Contactless Ordering may have been a major influx within the pandemic but it's a method that's here to stay. The pandemic forced hospitality owners to adapt, dramatically change and move quickly to keep up with the ever-changing trends, government regulations, and customer expectations. There are three major methods of providing contactless service within a hospitality business; Mobile Ordering, QR Codes, and Kiosks.
Mobile Ordering
The process of Mobile Ordering was brought about as a delivery method, a company would produce a web-app or downloadable app which allows the customer to place an order for delivery. Companies that don't offer delivery as an option may not have considered this as an option. However the option to collect has become more popular within the recent popularity of contactless ordering, it's now a lot more common for someone to order ahead for collection than walk to their favourite food hotspot, have to order then wait.
Mobile Ordering is a time-efficient, convenient method for customers to order. Customers now no longer need to ring the restaurant to place their order, they can simply pre-order on the app to collect when they want. Using an app also gives the restaurant an online presence and the option to collect more reviews and ratings from customers.
The SPARK Mobile Ordering app is a web-app which allows the customer to access their account and place an order without downloading an app. Within this app the customer can order, review the business, view current offers, create a reservation, and view a digital menu. One major feature of the app is the Customer Loyalty and Offers. Within the customer's account they can collect loyalty points through purchases and be rewarded. Customers can also view current food offers and even buy codes with their loyalty points, every feature except Ordering can be accessed even when the business is offline.
QR Codes
The need for contactless ordering within the pandemic has created a resurgence of a platform that had never quite made a hit, QR Codes. In a business where tech can be expensive, QR codes became a method of creating contactless service between staff and customer. A QR Code is a Matrix Barcode created to hold data and is most commonly used within hospitality as a method to provide customers with a link to an online menu. The customer simply points their mobile device camera towards the QR Code, it should then open up a site which allows them to enter their table number, read the digital menu then place an order.
Using QR Codes as a seamless method to provide less or even zero contact service is the cheapest option. A business simply needs to pay for the service to print the QR Codes and pay to provide a web-app for the customer to order from. This order method allows for speedier service and also allows the customer to order as many times as they want instead of the menu being taken away and the staff having to be flagged down for service.
Kiosk
Self-ordering kiosks aren't new, prior to the pandemic many major chains like McDonalds introduced Kiosks in all their restaurants with great success. With this experience the general public have learnt how to adapt and use this new trend which was much needed for the great boom from the post pandemic. Kiosks are now an often used method in places of business that can afford them.
With customers using kiosks instead of having to verbally place an order to staff, the element of miscommunication that may have previously occured will be gone. Orders will be more accurate as they can be placed by the customer then checked by the customer. Accuracy is not the only benefit, money will also be saved through labour, staff can now be reassigned to other tasks that will eventually increase sales and customer satisfaction.
SPARK Kiosks are a modern and sleek technology that are essential for ultimate contactless service. Through customisable menu screens, customers can place an order which will be immediately sent to a SPARK KDS and prepped for the customer. A SPARK Kiosk is fully integrated with all other devices in the SPARK ecosystem which means things like stock control, menu information, and promotional offers will be synced across devices in real-time. With the inbuilt scanner, customers can scan their QR Code to access their account or use a previously provided voucher to get discounted food. The SPARK Kiosk is a quick and convenient user-friendly ordering method which provides greater productivity, better service, reduce contact points, limit human error and ultimately reduce queues.
The shock of the pandemic took a great toll on hospitality businesses but when restrictions were lifted and customers were allowed to dine again, to reopen hospitality, businesses needed to adapt to the change. Contactless dining technology has become a must for businesses that want to attract customers. Previously people may have looked for a business with great customer service and staff who make you feel special. However, now customers look for a business which might provide zero customer service as they want to dine without any contact. A hospitality business needs to have some method of contactless service to cater to its audience.
Check out SPARK's Contactless Dining Technology to see which method fits your business.
