These days, consumers want to be able to find and order everything online. Even making a phone call is too big a hurdle; they want everything at the click of a button. This makes sense because these days most entrepreneurs offer online services, so online ordering has become a habit. Want to hop aboard the digital trend of ordering and delivery platforms and beat the competition to it? The chefs at LLBG explain how.
Boost your turnover with ordering and delivery platforms
The advantages of working with ordering and delivery platforms
A partnership with an ordering and delivery platform offers many advantages for your hospitality and food business. First and foremost, you'll substantially improve the visibility and findability of your business. Potential customers looking for meals can discover your business and order from you immediately. Even if they are not familiar with your physical location. This means you can attract new customers and increase your brand recognition.
In addition, these platforms make it easy for potential customers to check out your menu, order and pay. This leads to an increase in the number of orders. In just a few clicks, they can order their favourite dish and have it delivered to their home. It encourages impulse buys and is great for your customers’ satisfaction levels.
Another great advantage of these platforms is that you gain valuable insights into the ordering behaviour of your customers with data. This data helps you to tweak your menu, prices and marketing strategy. In addition, the platforms offer new marketing and promotion opportunities. For example, push notifications, special deals or loyalty programmes. Another great way to stimulate impulse buys.
Which ordering and delivery platforms are there?
If you wanted to deliver meals to people's homes in the past, the only option was to get in your car or hop on your scooter and drive the food to your customers’ houses yourself. These days, there are lots of online platforms that take care of that for you. In addition, these platforms have many users meaning you can connect with lots of new consumers instantly.
These platforms include Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Take Away. All these platforms have apps and websites where users can order food based on their location and preferences. Payment is also made via the platform. Most platforms have their own delivery services.
It's important to know that you must pay for these services, even if you deliver yourself. You are using their brand recognition and customer base and therefore it makes sense to pay them a commission. The commission is usually fixed per order.
Important: using a delivery service? This means you have little control over the hospitality of the delivery person. So check your customers’ feedback to avoid negative experiences.
Tip: want to also prevent food waste? The ordering platform Too Good To Go gives you the opportunity to sell any leftovers.
How do you optimise your menu for delivery?
To maintain the quality of your products and dishes during delivery, it's important to optimise your menu for delivery. A few tips from our chefs:
Choose the right dishes: choose dishes that are suitable for delivery. Dishes that stay warm/lukewarm for a long time, don't perish quickly and don't lose their texture are ideal. Meals that cool down quickly or turn soggy should be avoided at all costs. Unless you have specific packaging or delivery strategies to prevent this.
Packaging: choose the right packaging materials that maintain the quality of your dishes. For example, use isothermal bags or boxes to retain heat and prevent spills. Don't place luxury dishes in aluminium dishes, use quality, sustainable packaging that looks good.
Presentation and instructions: present your dishes so they stay attractive when they arrive. Think carefully about how the dishes will look when the customer unpacks them. If necessary, add instructions for the customer if they need to reheat the dish or prepare it. For example, if you want to deliver a carpaccio pizza, it's better to provide the carpaccio in a separate container to keep everything fresh. Otherwise the carpaccio will turn grey due to the heat from the pizza.
Tip: don't forget to add any extras that your business offers. For example, mini breads for soups or delicious Italian breads such as focaccia or schiacciata for salads or pastas.
How do you convince online customers to order from you?
Just joined an ordering and delivery platform? Then you need to let consumers know that you are offering a new service. Most platforms advertise new businesses but you can also do your own marketing. Promotion on social media channels like Facebook and Instagram is always a good move. But be sure to include a link to the online ordering platform on your website.
Tip: let your existing customers know you deliver now as well. Then they can be treated to your culinary creations at home. Ideal for days when they'd rather enjoy their food from the comfort of their favourite chair.
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