When it comes to pizza delivery, it’s all about impressing your customers with a high quality of service, from beginning to end. Online ordering should be easy and reliable, communication should be clear and friendly, a specialized delivery system should be in place, and food presentation should consistently impress. Offering an exceptional delivery service, every time, builds trust with your customer, making them more likely to order from you again.
With access to modern technology and specialized POS delivery systems, there is no reason why you can’t deliver exceptional service. Not to mention, the online food delivery market is projected to reach $0.91 trillion in revenue by the end of 2023, with a CAGR of 11%. The future of food delivery is bright, and you can be a part of it. The following six points will help you provide an outstanding delivery experience for your customers:
1. Accept orders online
The world is changing. People are starting to prefer the convenience of ordering food online, with restaurants reporting revenue from online orders being approximately 23% higher than in-person orders. Offer an easy way for your customers to order your menu online, and make sure those orders are directly integrated with your POS. This will save your staff countless hours manually transferring orders from a tablet into your POS, and eliminate re-entry errors.
2. Communicate clearly on the phone
Although online ordering has become more prevalent and is growing quickly, phone ordering is still used. Unfortunately, mistakes are more likely to occur over the phone due to human error. Common problems with phone orders include:
- Inadvertently inputting incorrect orders
- Misunderstanding the customer
- Taking precious time from staff during busy dinner rushes
- Forcing customers to wait on hold
Online ordering solves many of these problems, however your staff should be trained to professionally handle all phone interactions that come in. Train your staff to be polite and friendly with customers and whenever possible, to avoid sounding rushed or impatient.
3. Offer an enticing menu
Create a menu that is clear, concise, and easy to order from. It should convey all the necessary information, including ingredients, price, and quantity of items, to avoid customer confusion or uncertainty. Quality photos will make a big impact as well, and may entice hungry customers to order more. According to research, menu items that include an image have an average increase of 6.5% in sales, compared to those without. Be sure to offer appealing sides that can increase order size hone your online ordering menu so that it's easy for customers to order main dishes.
Ready to learn more about how you can hone your online ordering site? Read The Secret to a Profitable Restaurant Chain Ordering Site.
4. Use a POS system designed for delivery
Your system should have the ability to assign orders and track deliveries with ease. Some of the top features in a delivery POS system include being able to:
- Assign orders to delivery drivers
- Track the delivery from beginning to end
- Assess delivery driver performance
- Use optimized routes
- Automatically calculate ETAs, as accurately as possible
- Export detailed reports to highlight areas for improvement
These features not only help your staff stay updated about the progress of all delivery orders and drivers, but also organizes your process so that the food consistently arrives hot and delicious. Every delivery is an opportunity to impress your customer; the right system will help you do this.
5. Deliver exceptional customer service
A memorable customer service experience goes beyond just serving delicious food. For delivery, it is the little things that matter. For example:
a. Food should arrive at the right temperature
Remind your customer that they are enjoying a freshly prepared meal by:
- Getting delivery orders out the door quickly
- Delivering on time
- Equipping delivery drivers with insulated food bags
b. Food items should be packaged properly
Presentation is everything! If food arrives spilt and messy, it will look less appealing and therefore less appetizing. Elevate your presentation by:
- Testing packaging techniques before use
- Taking advantage of spill free containers
- Using packaging designed for delivery
- Branding your packaging to increase brand recognition and make it more visually appealing
c. Pay careful attention to special requests and add-ons
The entire ordering experience needs to be easy and straightforward for your customers. If you don’t pay attention to the details and accidentally miss a special request or a food add-on, your customer won’t feel important. To avoid this, train staff to check the following for every order:
- The appropriate condiments and cutlery are included
- Napkins are provided
- All reasonable extra food requests have been adhered to (double check!)
d. Delivery drivers should be trained to be the face of your company
Delivery drivers are the face of your company when they arrive at your customer’s doorstep. They should be polite, pleasant, and dressed presentably, with your branding somewhere on their uniform or delivery bag. Your delivery drivers have the ability to leave a good impression in your customers’ minds simply by being courteous and helpful. Hire and train drivers with this in mind.
Audit your delivery service to ensure you’re not missing any important customer service elements. Sometimes it can be as simple as looking at your delivery through your customers’ eyes to see where you can improve.
6. Organize delivery procedures
Responsibilities should be clearly allocated so that nothing gets missed in the delivery process. Think about the following:
- Who is in charge of bagging orders?
- Who can answer questions from the kitchen if they arise?
- Which delivery driver will be taking which order?
- Who is double checking the order before it leaves the restaurant?
- Who is responsible for notifying a customer if an order is delayed?
- Are you delivering food on a bike, scooter, or by car?
Having an organized routine and allocation of responsibilities will help immensely in avoiding preventable mistakes.
Wow! What an exceptional delivery service!
60% of consumers order takeout or delivery at least once a week in the US. It's important that you leave them feeling like they had a stellar delivery experience that gives them the incentive to become returning customers. When patrons are biting into one of your freshly baked specialty pizzas in the comfort of their home, you want them to be thinking, “Wow, that was great service!” and “This pizza is delicious.” right before enjoying another bite. Focus on these six points, and you’ll be well on your way to delivering consistently exceptional service for your customers, and increasing your profits as a result.
