Post-COVID years have seen the ushering in of online food ordering as standard practice, and for catering businesses, online ordering has taken on crucial importance. Online ordering gives your customers a convenient way of engaging with your business, improving sales, and enhancing customer experience. This approach accommodates anyone who needs a streamlined food ordering system and not just tech-savvy users. As a result, it has become a must-have feature for any catering website.
In this article we’ll explore the main reasons why your catering business needs a robust online presence.
If your company lacks an online platform, now’s the right time to reconsider your decision. Here are the main advantages of using the internet for your food delivery activities:
Today’s hectic pace of life often forces customers to place last-minute orders. Consequently, old ordering methods via phone, email, and fax don’t suffice. People don’t have enough time to fill out their orders and wait 24 hours for a response.
To meet customer expectations, your catering business needs greater flexibility and rapid transactions. Moving your business online is the best way to achieve this since it allows for quick orders and payment processing.
Furthermore, younger generations are more comfortable with online food ordering. Generation X and Z prefers curbside pickups and is eager to choose a new catering business if it supports this feature. Thus, embracing an online approach allows you to target a large audience.
Phone ordering and manual input are prone to numerous mistakes, leading to the loss of critical data. Alternatively, customers can amend catering orders effortlessly with online ordering, thus reducing errors. Additionally, you can check the system at any time and make sure you’re dispatching the right items. This can save you a lot of time and money.
With a polished website, your team can focus on their main duties rather than deal with distracting phone calls and emails. This is especially true for catering where employees can waste a lot more precious time than in a takeout setting. This arrangement isn’t usually viable for businesses because it relies heavily on ultra-efficient staff.
But with online ordering in the mix, your employees can zero in on their duties and eliminate distractions. Therefore, there are lower costs associated with hiring more people to do the work.
Online ordering can massively improve client experience with digital support and continuous customer services. It bolsters appeal for your brand and helps build loyalty.
Whether working with third-party providers or building your own ordering system, your website needs to be intuitive and mobile-friendly. These aspects allow your customers to place orders from any location across multiple devices, scoring you points with your target audience. With 56% of orders coming via online channels for current FoodStorm retailers, ensuring your ordering website is functional and easy to use is imperative.
You should look for other features, too. For instance, FoodStorm comes with powerful online ordering tools that let you include different menus and pricing for individual clients. Both retail and wholesale buyers can get tailor-made menus based on their location or end customer. This delivers a more personalized approach.
Regardless of how many features your webpage offers, the ordering process should run smoothly from start to finish. The platform should process customer information without a hitch and prevent delays. The result is a higher chance of clients returning to your catering business.
Having insight into valuable data can solve many mysteries, such as getting to know your customers and understanding their purchasing habits. With this information, you can further enhance your client experience, improve marketing strategies, and boost sales. By having customer data, you can personalize offerings, furthers cementing their loyalty to your business with information relevant to them.
To leverage these details, you’re best off integrating with an online ordering platform. It enables you to capture email addresses, order preferences, phone numbers, and other essential factors. The data can be used to directly market your services and provide customers with frequently ordered items. In turn, your clients will appreciate this personalized approach and be more likely to return on a regular basis.
One of the easiest ways to gain an edge over your competition is to establish a solid online presence. It leads to a better user experience, retaining more customers and generating more sales.
To find out more about how online operations can help improve your catering business, reach out to FoodStorm. Rely on our immense experience and discover the best practices in the industry.
Disclaimer: This article has been updated June 2024.
