Research from the National Restaurant Association indicates that technology, including restaurant online ordering, is playing a larger role in how restaurants attract more customers.

A quick look at some of the information reveals that:

•    36% of customers say they are more likely to use technology options in restaurants than they were two years ago.
•    65% have noticed that restaurants offer more of these options.
•    8 in 10 consumers agree that restaurant technology enhances convenience.
•    7 in 10 say it speeds up service and increases order accuracy.
•    About one-third say that technology options compel them to choose one restaurant over another.
•    About one-third also say that technology options cause them to order takeout and delivery more often.

And interestingly enough,  
•    45% say that technology makes interacting with restaurants more fun.  

In a recent survey by the National Restaurant Association, more than half of the individuals who have not used online ordering say they prefer dealing directly with people.  The good news: you know their objection, and now you can address it.

Here are some tips to make the online ordering experience more personal:

•    Encourage employees to address customers by name when they pick up their order or during a delivery.  Their name is already included with their order information.  Try to connect with them as personably as possible - treat them like a customer, rather than an order number.

•    During a pickup or delivery, employees can also acknowledge special requests – “Your dressing is on the side, just like you requested.”

•    Periodically, at the beginning of the day, have a manger contact a customer that had a large takeout order the night before.  Inquire about their experience and how they enjoyed their food.  Whether by email or phone, you may learn some valuable information.  At the same time, customers will be pleasantly surprised that you contacted them to check on their experience.

What impresses customers is the unexpected.  All you need is a few delighted customers to post something nice online and to tell their friends.  It’s only a matter of time before the customers that prefer to deal directly with people realize it’s time to start ordering online.

You may have noticed NetWaiter recently released some upgrades to its restaurant online ordering system.  So far, the customer feedback has been great and we hope you’re hearing good things too.  Here are a few of the upgrades:

More Attractive Site – NetWaiter has created a smoother, more attractive site for customers as they navigate their way through your online ordering site.  The general ordering process has not changed much, however, please feel free to evaluate your custom site design to determine if any ‘refreshing’ may be warranted.

Enhanced Mobile Ordering – Your site is now more user friendly on mobile devices.  Your previous mobile site has been upgraded for easier navigation and performance.  NetWaiter has also extended the Group Ordering feature to be available from mobile devices.  Previously, customers could only join a Group Order from their mobile device.  Now you can initiate a Group Order from any device/computer.

Stronger URL Branding – Previously, when a customer visited your NetWaiter online ordering site, the URL would be shown as www.netwaiter.com/Your_Restaurant. Now, your restaurant name is shown first, to better reflect your restaurant and brand: Your_Restaurant/netwaiter.com.  You do not need to make any changes to the links you have on your website – customers will automatically be redirected.

For restaurants that do a lot of catering, online ordering can be a boon.  NetWaiter can make the process easy for both restaurants and customers - allowing them to look through your menu and easily place large catering orders.

Here are some considerations for running a successful online catering operation:

1.    Let people know you cater.  Mention catering in all of your advertisements – you can even include the information in your on-hold message.  Highlight your catering business on your website so customers can read about it and so it gets picked up by search engines.

2.    Add a catering link to your website.  A recent article in Restaurant Hospitality pointed out that this serves two purposes. First, those looking for catering can find it quickly. Second, the link serves as a reminder to regular visitors that you offer a catering option.

3.    Offer a full catering menu.  Some restaurateurs treat catering as an afterthought, offering the menu as a PDF.  With NetWaiter, however, you can automatically turn your catering menu into an interactive online ordering site.  NetWaiter’s built-in controls let you set minimum ordering quantities for particular items, preset specific portions, and you can indicate the specific amount of advanced notice needed for each order.

4.    Think about rewarding the person who orders.  Selecting a restaurant for an office catering job isn’t often the boss’s decision, but somebody in a support position.  Think about rewarding them with a discount (or tasty dessert) for choosing your restaurant.

5.    Catering orders can be critical.  Every order is important, but catering orders are often for special events or business meetings.  It gives your restaurant the opportunity to impress a lot people.  On the same note, it can be really bad if something goes wrong.  Make sure you follow through to ensure everything is prepared properly.