7 ways to improve your customer experience post-pandemic

Customer experience is a crucial part of the restaurant industry, having good food just doesn’t cut it anymore. For your restaurant business to grow, the overall experience your restaurant provides should be up to standards. This includes how the waiters talk to the customers, what color your walls are, what music you’re playing, etc. In this era of the pandemic, as people have been in lockdown, they looking for places to lift their spirits so delivering a great experience is key.  A great experience also increases the chances of retaining your customers.

To enhance your customer experience, here are a few things you could do-

1) Train your team

Your team is your strongest ally. Your team needs to be well-mannered and needs to present themselves with certain etiquette in front of the consumers. They should also follow all pandemic protocols cautiously. From the moment the consumer enters the restaurant, they should be greeted warmly as this instantly makes the consumer feel special.

2) Personalised experience works

When consumers make certain requests like wanting a table with a view, or not wanting certain types of ingredients in the food that they order, pay close attention to these requests and deliver them ambitiously. If a customer tells you that they’re celebrating a birthday then offer them a complimentary dessert.

3) Feedback mechanism

After every person is done with their meal, approach their table and ask them personally about their meal and if they had any suggestions for change, it makes the customer feel heard and helps in building loyalty.

4) Quick responses

Regardless of operating online or offline, make sure to respond to your customers quickly, it shows the presence of mind and might help a situation from escalating more than it should.

5) Give special offers to loyal customers

Introducing loyalty points increases the chances of a customer visiting again. When a customer reaches a certain amount of points they’ve collected by coming to your restaurant, you can offer them a discount on the next meal or offer a complimentary coffee/dessert.

6) Make short special menus

You can keep your drinks and desserts menu separate, as more streamlined information is easier to understand hence the customer would not feel confused. Putting a symbol of chilly next to items that are spicy is also a way to streamline the menu. Here is a blog on how to organize your menu to get you started.

7) Ambience

The energy that a place gives off is extremely important. From the lighting to the furniture one uses, the color combinations of the interiors, the type of music one plays, where the tables are placed all play an important role in affecting the mood of the customer. Understanding who your target audience is can help you decide what sort of ambience would be best suited for your place. For example, if you own a Mexican restaurant, Latin music fits the mood. Research by White Hutchinson found that around 90% of casual diners decide where to eat based on the ambiance.

Customer experiences are an untapped source of free marketing. It’s the little details that make the customer’s experience go from good to great.

Tell us which strategy works the best for you.

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