Technology

How to build, analyze and transform post-pandemic customer experiences

Fast casual restaurants need to master a hybrid between physical and online services. This need will continue to grow in importance.

Image provided by iStock.

September 8, 2021

Customer expectations have evolved more in the past 18 months than in the past 10 years, thanks to technology changes and the coronavirus pandemic.

Health, safety, accessibility and intuitive customer journeys have all made an impact on what customers expect from a brand. In response, many restaurants have implemented new or expanded experiences such curbside pickup, QR codes and other pandemic-led concepts.

Jared Norris, vice president of operations at Chatmeter, and Scott Compton, senior analyst at Forrester, offered a wealth of tips on how restaurant brands can transform the customer experience in the post-pandemic world. Elliot Maras, editor of Kiosk Marketplace, served as moderator.

The webinar covered how to assess the effectiveness of the customer experience, where to apply your digital transformation efforts and how to stay agile amongst changing customer expectations.

Physical and digital hybrid format

As many fast casual operators already know, restaurants need to master a hybrid between physical and online services. This need will continue to grow in importance.

Compton noted that by 2024, 72% of U.S. retail sales will still be in stores, which is a good indicator for what will be in restaurants.

But U.S. retail mobile commerce will grow 15% annually through 2024, and mobile is already the primary path for to-go orders.

"If you're not focusing on mobile, you're running a little bit behind," he said. "The consumer mobile use cases are expanding, and they're doing so pretty quickly."

For adults who began ordering online during the pandemic, 40% said they will continue to do so.

What drives consumers?

Consumer expectations have also changed.

"Price is still a primary consideration for you buyers," Compton said, as 27% of adults order directly from a restaurant because they view it as the least expensive option, while 26% of adults like having as many ways to order as possible from a restaurant.

Seventeen percent said they wished they could order from restaurants via mobile mapping apps, and 13% said they would like to order food or beverages from electric vehicle charging stations.

Consumers presently use delivery apps more than restaurant apps, as 54% use DoorDash and 39% use UberEats versus 34% that use a restaurant app or website.

"That's an indicator for an opportunity," Compton said.

Grocers on the move

One reason restaurants need to address these changes is that grocery stores are aggressively expanding into the mobile order business.

Grocers have the advantages of extensive loyalty data, Compton said, and they are also growing their digital teams quickly. They also offer curbside pickup and delivery, as well as meal kits and hot grab-and-go food.

Many restaurants have already gotten the message, as 28% are adding or improving mobile services, 24% are improving store customer experiences and 21% are improving omnichannel experiences, Compton said. This is the first time that adding or improving mobile was the most active option taken, he said.

Restaurants need to show up for all the mobile customer queries, such as "gluten-free options near me," he said. They also need to post order status messages.

Secret weapon: customer ID

The "hidden secret of mobile," Compton said, is the customer ID,

"It enables behavior tracking in and around that restaurant, it gives you a mechanism to gather personalization preferences, you can use it to support 'just walk out' experiences or very easy digital payments... and it helps build trust over time because you're adhering to those privacy preferences."

Direct the customer journey

Norris focused on using technology to take control of the customer journey.

"You need a way to adapt to what customers are expecting now at each phase instead of reverting back to what you were doing prior to the pandemic," Norris said. "Foot traffic is not a primary driver anymore."

Customers want to know brands' values, including how they address health and safety and how are treating their employees.

"Make sure you're empathetic to what they're experiencing, that you hear what they're telling you, but also take that opportunity to think about how it's also going to impact other future customers," Norris said.

It is also important to turn negative experiences into positive ones, which Norris said is the primary driver of loyalty. If you need to close because of pandemic restrictions, be sure to let customers know on your Google listing.

Google posts have expanded, he said, giving restaurants more opportunities to engage with customers and build trust.

Yelp also allows businesses to provide updates on vaccination statuses.

Norris further cited the importance of focusing on loyal customers, such as having incentives for them. It is important to know what these customers want in order to personalize their experiences more.

"Once you isolate your loyal customers, it's important to ask them for feedback," he said.

To listen to the webinar, click here.