In order for restaurants to maximize their profits, they have to count not only on attracting new customers, but also on getting as many guests as possible to return. Loyal guests are a much more stable source of revenue over time. Of course, focusing on great service and good quality of products is necessary to achieve customer loyalty. But often, they are not enough. Guests want to feel valued and they will perceive restaurants as being more reliable when there is a relationship built between them.
User Accounts
Ordering platforms are becoming more and more prevalent in the restaurant industry. They offer a lot of opportunities for efficiency and higher turnovers. Furthermore, they also open new doors when it comes to customer interaction. Getting guests to create accounts and log in is a great way to get to know them and have them come back.
Restaurants can see who are their most loyal customers and know them by their first name. They can see what they usually order and are able to create customized offers and campaigns that they could be interested in. That is why it is in the restaurant’s best interest to create exclusive promotions for logged in users.
Discounts and Freebies
Loyalty campaigns encourage customers to make purchases in order to gather points, which they can later use to buy discounted products or receive free gifts. This mechanism has been used for years. But the innovation is integrating it with a digital menu, so all the points are now accounted for automatically.
In Zoniz Platform, guests can receive loyalty points and vouchers and then use their vouchers at the end of the ordering process to get their discount. This has been used by several restaurants to offer a free coffee for five coffee products bought.
Polls and Contests
Going to a restaurant is more than just enjoying the food, it is all about the experience. Offering fun opportunities to compete and win prizes is one way to ensure that guests engage with the business. Also, the restaurant can build a connection with its visitors. Engaging content can also be a useful tool to gather knowledge about customers, get their opinions and make them feel listened to.
One restaurant on Zoniz used Poll to learn where the guests have heard about the restaurant. They offered a free soda for each answer. Another fun campaign was a scratch card contest. People had a 50% percent chance of winning and the prizes were coffees, cocktails or desserts.
After one year of implementing Zoniz, one restaurant that used these practices had over 5000 customers who downloaded the app and kept it on their phone after being in the location at least once. They ensured their customer loyalty by attracting them with engaging content, fun contests and exclusive offers.