If an operator chooses a platform with an open API, it can be integrated with complementary technologies such as EPOS or loyalty solutions. These also collect data, which, when considered alongside data from the ordering platform, provides a rounded picture of individual customer and group ordering trends.
Data can be used in a variety of ways: it can inform stock management and trend forecasting, it can be applied to loyalty programmes and vitally, used to inform personalised marketing campaigns.
Marketing
Data provides a measure of how customers think, feel and behave. If a restaurant wants to know how well its customer base has taken to a new product, it just needs to check the data. If they haven’t picked up on it, the operator can decide whether to ditch it or put extra marketing emphasis behind it; data tells the operator about its business and helps it make informed business decisions with greater ease.
When data collected from an app includes specific information relating to individual customers, the restaurant can target those people with marketing that is adapted to fit their customer profile.
Example of data in use
The Brewery uses its order-ahead platform (powered by Preoday) to collect ordering data with the intention of applying identified trends to future event decisions, including stock control.
The Brewery has used data gathered by the platform to gauge the popularity of new, limited edition or seasonal items. This has allowed it to try out new products before committing them to menus permanently. It has also started to increase its pre-ordered food offering and is exploring different drinks packages for various stages of the evening.
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