Are you running a restaurant but lack the footfall to generate a good volume of sales online? The restaurant industry is seeing dramatic changes in 2020 to online ordering. The pandemic kick-started the movement but the shift will stay for the long-term.

By the end of 2020 orders placed by smartphones will be worth $38 billion. However, to take full advantage of how the restaurant industry is changing you need catering software with online ordering to run your business online. They act like a POS with an online shop front.  It will help you get more sales online, keep costs down, manage orders, showcase your menu and improve the customer experience.

The best catering software with online ordering out there, such as Flex Catering, also integrates with delivery companies. This integration allows you to sell independently of delivery apps such as UberEats. Hence, in this day and age it is highly recommended to invest in the right software to increase daily orders, reduce cost, gain efficiency and get ahead of the competition.

Why customers demand an online restaurant presence

Most customers will look for a restaurant online before visiting in-person. If you don’t have a website for your restaurant, then you will not generate those sales that you would have otherwise. Customers want to see the menu and reviews before arriving so they can decide if the food matches their tastes. Having an easy to navigate menu on your website gives people a reason to choose your restaurant – especially if you highlight trendy daily specials.

Clients may also be interested to see what your interior décor is like before visiting. Images help people get a sense of the atmosphere to match a restaurant based on their mood. Information empowers customers to make a choice, so it’s a no-brainer to create a website that can facilitate that purpose. As importantly, don’t forget to work on your reviews. Incentivise happy customers to give you five stars on popular review platforms.

Furthermore, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a sharp increase in online restaurant orders to eat at home instead of going out. Eventually, the pandemic will subside but the habits of ordering online from restaurants may not. It would help if you are well-positioned to take advantage of the shift to avoid getting left behind by where the food industry is going.

Advantages of catering software

We’ve established that an online presence is important, but how do you go about creating one? Websites are the clear choice because it gives you control. However, to give your restaurant the best chance of succeeding online you need the backing of catering software. Here is an overview of the advantages they bring:

• Manage your business: catering software goes beyond catering and taking orders online. It also allows you to manage your restaurant end to end when it comes to your online business. It is where you can track your orders, manage your customers through the CRM, integrate with payment gateway and more. Some catering software comes with an online ordering website module.
• Train your staff: Training new staff members takes time and resources. However, with catering software, you can automate the process. Staff can go through a learning process by logging in and completing modules. Once they have gone through the education material, then less effort is required to help them figure out their role in your restaurant.
• Improve profitability: Catering software helps you gather and analyze data to see where you can cut costs. For instance, there might be a specific meal that’s not selling well and offers the worst profitability on the menu. Based on this insight you can remove that meal for ones that will perform better.
• Elevates customer experience: a well thought online ordering module improves the customer experience by informing and allowing customers to check out faster within your preset rules such as cut off times and closure periods.  A robust online ordering system reduces the chances of customer issues and inaccuracies.
• Staff communication: Restaurant success depends on the team working in unison. Communication is improved as employees have a centralized system to share and view data. The actionable data reduces the chance of mistakes, such as taking orders that cannot be fulfilled because of insufficient inventory.
• Mobile: Communications is boosted further because most current catering software allows for the mobile view. It allows devices such as smartphones and tablets to connect with centralized software. Therefore, employees can take orders and the chef can instantly see the order to begin cooking or planning.

These are just some of the main advantages of catering software for your restaurant. You’ll find more benefits when you begin consultation and implementation. Find features that can improve your restaurant’s daily running to attract more business and leave customers satisfied at the end of their experience. Satisfied customers always come back.

Good quality catering software providers will offer a suite of features that makes improving your restaurant a straightforward process.

Final thoughts

47% of food operators share that moving to online ordering is a tough challenge. That’s because most restaurants build their business around the customer experience while they are eating at their physical location. Online ordering requires a different approach to succeed and does not allow the highlights of your physical location to give you a better chance.

An established and cost-effective catering software gives you the advantage you need to compete online in your marketplace. The combination of online ordering, better customer experience, improved profitability, mobile and easier staff training means there is a lot to like and gain.