How can you improve the customer experience at your fast-food restaurant?

The customer journey refers to the path taken by a customer throughout their purchasing experience. From the moment they discover the restaurant, to the moment they leave after consuming, customers pass through a number of stages that will have a positive or negative impact on their overall experience. It's up to you to control and nurture each stage of the customer journey, in order to improve customer satisfaction and encourage loyalty to your fast-food restaurant!

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Key stages in the customer journey

Discover the different stages of the customer journey.

Identifying and finding information

The very first stage is when the customer becomes aware of the existence of your fast-food restaurant or chain. This can be done via advertising on social networks, word-of-mouth, local SEO, on the street in front of your fast-food restaurant, etc. 

The customer becomes a veritable detective 2.0. On Google or social networks, they will analyze all the elements of communication, identify your offer and then compare it with your competitors. That's why it's so important to take care not only of your storefront, but also your online presence, and tohave an effective web strategy. With the creation of a Google My Business listing and attractive social networking pages, you can arouse the curiosity of your prospects and draw them into your fast-food restaurant.

👉 Going further: 8 tips for developing your restaurant on social networks

Reception

Welcoming customers is not just about saying " hello" when they arrive, it's also about taking care of your restaurant's image. Atmosphere, decoration, music, smell, quality of welcome: customers will analyze everything to form their first impressions, and this will help them feel welcome in your restaurant.

Taking orders

Once the customer is inside, it's time to orientate them. The customer discovers the layout of your space, whether it's large or small, and needs to understand almost instantly the different areas of your restaurant and the choices available to them: tables, counter, order terminal, takeaway area, etc. 

Payment

Collection time, payment efficiency, different payment methods accepted... These are all elements that need to be taken into account in the customer experience at this stage of the journey.

Consumption 

This is the moment when the customer tastes his order and assesses whether the marketing and sales promises live up to his expectations. It's at this stage that the customer will experience positive or negative emotions. It's at this point that the customer discovers whether the initial promise has been fulfilled... or not!

Loyalty

If the experience has been positive, you'll be able to implement a loyalty strategy and keep your customers coming back with your loyalty program.

The recommendation

If the overall experience and loyalty are right, then the customer will naturally want to recommend your fast food to others. At this point, it's perfectly feasible to gather customer feedback through satisfaction questionnaires, or to collect good customer reviews for your fast food restaurant.  

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5 strategies for improving the customer experience at your fast-food restaurant

Here are 5 foolproof techniques for improving the customer journey and increasing customer satisfaction.

1. Personalize the customer experience

This 1to1 communication strategy is based on the data you collect on your customers: food preferences, order history, purchasing habits, etc. All this data enables you to better understand your customers, so you can perfectly target your offer to their needs and preferences. All this data enables you to better understand your customers, so you can perfectly target your offer to their needs and preferences. Personalizing the customer experience as much as possible enables you toestablish an individual, ongoing and personalized relationship with each and every one of your customers. 

This includes : 

• dish recommendation (based on purchase history) ;
• customization of the home page if the customer orders online;
• sending personalized newsletters; 
• personalized offers (based on collected data);
• name packs;
• etc.

2. Train your staff for better service

The guest experience is a key element in the success of the customer journey in a restaurant. That's why it's so important to train your staff to be friendly and attentive to customers' needs. Make sure your customers feel that the atmosphere in your fast-food restaurant is warm and welcoming. Your front-of-house team needs to be trained to offer fast, efficient and friendly service. That's why it's important to be particularly demanding when recruiting!

👉 Going further: 7 tips for quality customer service

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3. Use technology to optimize the customer journey

By investing in technology, fast-food outlets can offer a smoother, faster and more personalized customer journey, resulting in greater customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.

Control terminals

Installing touch-sensitive ordering kiosks in the restaurant allows customers to place their orders independently. These kiosks allow customers to browse the menu, personalize their order and proceed to payment in just a few steps. This reduces reliance on cashier staff and speeds up the ordering process, allowing staff to concentrate on other tasks such as food preparation or greeting customers.

Click & collect

Click & collect online ordering allows customers to place their order in advance, from home or on the move, reducing waiting time on arrival at the restaurant. Customers can browse the menu, select their dishes and pay online, then choose a pick-up time. This smoothes the flow of customers and reduces queues at peak times.

Click & Serve‍

At-table ordering via QR code placed on tables allows customers to order and pay easily from their smartphone, without waiting for the waiter to arrive. This creates a convenient, personalized and time-saving experience for customers! 

4. Gather feedback and customer opinions

Encourage customers to leave feedback on their experience to identify areas for improvement. To do this, you can offer online satisfaction questionnaires, via QR codes or directly on receipts (with Google Form, for example). By placing a QR code on menus, business cards or restaurant posters, you invite customers to scan the code and fill in the questionnaire online, from their smartphone, tablet or computer at any time. This shows customers that you take their opinions into account. In the long run, this helps to strengthen customer relations.

5. Set up a loyalty program

Create a loyalty program to reward regular customers and encourage repeat visits. With discounts, tailor-made promotions and a kitty, you'll keep customers coming back for more!

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Put digital technology to work for your restaurant with Innovorder! Contact an expert and find out how to improve your productivity, boost your sales and increase your margins.