customer loyalty – News & Blog

Fast Food Isn’t the Only Food That’s Fast

If you’re a busy professional on the go, eating right often takes a backseat to meeting the demands of your day. Maybe you skip meals completely. Or you grab processed and pre-packaged foods. Once in a while you run out for fast food, and at least it gets you away from work for a bit, but it’s not exactly health food.

You probably also don’t give much thought to how important it is to take a mental break from the demands of your day. How many times in the past month did you eat lunch while sitting at your desk? How many times did you eat in your car? Sitting down for 20 minutes, away from work, with a good meal, in a relaxing atmosphere. . .well, this is kind of lunch break that’s good for the stomach AND the soul.

Don’t think you’re alone if you’ve been neglecting yourself when it comes to your midday nutrition. One study of working professionals revealed some not-so-surprising statistics and underscored just how many of us suffer a huge disconnect between what want for ourselves versus what we feel like we can squeeze in during a busy day. According to the study, 80% say regular meals are important to them. That’s great, because eating regularly throughout the day is smart, and it’s good for the body and the brain. But in practice, 35% say it’s hard to find time to sit down and eat a meal and 55% admit they tend to “eat on the run.” When you consider that fully half of them say they’re too rushed in the morning to eat a healthy breakfast, it’s easy to wonder when they’re able to get any meaningful nutrition into their bodies.

And then consider this alarming statistic shared by the CDC: on any given day in the United States, 40% of us have fast food for lunch, and 40% of us have fast food for dinner!

Obviously, Americans are pressed for time. We grab food to go, we eat on the go, and sometimes we even go without. But what are losing by failing to feed our machines properly?

We know that poor nutrition leads is the precursor to countless health problems in the long run. But in the short run, it’s a problem too: difficulty concentrating, lack of energy, lower productivity, irritability, disrupted sleep. . .the list goes on and on.

If time is the biggest factor holding you back from refueling your body properly, then you need to do some self-assessment and create a plan for getting more out of mealtimes.

One thing that you may never have considered is that there are probably lots of independent restaurants in your area with healthy options. Maybe you haven’t even noticed them, or maybe you think it’s too much of a hassle to go there during the lunch rush. They probably aren’t included in that phone app you’ve been using for meal delivery either (if you wonder why, ask them about the outrageous fees restaurants have to pay. . .it’s a wonder they make any profit at all when they use those services).

But supporting a small local business and letting them give you a healthy meal and a break from the office is a total win-win. One way to make sure you can get in and out with a minimum amount of wait time is order from them using aBitNow. You can then pick up your food at whatever time you specify you want it to be ready, or they’ll have it ready for you when you arrive—you don’t have to wait in line when you’ve pre-ordered your meal. You go right to a table, enjoy your lunch, and pay with the app (you can even prepay for more time savings).

Treat yourself to a healthy lunch away from the office once a week. Even if you work from a home office—in fact, maybe especially if you do—that occasional midday break where someone else serves you can be a real boost to your mood, your productivity, and your health.

That’s a lot of healthy, fresh meals that you don’t have to prepare!

Business As Usual…Or Not

Business as usual used to mean that the day-to-day operations were unaffected by outside factors, and that all was well.

Maybe in the past, but not now.

In the “New Normal” situation that exists today and for the foreseeable future, you want to be anything but usual.

The “New Normal” is defined by the many challenges put before the business owner:

Distancing and Limited Capacities – Businesses are forced to rethink and redesign how they serve their customers. Restaurants are removing tables, adding dividers, making efficient use of outdoor space, and in some cases limiting how much time a party can sit at a table. Retail stores are creating one-way thoroughfares and placing 6-foot markers at checkout lines.
Emphasis on Take-out and Delivery – Many establishments are shifting towards takeout and delivery. Some restaurants have become pickup or delivery only. Other restaurants have created pickup stations for Grubhub and the like. Retail stores and even service providers have facilitated contactless pickup and delivery.
Health and Safety Guidelines – The CDC has mandated that workers wear masks when interfacing with the public, wash hands regularly, and use a number of other safety measures that cost money and take time. Businesses have to make logistical and structural changes to comply and to make potential customers feel and be safe.

At jIT Solutions, an innovation company, we have developed a very UnUsual approach that enables businesses to significantly increase their potential for profit and thrive during a time of change and new challenges.

In a nutshell, our aBitNow platform and patent-pending processes increase your throughput, decrease your overhead, bring in more customers and promote your brand, products and services regardless of whether you offer takeout, delivery, or dine-in.

For example, restaurant margins are very tight. Typically, profit in a restaurant is around 3% or monthly profit is equal to one day’s revenues. They need to maintain their old-normal throughput in order to stay profitable.

So, the question for you as a business owner is this:

How can I increase revenue in the new normal?

A customer books a reservation and orders their food ahead of time. The restaurant receives the order and starts to process it prior to the customer’s arrival. The customer shows up, is seated at their table, and almost immediately their drinks and appetizers are brought to them– no wait. After a short period of time, their pre-ordered and freshly made meals are served, and they enjoy their dining experience, focused on the food instead of the wait. Perhaps the customer has even paid ahead of time, so when they are done, they can leave without waiting for a server to bring the bill and process their payment. The customer leaves satisfied with the experience and the restaurant is able to serve a new customer at that table right away. It’s a win for the business, the employees, and the customers!Our innovative solutions are designed to help businesses like yours achieve several valuable benefits like the ones enjoyed by the restaurant in the example above. You’ll get:

Increased Exposure – You’ll have a fully customizable website where you can feature all your menu items, products, and services, giving you a major advantage over small businesses who think it’s good enough to post screen shots of their entire menus or product catalogs. Your items will look appealing, be easy to read, and be easy to order.
Online Ordering – Customers can order online, and they’ll want to! They can see all their options and make all their choices at their leisure (no asking the server to repeat the salad dressing choices). They can specify substitutions to meet dietary needs, and even save preferences in their account.
Increased Seating Turnover – Customers can order their drinks, appetizers and meals ahead of time, eliminating the time it takes to order and serve. If they pay when they order, the don’t even have to wait for the bill or for their payment to be processed. When they’re done eating, they leave, and you serve a new customer at that table.
Increased Customer Satisfaction – When customers spend more time enjoying their meal and less time waiting, they have a truly enhanced dining experience, which means they’ll more likely be return and more likely to talk you up with their friends.
Business Self-Service Portal – You’ll have total control of the platform so you can quickly and easily make changes to what the customer sees: add specials and sale items in a timely manner, change your hours, publicize special events, etc.
Payment Platform – Full integration with Stripe for seamless credit card payments.
Kitchen Management – Orders can be managed by the kitchen using a streamlined Heads-Up-Display, helping to eliminate errors, wait time, and frustration for your staff and the customer.
Increase Staff Satisfaction – Your staff will love serving customers who have a great experience, who get in and get out, and are happy to tip to say thank you. And because of increased seating turnover, they’ll serve more guests—more happy and satisfied customers!

In this “New Normal” business environment, traditional approaches and common practices just aren’t good enough. They certainly won’t help you grow. While your competitors may struggle in the current business climate, seeing everything as a challenge while trying to make their old “Business as Usual” approaches work, YOU can leverage new opportunities…not simply to survive, but to thrive. . .through an innovative approach to business made possible by jIT Solutions and aBitNow.

To learn more about how your company can be more empowered and enjoy new growth with jIT Solutions and the aBitNow platform and patent-pending processes, schedule a call with us today – 774-469-2248

Consistency – Key To Restaurant Success

If you run a successful restaurant, chances are you have a loyal base of customers who return often and tell others to give you a try. While it’s nice to see familiar faces, it’s more than just good feelings that come with repeat business: it’s the foundation for reliable revenue.

On average, repeat customers spend 33% more than new customers do, and the longer they’re with you, the more valuable they are. In fact, according to Bain & Company, the average repeat customer will spend 67% more in months 31-36 with your business than they did in months 0-6.

One surefire way to grow a loyal customer base is to focus on consistency, and in few industries is consistency more important than it is in hospitality and restaurants.

The human brain may be wired to seek out novelty, but when a customer returns to your restaurant because of a previous good experience, they’re not looking for novelty. They’re looking to repeat the pleasure they had last time, and they expect to have an experience that is at least as satisfying as it was before. They have expectations, and if you meet those expectations, you could create a customer for life. If you fail to meet expectations, you’ll likely lose the customer. . .and you risk having them talk others out of giving you a try.

Let’s look at four areas where consistency can make or break customer loyalty: food, staff, cleanliness, and wait times.

EXPECTATION: FOOD

People like knowing that if they had a great dish last time they visited, they’ll have the same experience if they order it next time.

We all know the disappointment of looking forward to enjoying a particular meal we remember being awesome, and then having it show up undercooked or overcooked, seasoned differently, or with a different side dish or substituted ingredients. . .it’s such a letdown.

If they feel let down, some customers will chalk it up to a bad day, and they’ll come back to give you another chance. But many customers operate on a “one strike and you’re out” rule, never to return.

Whether you’re serving casual sandwiches or high-end French cuisine, it’s essential that your kitchen team know how to put out a perfect dish every time—even during the meal rush. Recipes need to be documented and followed, food should be tasted, and quality control has to happen at every point in the process.

Keep in mind, if your customer had a good meal last time, they expect a good meal next time. If they had an excellent meal last time, they expect an excellent meal next time. So whatever your standards are, hold your line and never let them slip.

EXPECTATION: STAFF

Part of what make a dining experience enjoyable is the interaction with your employees. Even if they’re ordering at a window or from a food truck, customers expect an efficient and friendly exchange. And if the service was good and the employees were pleasant during their last visit, customers expect the same level of interaction on their next visit.

Customer service is demanding, but no matter how rough their day, your servers need to provide excellent and friendly service. When customers sit down and dine in, they definitely want to feel like they’re the most important customer of the day.

Your waitstaff take the brunt of every customer complaint, so do everything you can to keep things running smoothly from the back to the front of the house. Equip them with the tools they need to take orders quickly and get accurate information to the kitchen. Streamline every process possible to minimize mistakes.

EXPECTATION: CLEANLINESS

Some customers are germaphobes and others are quite the opposite, so you can’t make everyone happy. But repeat customers have an idea of what to expect when they visit your restaurant, and it’s important you meet those expectations. A sticky table, lipstick on a glass, dirty silverware. . .any deviation from what customers expect can drive even a loyal patron away to the competition. Whatever your minimum cleanliness standards are, make sure your entire staff is well aware of those standards and put systems in place to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

When you’re being slammed by a meal rush, sometimes it’s cleaning that gets skipped. Having a way to deal with a massive influx of customers can help you avoid being caught off guard and accidentally seating someone at a table before it’s been cleared (a big no no!). Making customers wait longer to be seated than they’re used to can be a major turn-off as well, so make sure your cleaning protocols are clearly communicated and easily executed.

EXPECTATION: WAIT TIME

Do your customers expect to quickly get in, get fed, and get on their way? Or do they plan to spend hours in your establishment, enjoying a leisurely meal? If they have to wait for a table, do they expect to stand outside, or can they relax in the bar until a table is available?

Whatever expectations you’ve created for your guest in terms of wait times, you need to be consistent. If customers usually come for a leisurely meal, you can’t suddenly rush them out. If they expect to get in and out in a specific period of time (because they’ve had that experience in the past), you can’t surprise them with long wait times. They may have scheduled you as part of a day or evening with other events, and if they’re repeat customers, they have an idea of how much time they expect to spend at your business, and it’s important you do your best to meet those expectations.

As you know, one way many restaurants give their guests a way to manage their wait time expectations is by allowing them to make reservations. Reservations used to be just for the “fancy” places and on busy nights, but having some sort of similar system might be just what you need to keep your guests happy and to keep tables turning at an efficient rate.

One way you can give your restaurant and your patrons all the benefits of a reservation system is by using aBitNow. Rather than calling ahead to make a reservation or calling to place a “to go” order, customers who use aBitNow can place their order online. The time savings for your staff is obvious, as no one needs to answer the phone, take down the name and phone number for dine-in guests, or write down an order being picked up. Because the customer places the order online, accuracy is almost 100% assured! Plus, the customer can specify the time they either want to pick up the food or dine at a table at your restaurant. Smart aBitNow restaurants even set aside a certain number of “jIT” tables (just in time tables) that are designated for guests who ordered online and want to spend time there eating instead of waiting.

Want to give aBitNow a try? Register your restaurant and you’ll receive your first 30 days FREE, with absolutely no commitment! Visit https://admin.abitnow.com/register/HomeSite to sign up today.