Rose Van Hemmen
As online orders become the norm, implementing an online ordering system is a necessary upgrade for your home food business needs. But with so many options, deciding how to manage your online orders can be overwhelming.
Knowing what to look for is the key to making sure you get the best out of your decision. Our guide will guide you through the selection process, informing your business to streamline operations and reach new customers.
Top Two Online Ordering Systems for Your Home Food Business: Finding the Perfect Fit
As a home food business, you have unique needs when it comes to online ordering. Let’s explore the two main options and see which one best suits you:
1. Third-Party Marketplaces: Reach a Wide Audience (But Be Prepared for Commissions)
These platforms, like Grubhub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats, are like online food courts. You list your products alongside established restaurants, gaining access to a vast customer base you might not reach on your own.
Pros for Home Food Businesses:
Instant Exposure: Get discovered by a large pool of potential customers who are already looking for food delivery.
Delivery Infrastructure: Leverage existing delivery networks, saving you the hassle and cost of managing your own drivers.
Marketing and Promotions: Benefit from the marketplace’s marketing efforts, potentially attracting new customers who wouldn’t have found you otherwise.
Cons for Home Food Businesses:
Commissions: These platforms take a cut of each order, which can eat into your profit margin. Be sure to factor in commission fees when setting your prices.
Less Control: You have limited control over branding and pricing compared to self-hosted platforms. Your offerings may get lost in a sea of other restaurants.
Competition: Standing out amongst established restaurants with larger kitchens and resources can be challenging, which may make this option less ideal for home businesses.
2. Self-Hosted Platforms: Build Your Brand and Keep More Profits (But Requires More Effort)
Think of these as building your own online storefront. Platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and FreshFind give you complete control over design, features, and pricing. You can create a beautiful and unique online space that reflects your brand and personality!
Pros for Home Food Businesses:
Higher Profits: You keep a larger portion of your profits, with much lower fees (potentially none, depending on the platform you choose).
Complete Control: You have complete control over branding, pricing, and menu items. You can create a truly customized ordering experience that reflects your business!
Build Customer Relationships: Collect customer data and build direct relationships with them through email marketing and promotions. This lets you encourage repeat business and foster a loyal customer base.
Cons for Home Food Businesses:
Setup and Maintenance: Setting up and maintaining a self-hosted platform requires some technical knowledge, time, and ongoing effort.
Marketing Your Storefront: You’ll need to drive traffic to your online store—consider social media marketing and local promotion to build awareness.
Delivery Logistics: You’ll need to decide on a delivery strategy. Will you handle deliveries yourself, or partner with a local delivery service? You can also offer local pickup instead, but this may eliminate a wider customer reach.
Remember, the best system depends on your budget, technical abilities, and desired level of control.
Why Choosing the Right System Gives Your Business an Advantage
Increase Convenience & Sales:
With a user-friendly online ordering system, you can turn interest into an instant sale, letting customers browse, order, and pay, all from the comfort of their couch. Online orders give you access to a whole new customer base who might not have the time or desire to call in to order.
Streamline Operations:
Stop the risk of human error with scribbled orders and rushed phone calls; an online ordering system lets you manage all your orders electronically, saving you time. You’ll have access to all the details whenever you need them—customer name, order specifics, pickup/delivery details—all neatly displayed.
Gain Valuable Customer Insights:
An online ordering system stops you from having to guess what your customers love by using analytics that track customer data. This information lets you see which dishes are the top sellers, identify customer preferences like dietary restrictions, and even pinpoint peak ordering times (throughout the day, week, or even year!). You can use these numbers to tailor your menu offerings, send out targeted promotions, and make informed decisions to grow your business.
Building a Winning Online Ordering Strategy: 6 Areas to Look Out For When Picking Your Platform
1. Features That Benefit Your Customers
A user-friendly and feature-rich online ordering system is crucial for attracting and retaining customers. Here’s what to consider to ensure a smooth and satisfying ordering experience:
Mobile-Friendly Interface: Platforms with a user-friendly mobile app or responsive web interface are an absolute must. Customers should be able to browse your menu, customize their orders, and pay securely with just a few taps on their smartphones or tablets—every interaction should be smooth and intuitive.
Clear Menu and Pictures: Make sure you can showcase your high-quality photos within your online ordering system. Full access to this customization gives you a chance to display your products how you like. Detailed descriptions are equally important, so a system that lets you easily highlight key ingredients, cooking methods, and portion sizes for your customers is key.
Customer Personalization: You should be able to let your customers personalize their orders. They can add extra products, share dietary restrictions, or choose specific flavours. Perhaps the platform even offers combo meals with customizable options! This gives you the chance to upsell while showing you care about customer preferences.
Diverse Payment Options: Your chosen system needs a variety of trusted payment gateways like Interac, major credit cards, or even secure mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay. Giving your customers multiple options means more freedom and a higher likelihood of satisfied purchases!
The pandemic has led to a lasting change, with 77% of guests now opting for contactless payments.
2. Integration and Automation for Efficiency
Streamlining your operations saves you time and money. Look for features that integrate with your existing systems and automate tasks:
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Integration with Website and Social Media: Customers should be able to transition effortlessly from browsing your Facebook page or Instagram feed to placing an order with just a few clicks. Look for platforms that offer easy integration tools and tutorials to make setup a breeze.
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Order Tracking and Notifications: Real-time order tracking and notifications are essential for a positive customer experience. Your system should let customers track the progress of their order, from confirmation to preparation and estimated pick-up time. You could even offer SMS notifications or email updates for added convenience.
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Order Management and Fulfillment: An efficient online ordering system should provide a clear and organized dashboard for managing all your orders. Look for features like order filtering, status updates, and the ability to print or export order details. This allows you to prioritize tasks, ensure timely fulfillment, and minimize order mistakes.
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Email Marketing Automation: Some online ordering systems offer built-in marketing automation tools. These tools allow you to send personalized emails based on customer preferences and past orders. Imagine sending an email to customers who have ordered your lasagna in the past, offering them a discount on their next order of pasta dishes! This personalized approach strengthens customer relationships and encourages repeat business.
3. Insights for Data-Driven Decisions
The right online ordering system can provide valuable insights to help you make informed business decisions:
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Customer Data and Analytics: Look for an online ordering system that offers built-in analytics tools. This lets you see what your customers are ordering, when they’re ordering, and even where they’re located (with their consent, of course!). This info can shape the products you offer and promote to different people.
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Integrated Analytics: Find a service with key metrics like sales trends, customer demographics, and popular menu items and use them to your advantage. If you see a surge in orders from a specific neighbourhood, consider targeted social media advertising to further reach that audience. Or, if customers use dietary restriction filters often, you can expand your gluten-free or vegan offerings. By leveraging customer insights, you can tailor your business to better serve your audience and maximize your success.
4. Deals, Promotions, and Advantageous Pricing
Attract new customers and keep existing ones coming back with features that incentivize purchases:
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Upselling and Cross-Selling: Many online ordering systems offer built-in features to help you upsell and cross-sell. This involves strategically suggesting complementary items or add-ons during the ordering process. For example, recommend a refreshing jam to pair with fresh bread, or suggest a decadent cake with homemade ice cream. Done subtly and strategically, upselling and cross-selling can be a win-win situation, increasing your revenue while offering customers a more complete dining experience!
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A Platform That Grows with You: As your business gains popularity, you’ll need an online ordering system that can keep up. Look for a platform that offers flexible plans that scale with your business growth. Some systems offer tiered pricing based on order volume, allowing you to pay as you grow. This is ideal for small businesses that want to get the most out of what they pay for.
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Discount Codes and Promotions: Look for an online ordering system that allows you to create targeted discount codes and promotions. This could involve offering a welcome discount to new customers or running special promotions during off-peak times to boost sales.
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Loyalty Programs: Great systems give you more than the basics, and can give you access to features like loyalty programs. These let you reward loyal customers through a program that offers points or discounts on future orders.
A recent survey found that 45% of customers would be more likely to use online ordering if restaurants offered mobile ordering or loyalty programs, potentially boosting revenue.
5. Advanced Features for Efficiency and Customer Engagement
Take your online ordering experience to the next level with features that cater to both your needs and your customers’ needs and wants:
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Pre-Ordering and Scheduling: Life can be hectic! Aim to offer convenience to your customers with pre-ordering and scheduling features. This allows them to order meals in advance for specific dates and times, perfect for busy work weeks or special occasions.
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Keeping Your Kitchen Stocked and Streamlined: Running out of key ingredients can be an unnecessary hurdle. That’s why a good online ordering system integrates with inventory management tools to track stock levels in real time. This allows you to adjust your menu offerings based on available ingredients and avoid overselling popular items.
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Multilingual Support: If you cater to a diverse clientele, consider a platform that offers multilingual support for menus and the ordering process. This opens your business up to a wider audience and fosters a sense of inclusivity.
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Customer Support: Even the most user-friendly system might encounter occasional glitches! Find a platform that offers responsive and reliable customer support through multiple support channels (phone, email, live chat) specifically geared towards home-based businesses.
6. Security and Peace of Mind to Protect Your Business and Your Customers
Security is a top concern when dealing with online transactions. Choose a platform that prioritizes data protection and offers peace of mind:
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Building Customer Trust with Secure Payment Processing: Security should be a top priority when dealing with online transactions. Ensure your chosen online ordering system has secure payment processing and follows the security requirements for protecting customer credit card information. This safeguards sensitive data for both you and your customers!
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Data Backup and Security: Look for a platform with data backup and security features to protect you and your customers’ info in case of a breach. Plus, regular backups make sure you can recover valuable business information in the event of a technical issue.
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Disaster Recovery Plan: Before choosing an online ordering system, make sure you know the platform’s plan should it run into tech issues. Knowing that your service cares about your business and is always prepared can let you relax when adding your offerings to their platform.
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