Improving efficiency and cutting costs this summer: 3 benefits of utilising an order & pay solution.
We know what you’re thinking. “Isn’t it a bit early to be thinking about the summer?” Well, no! Let’s face it, none of us can believe that it’s already March, and before you know it it’ll be time to reopen your outdoor seating areas and the customers will be flooding in en masse. Obviously this is great, but preparation is key.
One of the best ways that you can prepare right now is to get set up with a QR code order & pay system, and no, we’re not just being biased! Longer, busier days mean more customers and more orders, and you’re going to need as much streamlining as possible to ensure that this proves to be beneficial, and not a logistical nightmare for your business.
So, to help explain why an order & pay solution is your key to a successful summer, we’ve done a dive into our client base and pulled out the top 3 ways that they’re already benefiting from having theirs in place.
1 - Boosting Revenue
The busier summer months are always a fantastic opportunity to do as much trading as possible, and to make up for some of those quieter, darker evenings. QR code ordering systems have fast become one of the best ways to keep your sales up as high as possible, so when paired with the increase in footfall that the summer brings, there’s only one way that your revenue can go.
Giving your customers the opportunity to order and pay directly from their table not only means they place more orders (as they don’t have to queue or wait for service), but they are also proven to spend more on each order, and tables are turned over faster. It’s a win-win!
Take one of our newer clients, The Royal Victoria & Bull in Dartford. Within just 1 month of having their order & pay system installed, they have already seen a 100% increase in their average spend per head! ‘How’ we hear you cry!? Well, thanks to the upselling and cross-selling capabilities that their EMenu provides, customers are automatically shown additional options and suggested accompaniments during the ordering process. This means that 1 starter and 2 mains quickly becomes 2 starters, 2 mains, a selection of sides and a bottle of wine, and just like that you never want to go back to paper menus ever again.
2 - Reducing Costs
We can probably all agree that a reduction in costs would be extremely welcome right now, and as luck would have it, a QR code ordering system can help you here too. Not only is there no more need to spend thousands each year updating and re-printing menus, but there are also a whole host of operational savings to be made.
Firstly, you gain the ability to operate at maximum capacity without the need for additional staff. Having an order & pay system in place means all of the ordering and admin is taken care of, leaving staff members to focus on running orders, clearing tables and providing a great customer service, so there’s no need to bolster the team and wage bill! Think of it as an additional team member, only it doesn’t need a lunch break or an invite to the Christmas party.
And of course there’s the savings on waste. With customers placing their orders directly into the system, the risk of mistakes is greatly reduced and your team will be replacing far fewer orders (your bar staff may be upset about the lack of mis-poured pints that ‘shouldn’t go to waste’, but they’ll get over it). One of our hotel clients, the Dover Marina Hotel & Spa, recently reported a 20% decrease in order entry errors to 0% since implementing their EMenu order & pay system, saving them thousands of pounds each year and again providing a much improved experience for their guests.
3 - Streamlining Your Operations
Finally, there’s the simple fact that these systems are designed and proven to make your life easier! Again, it comes down to enabling customers to order & pay directly from their seats. The whole process becomes massively streamlined, which leads to shorter wait times for customers, as well as reduced stress for staff members who no longer have to juggle taking orders, inputting them into a POS system and handling payments all at the same time.
Take The Coronation, one of our longest standing pub clients situated in the heart of South Bristol. Within a month of going live with their EMenu, the ease with which they were taking orders and payments resulted in them switching away from bar service completely, processing 100% of their orders through the system. The Coronation team are now able to operate at capacity with as little as 3 staff, while also reaping all of the above mentioned benefits at the same time!
Plus there’s the added bonus of not having to change your POS or till system (if you go with EMenu, that is). Obviously tearing out your existing system and spending thousands on new hardware is about as far from streamlining as you can get, which is why we created an order & pay solution that can be plugged into existing printers or simply managed using any touch screen device. An order & pay system is designed to compliment and optimise the way your business functions, which is why it’s the perfect choice for the busy summer ahead.
If you ask us, the benefits of an order & pay solution are pretty much limitless, but these are the ones that our clients have been enjoying the most. Boosting revenue, cutting costs and optimising the way you operate is an almost foolproof strategy when it comes to ensuring the success of your business, which is why QR code order & pay solutions are still very much leading the way into the future of the hospitality industry.
EMenu Now is the UK’s only ‘plug & play’ order & pay solution, and you can get you set up in time for the busy summer months. For more information, contact us today!
