Developing Digital Ordering System: 5 Best Ways to Streamline it

When the hunger pangs hard- you probably order a Pizza or Burger or your favourite meal. 

Right? 

Food delivery apps can be your saviour as it satisfies your cravings and let people enjoy delicious meals at their doorsteps.

“With the increasing usage of the Internet and smartphone, the number of orders placed online has seen a massive rise in the last few years.” 

In order to stay ahead in the competitive business curve, more and more restaurant business owners are now adopting online solutions and setting up a smooth delivery channel for profitability. More than 44% of restaurant business owners have expressed that the implementation of technology solutions to their business has increased the profit. 

Ways to Streamline Online Ordering Process

Besides, comfort and convenience are the major reasons that encourage consumers to place orders online. But it is also a fantastic way for restaurants to increase sales and provide better customer experience and service.

Whether you are running a small restaurant or a large or only delivery outlet, you have invested a lot of time and money in developing digital solutions for your food business.

So it is important for you to come up with the best practices that will help you run your restaurant business smoothly and keep customers satisfied with your services. 

Here we have addressed a few tips to keep in mind for a smooth digital ordering system. Here we go. 

# Use Modern Technology for Online Ordering 

In this fierce competition, you have to be there where your customers are. Today, more and more customers order food online as it offers them comfort and saves time. A fully-featured online ordering platform for restaurants consistently woos them and attracts them to the restaurant. 

Earlier, restaurant managers were used to taking orders manually, fast and forward, coming back to the current scenario where customers can access the menu digitally and place an order within a few clicks. 

If you are a newbie to the food industry and want to increase your business’s visibility, it is imperative for you to adopt modern technology solutions that increase business reach and enable customers to place orders online. Digital ordering system offers several benefits such as, 

1. Automate entire restaurant operations
2. Reduce human errors
3. Shorten wait timings
4. Give customers a gastronomic experience. 

Make sure your digital menu is always up to date with delivery timings and areas fixed. You can modify it as per your requirements. 

# Painless Customer Checkout 

Credit goes to advanced technologies that enable restaurants to make the digital payment process easier and simpler as it was never before. There are various payment systems available in the market that allow customers to pay the bill without needing any human intervention. 

According to the research conducted by BlueSnap, around 2.1 billion customers use an eWallet to make a payment or transfer money. Therefore, it is important for your restaurant to offer a seamless checkout process with multiple payment options such as Visa/MasterCard, PayPal, etc. (source)

The payment options offer a wide range of choices to your customers; if you want to boost sales and customer retention ratio, offer a promo code or discount that adds excitement. Moreover, whatever payment option you offer, make sure it is safe and secure because any kind of security break may hurt your image in the market. 

# Provide a Summary of Cart Contents 

This is one of the crucial things to consider for a smooth digital ordering process. At the time of the browsing menu, consumers usually add a couple of items and then make the final choice. Hence, it would be good to show the contents of the order along with the total cost. It will remind customers what to add or whatnot. 

A short summary helps customers to see that their order is correct before they make payment and also means they don’t have to leave the cart to check anything. Going back and checking each detail can be frustrating. 

The standard practices are as follows:

1. Add image of what users are paying for
2. Add cost-related factors such as delivery charges, coupon prices, taxes, and final amount after all the deductions. 

So, providing a summary with price and order detail makes the overall digital ordering process smooth and error-free. 

# Don’t Use Too Many Fields 

People these days order food online and expect a user-friendly experience while placing the order. Sometimes, the digital ordering process can be harder on mobile, so restaurants are advised to work harder to remove unnecessary clutters that make the user experience poor.

Big signs and small screens cause accidental clicks, which waste time and makes users frustrated, so it is important to use only the necessary field. 

Overloaded information can hurt the user experience. This is why customers always prefer an uncluttered look when placing food orders. Thus, removing irrelevant fields is advisable. Opt for the bare minimum and ask for the vital information only, such as

• Name, address, eMail Id, and contact number
• Mode of payment- COD or Digital mode
• Discount details 
• Expected delivery time
• And other necessary information regarding the product 

This makes the overall experience nice and streamlines the digital ordering process. 

# Real-time Tracking 

One of the reports shows that a real-time tracking feature on a digital ordering system boosts conversion rate and sales significantly. Imagine how impressed customers are when they have all the information related to their order in real-time. It builds trust and fosters customer loyalty. It keeps them hooked on the product. 

Communicate with customers throughout the process and keep them up to date about their food order status. If there is any issue of delays, let them know immediately via call or email. Don’t keep them in the dark; it hurts your brand image. After the order placing, give them all the details about their delivery provider, estimated arrival time, and the delivery provider’s contact number. 

Final Say

Concentrate on the above key areas of the digital ordering system, and you will experience a smooth service most days. Research and embrace constant improvements. A smooth checkout flow, easy navigation, and multiple payment options increase your online food delivery business’s profits. Focus on these five aspects, and you are assured to be on the right track.