The number of consumers choosing to use mobile payment wallets has surged in the last few months – particularly amongst younger people.
In 2020, according to UK Finance, 17 million people (32% of the population) had registered for mobile payments and, of those, 84% recorded at least one payment.
That’s a lucrative market with huge potential to expand. How does your operation capitalise on this trend? Easy, by offering mobile order and pay.
How does it work?
Mobile ordering and payment is so simple for your guests to use. It is available in two forms:
Scan, tap and pay
Simply present your customer with a QR code or NFC tag on the table which they can scan or tap to display the menu on their mobile device. They can choose and order their food and drinks onscreen at the table from an attractive digital menu.
When they are ready to pay they simply scan or tap again to bring up the bill which they can pay immediately. They can even split bills with their friends and tip the server – all from the mobile device.
The guest experience is unparalleled – the order is processed automatically via the restaurant POS software, the server is notified and the bill is automatically emailed to the guest.
It is secure too. The restaurant POS software closes off the table automatically so it is impossible for staff to enter the wrong amount into the system.
No more awkward grabbing of the server’s attention, no need for the server to present the bill and a mobile PDQ device – everything is transacted quickly on the guest’s own mobile.
Mobile branded apps
You can also offer a fully branded app experience. They get all the benefits of the QR code/NFC solution with all the benefits of a convenient app.
You can customise the app with your branding and key information such local taxis, a customised gallery and for groups it is ideal as they can provide information about all their sites in the app. You have total flexibility over how the app looks and you have the added benefit of gathering guests’ email addresses – great for marketing.
Loyalty programmes can be seamlessly integrated with the app and guests can accrue and redeem loyalty points effortlessly.
Check out the video below to see how our customer Chilled Pubs have created an engaging digital experience for their guests:
A sales and marketing machine
It is often said that diners eat with their eyes and with the mobile ordering solution you can create a much compelling presentation of your menu including the added attraction of video. Used in conjunction with digital signage and you are armed with a great selling tool.
The mobile ordering system becomes a key part of your sales and marketing toolkit in a number of ways:
Upselling – the solution can be pre-programmed to offer accompaniments. For example, the solution can suggest wine pairings and sauces to guests automatically.
Effortlessly increase the average guest bill without having to do any heavy lifting – you can set and forget it.
It makes it easy to order additional items – guests can quickly order more drinks or add desserts to their order – it is all sent through to the restaurant EPOS software.
Social media sharing and customer feedback – guests have the option to share their positive experiences through social media. You can also offer a survey to diners through the app for immediate feedback.
Continuously improve your operation – armed with this customer feedback you can improve your menu so that you create a stellar selection of top selling items.
Automate customer retention – with the mobile ordering and payment app you can fully streamline your loyalty programmes. Guests can automatically accrue and redeem loyalty points straight from the app. Gift card balances can also be added to the app too.
What are the advantages?
Many. The mobile order and pay solution offers these advantages to you and your guests:
Flexible – offer guests the choice of a branded app or online ordering via QR code/NFC tag.
Secure – fully PCI compliant and fully integrated with the restaurant POS software. CVV and address verification adds an extra layer of security. Card cloning becomes a thing of the past.
Easy to use – selecting menu items and quantities is simple and guests don’t need to download an app (unless they want to).
Low cost – no need to invest in expensive hardware. Easily scalable.
The guest is in control – they can choose how they access the service, when they want to order and when they want to pay.
Touch free – the mobile device never leaves the guest.
Efficient and environmentally friendly –the bill is sent via email to the customer.
Faster table turns – guests can pay when they want and leave the table as soon as they pay. No waiting around for a paper bill.
It’s safer – no need to pass paper menus around or handle cash or cards – it is far more hygienic all round.
Reduced chargebacks – billing is transparent as they have presented with all the charges upfront and as they need to sign in to the device to pay it is harder for guests to raise a dispute.
100% accurate – all elements for human error are removed from the process.
Increased tips – with the ability to pre-set tip percentages, guests tend to leave bigger tips.
Increased customer revenue – capture app users’ emails and spending patterns and use them for highly targeted marketing promotions.
Integrated loyalty – guests can accrue and redeem loyalty points straight from the app.
Upsell and cross-sell automatically – the app suggests relevant items to the customer during the ordering process.
Conclusion
Mobile ordering and payment solutions offer many advantages to you and your guests.
Guests have greater control over their payment experience, tables are turned faster, payments are 100% accurate and staff can concentrate on providing exceptional guest service leaving the restaurant EPOS software to take care of the admin.
With added features for upselling coupled with tight integration with loyalty programmes and you have a fantastic and inexpensive means to increase guest checks and their lifetime value.
Looking to the future, the mobile pay and ordering system forms a key part of today’s digital dining experience alongside kiosks and digital signage solutions. With its ease of deployment mobile ordering and pay can be a great first step in phased digital transformation strategy.
Check out the video below to see how restaurant EPOS software forms a key component of the digital experience.
