Most restaurants aren’t in the business of technology. After all, they’re focused on serving high-quality food that diners enjoy. However, what many restaurants don’t realise is that they could actually benefit from having a mobile app associated with their establishment. Today, there are more than 2.1 billion smartphone users across the world — and making a restaurant accessible via a smart mobile device can both bring in more customers and boost its reputation. Here are several reasons why restaurant owners should consider hiring an application development agency to create a mobile app.
Menus Change Often
Restaurants owners who are creating a mobile app will want to put their restaurant’s menu on the app. After all, studies show that 62 percent of diners won’t eat at a restaurant if they can’t view the restaurant’s menu on a mobile device. Mobile application development agencies can help restaurants put their menu in an app in a way that is aesthetically pleasing and easy to access. Also, using an agency can be helpful because menus change often, and restaurants will want to keep in-app menus up-to-date. Specialists at an agency can easily handle these regular back-end updates, which may be time-consuming or difficult for those not well-versed in development.
Mobile Payments Are Popular
If restaurant owners hire an application development agency, they can have that agency incorporate mobile payment technology. Mobile payments make things easier for both customers and staff at a restaurant. Having an agency build mobile payments into an app can also help attract a millennial crowd, which spends $21 more per month eating out than all other age groups. 40 percent of millennials say they prefer mobile payments more than any other payment method at restaurants, so by offering an easy platform to do that, restaurants can encourage more millennial business.
Mobile Reservations Are Convenient
Mobile reservations are one technology that an application development agency can build into a restaurant’s mobile app. Mobile reservations are popular and convenient for diners. More than 25 percent of people who eat at restaurants choose to make their reservations online — so, by offering the capacity to do so via an app, restaurants can encourage people to come into their establishment and fill seats.
Mobile Apps Build Brand Awareness
There are usually many restaurants within a geographic area. So, it can be difficult for one restaurant to stand out among the rest. One great way for restaurants to stand out in their town and build brand awareness among potential diners is to have an application development agency create a branded mobile app. The experts at Google explains, “Apps are now an integral part of our daily micro-moments, with people spending an average of 30 hours per month in them, according to Nielsen.
Apps play a key role in those I-want-to-know, I-want-to-go, I-want-to-do, I-want-to-buy moments. They’re also a powerful way for brands to build deeper relationships with their customers. A mobile app marketing strategy can complement a brand’s offline experience… drive e-commerce, or simply help connect a brand with its loyal customers.” By relying on an application development agency to build a restaurant app, that restaurant can ensure that their app functions well and looks good, and, in turn, that the image they’re putting out into the public is respectable, forward-thinking and tech-savvy.
Loyalty Programs Encourage Regular Customers
One of the best benefits of having a mobile app for a restaurant is being able to offer customers a loyalty program. Mobile loyalty programs incentivise customers to come into the restaurant and dine. In fact, 96 percent of millennial restaurant-goers currently use restaurant loyalty programs. They reward customers with deals and discounts after they spend a certain amount of money (or come to the restaurant a certain number of times). An application development agency can build a restaurant a mobile loyalty program, where customer “points” or activity is collected and tracked via the app. This is convenient for diners because they don’t have to keep track of a physical card (which can be easily lost). Beyond simply encouraging customers to spend money at a restaurant, a mobile loyalty program may also help a restaurant better segment their marketing list. Loyalty programs on mobile apps give a restaurant an idea of what type of customer each app user is, allowing them to create targeted, more relevant marketing messaging.
Apps Allow Feedback
Having a restaurant mobile app can be a channel for customers to give a restaurant feedback and reviews. An application development agency can create a platform within the app where a diner can let a restaurant know how their experience was. Facilitating communication between a restaurant and its customers can help build trust and loyalty. Gathering feedback is also extremely helpful for restaurants because it affords them a window into how they can improve their customer service, food, atmosphere and more.
Restaurant owners who want to boost business should consider hiring an application development agency to create an app that is specifically for their restaurant. Apps make things easier for both diners and restaurant staff — and they are a great marketing tool for winning more exposure.
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