New Research from Deliverect Shows The Impact of Digitization on Discovery and Loyalty in the Restaurant Industry
5,000 consumers were surveyed to understand how restaurants can drive sustainable growth in the digital age
Deliverect, a global scale-up that integrates and accelerates online orders for restaurants and food businesses, announced new consumer research, which revealed that people are relying on digital platforms more than ever to discover new restaurants, conduct research on what they offer and build a lasting relationship with the brand itself. The results also show that consumers remain hesitant on the role robotics will play in restaurants, with less than half of people feeling comfortable with drones (46%) and robots carrying out food preparation (46%) or service (50%).
The survey of 5,000 people, which was commissioned by Deliverect and conducted by Censuswide, revealed the important role that technology plays in each stage of the consumer journey, from how they first discover restaurants to what ultimately drives customer loyalty and repeat orders.
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The Discovery Phase
The results showed that 40% of consumers are using Google Search and 38% are using food delivery apps to find new restaurants, and when it comes to researching these newly discovered restaurants, 82% of consumers would go directly to a brand’s website and 71% would look at food delivery apps.
The research also delved into what consumers are looking for as part of this research and what leads to them ordering from a particular establishment, with a variety of menu options (90%), affordability (92%) and high standard of health and safety (89%) all scoring highly.
“It’s not surprising that consumers are increasingly relying on digital platforms to enhance their restaurant interactions and engagement, especially following the pandemic where a lot of new technology became commonplace in our everyday lives,” said Zhong Xu, CEO and Co-Founder of Deliverect.
“The findings outline the importance of restaurant brands creating a strong digital presence, maintaining consistency, and offering compelling experiences to stand out in a competitive market, all of which cannot be underestimated when it comes to sustaining growth and increasing customer retention. Integrating a perfect blend of technology, human interaction and personalization is a must for all restaurants looking to make a lasting impact.”
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Delivering at Every Touchpoint
The research reveals that once a decision is made on where they would like to order from, 1 in 2 people like to order directly from the restaurant, with 44% choosing to do so as it allows them to personalize their order better. When we look at this in conjunction with 65% of people preferring to order food for delivery or takeout via the restaurant’s website or app when ordering directly from the restaurant, it’s clear that a cohesive and intuitive digital experience is essential when it comes to building brand loyalty and delivering your brand everywhere and at every touchpoint.
Surprise and Delight
The element of ‘human touch’ can also help drive personalization, make customers feel valued and complement your digital brand. When asked what makes people feel loyal to a restaurant, friendly and attentive staff (35%), fast delivery (26%) and reliable and accurate service (26%) all appeared as key elements in delighting customers when engaging with a restaurant, all of which can be driven by a blend of digital experiences and human interaction.
Drive Loyalty and Customer Satisfaction
Digitization is clearly imperative in driving consumer loyalty, with ease of use and access to reviews and ratings scoring 62% and 45% respectively when it came to ordering through a delivery app. Menu details (47%) and easy to use navigation (42%) were also key features that are best valued in a restaurant’s app or website, further proving just how valuable digital elements are from initial discovery to repeat purchases.
