Automation has been spreading nothing less than wildfire across almost every sector. And if you are a restaurant owner, you certainly can’t miss the CX revolution. In simple words, CX means Customer Experience, and by all means, it demands an integrated technological approach in combination with a personal touch.

 

Customers are central to your restaurant business and source of revenue. Hence, keeping pace with their expectations in enhancing their overall experience can improve your business front as well. If you are scouting for ways to grow your restaurant business and boost your revenue this year, this article can come in as a handy guide to understanding the important role of automation in the food business through 2024 and how you can make the most of it to give your restaurant a sustainable makeover.

 

 

While marketing, good sales, appropriate pricing, quality control, and good customer service make up the core features that contribute to sales, it is the customer experience that can ensure game-changing sales figures with customers created for life.

 

Your customer relationship journey needs to be reclaimed with a satiating CX. This can help you build direct relationships with your customers. Offering customized experiences to your customers, such as providing special access, exclusive rewards for returning guests, etc., can generate loyal customers. Moreover, with guests striking a long-lasting relationship, you can expect consistent revenue for your business.

 

2023 indicated a rising trend in food costs and labor costs as well. To drive revenue in 2024, your restaurant would not only have to find ways of retaining customers but simultaneously cut operating costs. Here are ways that can shape your restaurant’s future, pitching it right to ensure satisfying customer experiences.

 

 

Paper menus or QR codes’ gateway to browsing menus on phones are already becoming a thing of the past. Restaurants are turning to personal assistants that can gauge your customer’s meticulous preferences and suggest relevant dishes that they will love. This has streamlined the restaurant ordering process significantly as it contributes to efficient operations, including quick response and faster service.

 

Chatbots are making communications easier. Whether it is for your customers to reserve a table or inquire about options on the menu, your guests can have a pleasant dining experience with restaurants undergoing AI transformation.

 

Today, customers look for convenience, be it reservations, ordering, making payments, or any other restaurant service. The tech revolution can make the overall experience convenient and enjoyable.

 

Menus are also undergoing an AR (Augmented Reality) revolution. With AR, you can offer your customers a better dining experience. Here’s how. AR can facilitate an interactive experience where your guests can enjoy a visual treat of the menu before they order. From understanding the portion size to the ingredients and its presentation, customers can savor the meal before it reaches their plate.

 

The use of AR can attract new customers to your restaurant as it can also help you provide extra information on your menu to enable customers to make an informed decision on what they would be ordering. For instance, providing details such as the nutritional value of a dish featured on your menu or giving away allergy information on the ingredients used, etc., can offer a tailored dining experience to your guests.

 

Using voice commands to order or pay is a privilege for customers, and many restaurants have adopted this to ensure efficient and convenient restaurant experiences.

 

 

The emergence of cloud-based POS (Point of Sales) Systems has been a focal point in 2023, where several restaurants have adopted this technological revolution. Such systems enhance the management and efficiency of the restaurant.

 

Unlike traditional software-based systems, cloud POS systems can be accessed from anywhere with internet connectivity, allowing seamless tracking of customer data, convenient management of inventories, tracking of sales history, etc.

 

Further POS systems can be used to track past preferences of customers. This can help create future strategies for identifying customers' preferences at your restaurant and enabling realignment of marketing and sales approaches.

 

 

COVID-19 has already compelled most restaurants to adopt contactless dining options, be it in food delivery services or facilitating payments. Like browsing menus with QR codes, customers can make their payment for the food at a restaurant without any physical contact, using QR codes.

 

 

Restaurants need to move from the one-size-fits-all strategy to providing tailor-made experiences to customers. Reworking menus to suit customers’ preferences, introducing loyalty programs, and launching relevant promos can strengthen long-term relationships with your customers. With CX-focused technology, you can align loyalty programs with the behavioral trends of consumers and ensure smooth customer management and consistent engagement.

 

With the application of artificial intelligence, you can have the restaurant menu and item descriptions translated into varied languages to suit your customer’s language preferences.

 

 

After all, it is an efficient kitchen that forms the core support of your business. Running out of supplies can diminish the efficacy of your restaurant’s service provision. An automated inventory manager can track your supplies and sound alerts for refilling when supplies are low, facilitating better order management.

 

A balanced inventory can save time and money as you don’t have to keep customers waiting or deny an order due to the unavailability of ingredients. Smart software can also aid in the process of churning out perfect recipes that appeal to your customers.

 

 

Gone are the days when you could connect with customers only when they physically visited your restaurant. It is the realm of social media today that enables restaurant owners to connect with customers in numerous innovative ways. From running campaigns to partnering with social influencers, restaurants adopt interesting ways of connecting with patrons.

 

Cloud-based systems enable the running of businesses from anywhere, anytime. Hence, with automation, you can enjoy complete control over restaurant operations remotely. This also allows you to have multiple restaurants across locations and be able to oversee and run them with ease.

 

 

Market trends also indicate that customers prefer making eco-friendly and ethical consumer choices. Like sustainability, food waste has been influencing customer choice. Hence, it would be best to consider your role in reducing your environmental footprint through your innovative business initiatives. From the source of your ingredients to ensuring sustainable packaging, every detail would count in ensuring a good customer experience.

 

 

The best way to move your business sustainably through 2024 would be to embrace the trend of automation, as it is evolving as an indispensable contributor to the experience your customers seek.

 

An increased focus on interacting with customers is essential with technological advancements in reducing costs and increasing the efficiency of your restaurants. While you can access volumes of customer data with technology such as AI, establish a customer feedback mechanism that can help understand customer needs, concerns, and trends and enable you to address them with best practices. That way, you can improve CX and boost revenue opportunities.

 

Recent trends also hint that customers may be willing to pay a higher price for a customized restaurant experience. Enhanced CX strategies can elevate the value of orders and that of long-term relationships with customers. Hence, to boost such metrics that contribute to your overall business’s growth, automation could be placed at the center of your business focus this year and the way forward.