We are an economy of disruption. Over the past decade or so, we have latched onto everything that was touted as a disruption, possibly destined to usurp the order of the day. And indeed, it seems to be true. Our hankering after disruptions possibly inspired nature to disrupt everything. Yes, we are referring to the COVID year. In its wake came a slew of innovations, changes, and adaptations, faster than ever before, for some to just survive, for others an opportunity of a lifetime to get ahead. 

We have been seeing the world’s richest playing Who’s richer amongst each other. Well even if that translates to nothing for most of us directly, the indirect implications are quite deep. For instance, Jay Chaudhary of ZScaler jumped to the top of the list of richest Indians implying that Work from home is going to stay for the foreseeable future with companies investing in the cloud security services necessary for this. 

Here let us explore a different and a more distributed, democratized change or transformation that is upon us and how you should not miss the bus. So heed the words of your trusted Food Service Consultant and Food and Beverage Strategist to keep up with the times and get ahead.

The pandemic has made going out a luxury. But we humans crave variety and as the old saying goes, if Muhammed can’t go to the mountain, the mountain shall come to Muhammed. The FnB industry has overnight pivoted to bring their uniqueness and experience to your doorstep. But how to go about achieving this when a lot of this experience you do not control? Staring from the ambiance to spacing and many other factors that make a culinary experience what it is.

Here are a few of our pointers to creating the perfect at-home customer experience:

  1. As always Menu is king!

But now that your menu is being consumed on a mobile, the king has to present himself differently. Give heed to UI/UX of even a simple document such as the menu. You will be surprised how much of an ROI this can fetch you. Follow the cardinal rules of keeping the menu clear, concise, and crisp. 

The delivery menu should be simple and display prices prominently, after all the market is a price-sensitive one. Mention the serving size or better yet make it customizable for one, two, and family sizes. Creating combos or ‘paired menu’ you could actually upsell while your customer feels they got a bargain. 

Health tips and nutritional information of each dish in an easy-to-consume fashion will be highly appreciated by your customers. Having homely food options helps in greater variety and frequent patronage. 

If you have in-house delivery options, mentioning that honoring the ETD is a great way of building trust. A digital menu affords you be dynamic and smart software could help update the ETD in realtime depending on the order load. There are a few such smart solutions out there, talk to your Food Service Consultant to understand the various options.

  1. It is all about first impressions: Role of packaging

HPG Consulting

Most of the time the first impression a dine-at-home customer has about your offering and brand is the packaging unless your delivery guy shows up at the door. Irrespective of it, the way your food is packaged talks heaps about your brand and its personality. Attention to details, the pizazz, and more are all driven home by the packaging. So, ensure your packaging is your own voice. Let it display your brand logo, tagline, and any other messages including the funny ones and helpful ones printed out legibly, aesthetically, and more importantly consistent with your brand voice.

If you could make it happen, touches of personalization are also a great way to build that sense of warmth and affection. Handwritten notes, flashcards to share and follow on social media help build engagement too. 

Of course, get the basics right first. Spill-proof packaging, use of recyclable material, strictly following a no cutlery rule when opted-in. Easy to open optimal packing goes a long way when someone hungry is tearing into their food. A Food Service Consultant can help you optimize all these depending on your cuisine.

  1. Devil is in the delicious details

The entire focus is to replicate the experience of a dine-in even for a takeaway. Simple details such as providing a sachet of sanitizer, tissue, mouth freshener, and when opted for, cutlery sets you apart. Never let your customer feel shortchanged on the complimentary essentials such as seasonings and sauces if any. A Food Service Consultant will help you know exactly how much of what should go into a package.

  1. Enough talk of technology, make it work for you

HPG Food Service

As mentioned earlier the proper technology platform could be your best ally in achieving customer satisfaction. The sky is the limit when it comes to customizations available on software platforms, but some could be overkill for your particular offering. So talk to your trusted Food Service Consultant to understand what your needs are and invest in the proper platform.