Online food ordering has become very popular in recent years. Therefore, café businesses need POS with such features in order to stay at the top in a competitive market. If you are looking to improve your café business, then this is the way to go.
Asides from the competitive advantage that comes with online ordering, there are many other reasons why you should go for it. This article will discuss the reasons why you should choose POS software with online ordering for your café.
How Does Online Ordering Work on a Café POS?
If you want to offer online ordering in your café, there are two ways to do it. You can do it with an online ordering POS integration or by using third-party sites.
Third-Party Online Ordering Partners
You can offer online ordering in your café through apps like Table Up online ordering, Mobikon, BigCommerce, etc. All your customers need to do is input their location. As soon as they complete their order, your café POS accepts and processes the payment online. And it does this with your POS’s integrated payment processing.
Online Ordering POS Integration
Using a café POS with an online ordering system built-in gives you more control. Also, you get to save up to 30% on third-party fees. The entire system can be integrated, and orders are sent in seconds, not minutes. Consequently, turnaround time improves, and you get to deliver coffee and pastries to happier customers.
The Best Café Online Ordering POS Software
- Epos Now
- Revel Systems
- ShopKeep POS
- Square
- Lightspeed Restaurant
Ways Online Ordering Software Improve your Café Business
1. It boosts your reputation
Online ordering improves your business, thereby making more money for you. Your customers no longer need to wait in line or be put on hold. Consequently, your café’s reputation with customers will improve.
Café online ordering systems allow your customers to conveniently place their orders. They don’t have to face any busy staff. And they get to choose items in a more visually appealing way instead of a paper menu.
2. It helps you generate more revenue.
With online ordering, your customers can watch their orders grow in real-time. They become more aware of the amount they can order before hitting their budget. And this encourages them to buy more.
In addition to this, you also get to save some money on third-party app fees. These fees usually cost between 15% and 30% per order.
3. You get to earn more business with loyalty rewards.
Connecting your café POS online ordering to an integrated loyalty rewards program gives you a competitive advantage. Your customers will have more reasons to choose your café over the nearby competition. All you need to do is have some rewards waiting for them in their account. When they are close to earning a reward, they will always want to come by.
4. Helps you leverage online ordering data for marketing
Online ordering gives your POS the ability to gather key data about customer behavior. You can then use this information to automate your marketing efforts via social media posts, targeted ads, etc. You can also save your customers’ favorite items and track repeat orders. This feature will help you personalize your services and impress your customers(source).
For instance, if a customer buys an espresso every Friday night, you can offer him enticing specials. Your POS system will help you offer him deals according to his ordering preferences.
5. Your customers are more satisfied because of accurate orders.
Nothing gets a customer upset more than inaccurate orders. When this happens, your staff members get to bear the brunt of the customer’s anger. A café online ordering system allows your customers to enter every last detail by themselves. And this eliminates most communication issues.
In the end, customers are happy and always come back. With online ordering, they won’t wait for so long before getting their orders. There will be less frustration, and the risk of mistakes is reduced.
6. You get to free up your staff’s time for hospitality.
Online ordering also frees up your staff’s time. They no longer stay tied to the phone line. And this gives them more time to focus on providing a high-quality service to the in-house guests.
7. You get to free up your time with an integrated menu.
When you integrate your online ordering system with your café POS, your menu stays in one place. Any update you make to your master menu will be within the POS and on your online ordering platform. This feature saves you the time you would have spent going back and forth with third-party operators.
How to Take the Best Online Ordering Menu Photos for Your Café
Once you get an online ordering POS, you will need to start taking Menu photos. Even if you’ve been up and running for a while, there is always room for improvement. With that said, here are some tips to help showcase your coffee and pastries in the best light.
Hire a professional photographer
You should hire a professional photographer. There are many people who studied and trained to take the best images. They can do the job in lesser time than it would take you to do it by yourself. But you should also take some control because your menu could change at any time.
To take the best menu photos, you need to do the following:
- Focus on lighting
- Compose the shot
- Make sure the pastries look appetizing.
Conclusion
A café POS system with online ordering has a lot of benefits for your business. And these benefits go beyond just improving customer experience. It is also a good way to increase sales. Finally, I believe you now know why a POS app that allows online ordering is good for your café.
