Since entering 2021, due to the repeated impact of the epidemic, the catering industry is now facing the reality that stores will not be able to operate normally in the short term, and dine-in customer flow will also be greatly affected by the epidemic in the long term. When the operation of physical catering stores is hindered, how to find a way out of the current epidemic?
During the epidemic, citizens’ travel and shopping will be subject to certain restrictions, but this also provides some appropriate opportunities for the flexible and convenient takeout industry. Catering companies have adopted the “takeaway model” to actively help themselves, and catering merchants have realized that the combination of multiple business models can better cope with risks.
Among them, the performance of the catering mini program is particularly outstanding. The biggest feature of the mini program is that it is lightweight and does not require downloading, and can be applied to a variety of scenarios. Just developing a catering mini program can satisfy takeout, dine-in, group purchase, and distribution. , membership marketing and other functional requirements.
The entrance to WeChat mini programs is very simple and lightweight, which is why mini programs have sufficient advantages in the market.
A seemingly simple functional entrance can bring commercial value to catering companies that cannot be underestimated.
For the catering industry, the development of WeChat mini programs not only reduces operating costs and improves service rates, but also builds online and offline integration and connects businesses and consumers. Moreover, enterprises can also use WeChat mini programs to control customer data traffic and conduct refined operations for effective customers. The low cost but high efficiency is obvious. The rise of catering mini programs is driven by WeChat’s huge traffic pool. It is for this reason that it is gradually breaking through the takeout fortress.
Mini program development
The significant advantages of the catering mini program in the service industry are:
1. Save labor costs and improve service efficiency
In the past, a store needed to be equipped with many types of waiters, including cashiers, orderers, waiters, receptionists, etc.
The development of catering mini-programs can simplify such complex service processes. When consumers enter the store, they can directly scan the WeChat mini-program QR code to order, submit orders, and pay. This process does not require the participation of waiters. In this way, the restaurant’s The staff can be reduced by at least 1/3, which is a huge cost.
At this stage, many catering brands such as KFC and McDonald’s have launched WeChat mini programs. The WeChat mini program’s functions such as online reservations and mobile ordering can largely solve the problem of contactless ordering. It can not only share the manpower pressure during peak hours, but also improve the service and consumer experience and reduce the customer churn rate. Therefore, it is the most popular.
Even during peak hours, when customers enter the restaurant, they do not need to wait for the waiter to submit their order. They can turn on their mobile phone and scan the QR code of the ordering applet on the desktop to enter the ordering page and make their own purchases and submit orders. .
When ordering, you don’t need to consult the salesperson for relevant food information. The restaurant’s signature and special dishes are displayed on the ordering interface. Through the menu, you can even see basic information such as the appearance and selling points of each dish.
According to feedback from catering companies, the most significant effect of using the ordering applet is to save labor costs and increase turnover during peak hours. In addition, the time for customers to order and serve their meals has been effectively shortened, and customer satisfaction has also been improved.
Mini program ordering
2. Takeaway function of WeChat mini program
The company operates the food delivery business independently to reduce the additional expenses of the food delivery app.
Meituan and Ele.me takeaways have become a consumption habit for office workers and young people. At this stage, the food delivery market is still growing, and for catering companies, it is a profit point that must be grasped.
However, as the commissions on takeout platforms continue to rise, more and more restaurant companies are starting to build their own takeout systems and use the developed WeChat mini programs to operate their own takeout brands. This saves the high commissions and takes out food. Profits also increased significantly.
Many takeout merchants are worried: if they jump out of the takeout platform and choose mini programs for takeout, will delivery be a problem?
Regarding this issue, catering companies don’t have to worry at all. Today’s fully functional WeChat applets on the market usually include food delivery, payment and sales promotion functions. They will also connect with third-party delivery platforms to ensure an optimal delivery service for merchants. . In fact, this creates a closed loop of takeout operations for merchants. This is the case with Aojing Technology’s WeChat mini program, which does not require any technical threshold and helps catering companies build platform mini programs. The cost is only a few thousand yuan, and they can be operated using mini programs.
Once consumers place an order and pay on the WeChat mini program, the mini program’s backend will immediately arrange delivery, eliminating the need for third-party delivery. This way, restaurant companies can save a lot of extra costs in intermediate links.
3. Data analysis of WeChat mini programs
Collect data information to understand guests’ consumption habits;
Many catering companies report that when doing takeout on a takeout platform, the customer’s consumption data information is in the hands of the takeout platform. It is difficult for merchants to obtain accurate data on their own consumers from the takeout platform. Therefore, it is very difficult for catering companies to operate takeout. passive.
However, if catering companies use the developed WeChat mini-programs to operate takeaways, they will accumulate some valuable data after a period of time. The powerful data statistics function of the WeChat mini program can help merchants collect all member data among various businesses, such as which dishes are the most popular in the store, what kind of customers like what tastes, etc.
By developing small programs to accumulate user data, merchants can better understand their customer portraits, realize membership management of merchants, and accurately understand user stimulation conversion rates.
WeChat Mini Program
4. WeChat mini program membership marketing function
Big data marketing, precise customer acquisition;
With the help of WeChat’s one billion users, WeChat mini programs bring powerful traffic dividends. They have also been developed to be used in store membership management systems and marketing promotions, becoming the main way to retain and attract customers.
Among them, WeChat mini programs can be used to guide registered users to collect customer information and accurately match customer consumption behaviors, thereby classifying user labels, and later planning a systematic membership marketing strategy to give customers a sense of honor as a member. , cultivate loyal users.
Specific marketing methods can be used in conjunction with stored-value discounts, points malls, discount cards and coupons and other rights and interests. Mini programs can be used to guide users to consume through stored-value methods, attracting users to pay in advance and then consume later.
For new customers, you can guide them to recharge by giving them discounts, which can increase their secondary consumption rate. For old customers, stores can encourage customers to store value, and settle directly through stored value during settlement. Customers can get relevant discounts by recharging, which not only attracts users to recharge, but also helps stores lock users in advance and reserve funds.
Customized applet
For catering companies, the development of WeChat mini-programs not only reduces operating costs, but also connects the takeout business, expands offline stores online, integrates two-way traffic, and catering companies can independently complete the refined operation of customer flow. This way you can avoid the high commissions and high traffic drainage costs of takeaway platforms.
