How to use digital ordering to make people spend more

If you’re already using the Preoday platform, read on to see how the following features can encourage your customers to spend more:

Modifiers

On Preoday’s platform, you can offer customers different sizes of the same items by creating modifiers.

Paying fifty pence more for a bigger portion suggests a discount and seems like a no-brainer to most, even if they would’ve been content with the smaller meal. Choosing the smaller one might make the customer feel they’re being healthy, but the larger item will make them feel they are getting a lot more for just a small increase in spend.

Drinks are a particularly successful item for ‘upselling’ in this way. Why? Because people don’t usually pay as much attention to the price of these, or their starter dishes and desserts, as they do main dishes.

Push notifications

Within Preoday’s Global Dashboard you have the ability to send out broadcast push notifications, from the customer tab, to all customers (if they’ve agreed to marketing contact). This useful tool lets you send reminders to customers or make them aware of special offers.

For example, within the dashboard, you can view which customers are the largest orderers of item X – you can then select to send a special message and offer specifically to these customers. By doing so you are engaging with them on a more personal level and encouraging further spending.

Promotions

Preoday’s platform allows you to set up individual and group promotion codes. These do not need to be exclusively tied to push notifications.

Let potential customers know that an offer exists through traditional and digital marketing to persuade them to make their first purchase with you. We’ve seen clients offer ‘first order’ discount codes ranging from 5% to 30%; the important thing is to remove the promotion after a set amount of time so as to avoid customers creating multiple accounts.

Once a consumer has used the service, you can begin to target them with more personalised offers and build their brand loyalty.
Scheduled menus

This feature allows clients to display menus or sections for specific times such as breakfast menus or day-specific menus.

You can display special healthy menu options, for a period of time or just for the day, for all those people who need a health kick. Or, you can set up a vegan menu offer for those who are trying out Veganuary.

It may not be a feature, but don’t forget menu psychology

For the customer in a sit-down restaurant, mobile apps and a physical menu are like armchairs and beanbags; items that serve the same purpose but which look and are treated differently.

In a quick service restaurant, however, the goal will always be the same: food, ordered, prepared and served, fast. Happily, many of the rules relevant to the psychology of standard menu design apply, and can be transferred to mobile ordering platforms. For example, images are always important, and a nice-looking picture, placed alongside the described dish goes a long way to pushing a sale.

Preoday’s Customer Success and Marketing teams are here to help and guide you on your digital ordering journey; if you’re using our platform but think there’s more you could be doing with it, get in touch. We’d be glad to help.