We have created Zoniz proximity platform in 2013 as an engagement tool used by municipalities, malls, expo centers, festivals and many others to connect with their audience. As a location based platform, its purpose was to send relevant content in the right place, at the right time. We constantly developed new functionalities for Zoniz and in 2019 we started creating the restaurant feature. At first, it was supposed to work as an extra service for restaurants included in our smart cities projects. But, as we added more functionalities, it slowly became our main focus.
Pilot Project
In July 2020 we implemented the new restaurant features as a pilot project at a restaurant in Cluj-Napoca. At first, ordering through Zoniz app was an option available for the guests, along with the classic printed menu. The staff quickly learned the new system and they discovered that the guests were able to order significantly faster. Shortly after, customers started ordering exclusively through Zoniz. The restaurant also used the platform for takeaway orders, reservations and different promotions: loyalty campaigns, vouchers, polls, scratch cards etc.
The pilot project was a great success. In July 2021, the restaurant had twice the number of orders and revenues, with the same number of employees, compared to the same month of the previous year. Over 5000 customers have kept the Zoniz app installed on their phone, after being in the restaurant at least once. Regulars order in less than 2 minutes after arriving. 2500 customers have participated in their active loyalty program through the app (buy 5 coffees, get 1 free).
New Features
After implementing Zoniz in a restaurant, we faced a lot of unexpected challenges. This has led us to constantly create new features to improve the platform. We created a mobile version for our order management app, new features for delivery and pick-up as a consequence of new restrictions following the Covid-19 health crisis, integration with online payment, as well as improvements to the menu feature.
In 2021 we started implementing Zoniz in new restaurants in four different cities in Romania. We also started expanding to Swedish and Dutch markets. With each new restaurant, we add new functionalities to the platform, as we realised the complexity of the industry, with every location having different needs. Restaurants are able to use Zoniz both as a complete solution or with integrations.
As safety has become a primary concern around the world, more and more restaurants are looking into adopting the QR ordering system. Zoniz has implemented and integrated all the necessary functionalities to offer a fast, efficient and complete solution.