How to Use Customer Data to Optimize Your Restaurant Business

While running a restaurant business, you have everyday inquiries and people dropping in your restaurant. Over time, you may realize that you have collected a huge chunk of data. But as a restaurant owner, do you know this data can be a gold mine? 

You can gather customer data in various forms such as point of sale, employees, customer feedback, and through social media on a day-to-day basis. This data can be used in many ways, which can turn tables for your restaurant. With this data, you can improve your restaurant performance, give a competitive edge, provide products and services to your clients in a customized way.

The renowned restaurants and eating joints collect data of their customers when they place an order. It helps them to provide personalized offers, which the diners would love to avail themselves. This helps them stay at the top of the game.

Make the Most of Your Restaurant Customer Data

Gathering your customer data can help you in ways to devise your marketing and sales strategy. It can give you actionable insights and drive revenue. You may find tips to make the most of your customer data to your benefit by reading below: 

1. Optimize Your Menu

The menu for your restaurant may change regularly as you try adding new and exciting items to keep customer engagement high. This can lead to the piling up of data in your menu-list, as you don’t want to part away with the existing ones.

Sort out your diner’s preferences based on the popularity and the frequency of items ordered. Insight about your regular customers’ preferred choices can help you curate the menu in demand and keep a tab of your stocks. The changes in your menu will help you manage the inventory, avoid food waste, and you may choose to highlight the items that are most frequently sold.

Customer data management software helps you collect the data through your Point of Sale. This gives you an in-depth report to help you analyze the dishes least ordered, the time most sales happen, repeated orders, etc. This data can help you design the menu and special offers to attract customers.

2. Enhance Customer Relationships

Every inquiry you get from your customers should be collected and stored in your local database. Use tools that help you record necessary information such as name, address, email IDs, phone number, etc. In case they place an order with your restaurant, track their menu preferences too.

You can use all the above information to build a long-lasting customer relationship. A CRM software will help you manage the customer data and also drive more sales.

The Benefits of CRM Software:

Customer relationship management software can do wonders for you. It can help you elevate the customer experience based on their choice and preferences.

• Customer loyalty programs – A recent study showed that 44% of customers participated in the loyalty programs offered to them. More than one-third of the customers have taken up loyalty programs at more than one restaurant. The customers preferred going back to the restaurant in which they were associated with loyalty programs. The restaurants can gain and retain a good number of customers if they engage in these programs.
• Coupon or Voucher  –  Welcoming your new customers can be an excellent way to start your relationship. You can send a  welcome email with a coupon or a discount card to encourage them to try your restaurant. You can personalize the offer for your regular and esteemed customers by giving away their favorite appetizer or a dessert. This shows your appreciation for their continued support.
• Give preference to your regular customers – Always cater for some extra room. You are bound to face this scenario wherein all your tables are booked, and your regular client misses his chance. To avoid disappointing your regular diners, ask them to book in advance; you may get the call-in feature enabled for them so that the table is booked in prior and they benefit from your services.
• Promote Happy-Hours – To keep your restaurant buzzing can be pretty challenging during the off-hours as they can be very lean. Promote to your customers via email, SMS, and/or push notification; you can encourage your clients to come and visit the restaurant or avail of the lounge facilities during the off hours. Add in some discounts to draw them in.
• Give-away spontaneous rewards – Rewards make anyone feel special. So when you send emails to your customers, leverage it as an opportunity to surprise them with a one-time reward. A first-time customer would value your offer more and would look forward to revisiting you.

3. Determine Busy And Slow Days

Once your restaurant is fully functional, analyze trends in your restaurant’s schedule. This helps you plan your busy and lean period. Work out a plan that can entice your customers to visit you on your slow days. Weekdays can be quieter when compared to a weekend wherein you have a busy day. So, for days like this, plan out promotions like Ladies Hour, Couple Nights, etc., wherein you give discounts on food and beverages. This helps you boost sales even on your lean days.

4. Create A Better Marketing Strategy

Running a restaurant demands a lot of data, starting from your inventory to menu items, staff, delivery agents, etc. Amid all this chaos, you may lose track of your customer’s data. For the steady and promising growth of your restaurant, you need to keep a tab on the customer data you possess and handle it with care. Consider integrating with a CRM that collects and creates an integrated customer database for your perusal.

The CRM allows you to upload the entire data from various sources in one place, giving you a comprehensive view of the data. You can sort data based on customer’s behavior and spending patterns. This helps you in sending offers and various loyalty program emails based on their preference.

The data collected in your CRM helps you connect with the customers, which increases order and visits from their end. You may track the discount coupons and offers your customers are availing of. This helps you to learn about the effective promotions and the ones which are least preferred.

5. Social Media

Tracking your social media handle is also a good way. Encourage your customers to post pictures and comments about your restaurant. Analyze what relevant hashtags are performing well. This allows you to reach the right audience when you’re giving away offers and putting forth promotions in your restaurant.

Bottom Line

The digital era has changed and improvised the way we do business. Things are much more streamlined and manageable. The restaurant management system gives you insight on how your restaurant is performing. It helps in converting complex data into simple charts and graphs.  Once the data is optimized, it helps you in aligning your products as per your customer preferences.