4 proven ways to improve customer experience in your restaurant

Do you own a restaurant? You probably are, especially if you are reading this article. As a restaurant owner, your priority would be to serve tasty food. But having delicious food isn't enough for customers to keep coming back. You need to put more effort into making the experience of your diners delightful. When a person goes to a restaurant, it is the dining experience that lingers in his/her mind along with the taste of the food. Therefore, it becomes necessary for restaurant owners to ensure that they deliver the best kind of service to their customers.

According to a report by Zendesk Customer Experience Trends report 2022 talks about how critical it is for restaurants to render a delightful customer experience. Mature companies operating in the food industry have clearly understood the importance of rendering a good customer experience. These companies are spending a lot of time and money to win the loyalty of their present customers. Many academic studies have suggested that it is better to retain present customers than to acquire new ones.If this is achieved, “a business can easily transform a customer's loyalty into higher sales and revenue”.

Another way to win the hearts of today's diners is by making use of loyalty programs.Companies big and well are spending a volume of money on loyalty programs, Customer Relationship Management technology (CRM), etc as part of their customer retention strategy.

From our observation of partnering with over 400+ F&B outlets across Singapore, what many of these restaurants are missing out on is building a personal relationship with their customers. Customers typically want to feel appreciated and rewarded, and when a brand is able to provide customers with this sense of belonging, these customers will tend to stay loyal. As Singapore's leading customer loyalty solutions provider in the F&B space, we have identified effective methods to improve the customer experience of your restaurant:

Personalize the experience

To win the hearts of your customers, it is indeed very important to create a personal bond with them.Giving a personalized experience makes your customers feel special. Knowing their preferences, remembering their favorite dishes, etc. are simple examples of how to make a customized experience for your customers.

In order to do so, you'll need a robust CRM system that enables you to record your customers' purchase patterns and personal preferences. Upon collecting this information, you'll be able to cater your services to match the needs of your customers.

Be open to feedback

Having an accurate feedback mechanism is essential. It is because it helps you know about the areas that you lack in.do this by asking for feedback from your customers and critically analyzing their needs and wants. ​​Listening to your customers and allowing them to voice out their thoughts is a great way to ensure that you are prioritizing your customers. They will appreciate that their thoughts are being heard. To sweeten the deal, you can also offer a small incentive for those that take the time to leave a review. These incentives do not need to be extravagant - they can be as simple as a free dessert or a SGD10 discount voucher! Simple acts like these will make your customers feel valued and motivate them to visit your place again.

Connect with your customers

Connecting with your customers is something that you need to do at every step. In today’s world where everything is digitized,human connections are something that can be developed very easily. Running a restaurant would mean greeting the customer with a smile when they come. There can be many ways to establish a personal connection with your customers.

For example, you can send them special offers during special times of the year, like Christmas, Valentines Day, Mother’s Day, etc. Imagine if you sent a message to a working mother that she would get a free dessert and meal on Mother's Day. She is so busy fulfilling her responsibilities that she almost forgot to take care of herself. A simple gesture like the above would warm her heart and make her feel cherished. This will increase the likelihood of her continuing to frequent your brand, as she feels a sense of belonging and acknowledgement.

In today’s world of technology, maintaining relationships with the customers has really become hassle free and easy. Loyalty solutions such as Advocado has enabled over 400+ F&B outlets across Singapore to come out with enticing rewards programmes such as memberships, cashbacks, loyalty points, etc. to empower these brands in terms of adding more value to their customers.

Acknowledge the loyalty of your customer

As a restaurant owner, customer loyalty is something that you crave for. Who would not want a customer that dines with you again and again. A customer that keeps revisiting your restaurant is clearly exhibiting his loyalty towards you. So, showing gratitude in lieu of their loyalty is a must. This can be done in the form of customized rewards or offers.Thoughtful & relevant rewards go a long way in making customer interactions meaningful. Try and delight your customers in every possible way. For example, you can ask them to be indirect advocates of your restaurant by referring your restaurant to their friends and families and reward them when they do. The rewards can be monetary, like cashback, discounts, vouchers, etc., or non-monetary, like a free cold drink, a free scoop of ice cream, etc. All such rewards help to strengthen customer relationships.

Add CTA (e.g Improving a customer’s experience is the first step to ensure that your business is frequented. At Advocado, our forte is empowering F&B brands to enhance their customer experience through rewards, loyalty programs, and marketing automation, enabling them to remain at the top of their customers’ minds and staying loyal for many years to come.