With the world making use of technology in all areas of life, it would be unwise for restaurants not to take part. Customers are changing. They have less time and less patience, but still want to enjoy their restaurant experiences. There is a way for restaurants to tap into this technological trend. Technology is an investment that can offer relatively quick returns . . . that is, if the customers are on board.
Technology is useless unless the customer feels he is benefitting from it. Once the customer’s experience is enhanced by the technology available, however, a restaurant can truly make use of it. Electronic devices can be used to cut a customer’s wait time, to increase the accuracy of service, and to provide instant feedback about a customer’s experience. This can be a boon for both the customers and the restaurant serving them. Forty-nine percent of people who responded to a Cornell study said that they walked out of a QSR because of the wait time. And the younger the customer, the less patience he had. A whopping 69% of customers ages 18-34 admitted to walking out of a QSR because of high wait times.
Using this feedback and the technology available, a smart restaurant may put kiosks, mobile devices, or other technologies to help decrease a customer’s wait time and keep those customers from leaving.Technology can also help customers feel more comfortable about eating at a specific restaurant. Virtual menus offer the ease of providing nutritional and allergy information so that a guest can decide what to eat and where she should dine.
Devices that enhance the customers’ experience and put some control in their hands can go a long way to increasing a restaurant’s business. Of course, technology cannot replace a friendly and accommodating staff. The right choices in technology, however, can underscore the staff’s efforts and provide a more pleasant customer experience.
Tags: customer experience, restaurant technology, technology, technology and customers, technology in restaurants
Jim Balis' Blog 
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