of waste
NEW: Reducing food costs can be as simple as ensuring food is stored safely to extend shelf life and avoid spoilage. commercial Vacuum sealing food extends a product’s shelf life whilst maintaining quality. For food storage and shelving, Cambro has an extensive range of HAACP compliant products that store food safely and reduce food wastage. Less waste means less money spent on replenishing food.
WHAT KIND OF LOYALTY PROGRAMS DO YOU OFFER?
OLD: repeat visit loyalty card, buy ten get one free
NEW: whether you decide to go with a pre-existing platform or design your own, there’s no denying that hole punched loyalty cards are out – with loyalty apps being the next big thing. There are fantastic business-ready apps already out there (ie Wealie), but by investing in your own business’ loyalty app, you can track food preferences, offer queue skipping services, send automatic check-ins to a customers’ Facebook page and even incorporate a payment page. As Flurry Analytics records, 86% of the time smartphones are in use, owners are operating an app, indicating a clear preference for apps.
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