If your restaurant is still open, it’s because you’ve made adjustments. Everyone has had to. From streamlined menus to operational overhauls, there’s been changes across the board.
Chief among those changes is the priority that restaurant safety has taken.
According to a survey from AlixPartners (via FoodService Director), the majority of consumers (60%) are reducing their restaurant visits due to fear of coronavirus infection.
Want to assuage those fears? You need to make safety a priority, too. In August, I outlined the reasons why this is still so important for struggling restaurants. I also reviewed a few different ways restaurants can actively improve safety measures, starting with contactless solutions.
We’re all trying to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in any way we can. For restaurants, implementing contactless solutions is one of the best ways to mitigate risk and help customers feel safer.
Here’s three ways your restaurant can implement contactless solutions.
Digital Loyalty. I want to start off by talking about how “going contactless” means so much more in today’s restaurant industry than just setting up Apple Pay or taking a customer’s payment information over the phone. Part of going contactless means embracing digital tech to engage your customers in new, innovative ways.
With the ongoing pandemic, there’s never been a better time for your restaurant to take your loyalty program digital. Not only will a digital loyalty program keep your customers more engaged when you need them most, it’ll give you a direct line of communication so that you can keep them updated with all of your restaurant’s latest news, promotions, and more.
Digital Menu. What’s one thing pretty much every person in your restaurant is going to touch at one point? You guessed it. The menu.
Whether you’re sanitizing them between uses or just handing out disposable copies, you’re probably already doing something to ensure that your menu isn’t spreading germs around.
But here’s a better solution for you. With the right partner, you can set your customers up with totally contactless digital menus instantly. Almost everyone has a smartphone; 81% of Americans to be specific, according to data from the Pew Research Center. It’s the perfect way to show your menu off without having to worry about spreading the virus.
When you partner with CoGoBuzz, customers can check out your menu in a variety of seamless ways. Thanks to our powerful CoGoWiFi platform, you can send customers an automated text message right when they walk through the door, featuring a direct link to your online menu. But that’s not all. You can have your customers request a direct link via text with the keyword MENU. You can also use QR Codes, too. We’ve covered all the bases.
Still not convinced? Click here to find out more reasons why your restaurant should offer a digital menu.
More Off-Premise Options. While the pandemic has affected what we’re eating in a few ways, it’s really affecting how. Off-premise dining has become bigger than it’s ever been. And restaurants have been implementing contactless solutions in order to meet the demand.
According to research from the National Restaurant Association, 71% of restaurants are seeing off-premise sales that represent a larger proportion of total business than before the pandemic. It’s happening across the board, and restaurants need to implement the solutions to satisfy customers.
The association’s research found that curbside takeout has only been added by 67% of restaurant operators since the beginning of the pandemic. That might sound like a lot. But it also means one out of every three restaurants hasn’t implemented curbside takeout.
If restaurants truly want to make the most of the current situation, they need to do everything they can to ensure customers can get their food safely. Whether it’s through delivery, curbside, or drive-through, the more options for your customers, the better.
Succeed With CoGoBuzz
CoGoBuzz is here to help your restaurant succeed as it moves forward from the pandemic. Our state-of-the-art digital marketing service can help your restaurant build and maintain a strong base of loyal customers, which will ultimately help your restaurant survive.
Our service directly promotes your services to customer mobile devices. Leveraging advanced WiFi, SMS, and Email solutions, CoGoBuzz promotes your restaurant both in-store and out. It comes packed with a fully digital, text-based loyalty program, allowing you to let your customers know what services you’re offering – all with just a simple text. Click here to learn more about CoGoBuzz.
Whether you’re one of our current customers, or you’re interested in joining the CoGoBuzz family, we’re committed to helping businesses affected by COVID-19.
For current customers, we’re providing free text message service, allowing you to send a link to order online, purchase gift cards, and/or notify customers of new hours.
For new customers, we’re offering our hardware at cost, donating our services, time, and covering shipping costs. Prepare for the future with CoGoWiFi Free to collect your customers’ phone numbers. There are no contracts or monthly fees, and we offer unlimited customer data storage.
Message from our CEO
“From pricing to packaging, our mission has always been to provide customers with unbeatable value. That’s why, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, we are seeking to provide the most aggressive offers to help suffering restaurants survive. We believe that half of small restaurants will fail in the year after operations return to normal. The restaurants that survive and thrive will be the ones that win loyalty and focus on bringing customers back over the following year.”
– Steve Gould, CEO
Click here for more details on how we’re handling the crisis.
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What contactless solutions has your restaurant implemented? Let us know in the comments.