Part of running any successful business is making it easier for customers to purchase your product.  It’s the same for restaurants. 

As Rob Hough, of Technisource, said in a recent QSR article, “Sometimes technology can boost customer experience." 

We agree, especially if an improved customer experience makes it easier for customers to make a purchase.  So, the question is: How does NetWaiter improve the customer experience?  We polled some clients to hear what they have noticed with their customers.  Here is what they shared:

Denise Pontillo of Pontillo's Pizza, with multiple locations in New York, says that it's all about convenience.  "We get a lot of customers ordering from the office.  They don't want to get on the phone at work, so they get online, sometimes from their cell phone, and schedule their pick-up or delivery.  The convenience is what they are looking for."

Steve Osterholz of The Jackson Underground Cafe, in North Carolina, agrees and says, "It's all about convenience.  People really like it.  They are creatures of habit.  NetWaiter automatically has their last order in the system.  Customers love to just re-order.  It is a more convenient platform to use."

Mark Forinash of Cafe Moxo in Springfield, Illinois, reveals that his customers’ convenience really pays off.  "We've seen online ordering ticket sizes double.  When customers call in, there is a lot of background noise.  Employees try to take their time, but they're often in a hurry.  Unconsciously, the customer keeps the order short.  With NetWaiter though, people can take their time and go through the menu at their own pace."

Andrea Snyder of Urban Cookhouse, with multiple locations in Alabama, says that online ordering results in larger orders for her restaurants too.  "We use NetWaiter for our catering business.  A lot of pharmaceutical reps and law offices order from us.  When these large orders come in via telephone, customers often try to negotiate, which cuts into our profit margin.  Catering orders coming in online, however, obviously bypass that process.  The customers are happy to trade saving a few dollars for the convenience NetWaiter provides them."

Customer is king in any business.  By encouraging your takeout customers to use NetWaiter, their improved experience will lead to your improved bottom line.

With the widely recognized importance of social media, NetWaiter recently introduced another Facebook integration, called the NetWaiter Ordering App for Facebook.

With NetWaiter’s new Facebook App, customers are able to place orders directly from a restaurant’s Facebook page.  When customers visit a restaurant’s Facebook page, they can simply click “Order Online” and place their order.

According to a recent study by the National Restaurant Association, more than 95% of restaurant owners and managers acknowledge they will be on Facebook within two years.  "Social media is an increasingly popular way for restaurants to connect with customers,” said Jared Shimoff, a Sr. Director at NetWaiter.  “The new NetWaiter Ordering App for Facebook provides restaurants more exposure and allows customers another easy way to place orders,” added Shimoff.

This new Facebook App is not NetWaiter's first foray into social media.  In 2010, NetWaiter became the first online ordering provider to integrate Facebook into the ordering process.  When a customer orders online from a restaurant using NetWaiter, they can click a Facebook icon to quickly login and complete their order.  With the customer’s permission, a post is made to their wall/timeline that lets their friends know about their recent order.  The post includes the restaurant’s logo and a link for the customer’s friends to view their menu and also order.

The NetWaiter Ordering App is easy to install.  Restaurants can start the installation process from their NetWaiter Management Console and have it working on their Facebook page immediately.