Quick-service restaurants have changed their game. From decor to atmosphere to meal options, more and more they have become modern places to hang out that offer healthy meal choices and a chic place to spend time. This change has also meant embracing technology. Guest Wi-Fi service has become a staple of QSRs for several reasons we’d like to outline below. Such an offering is imperative in today’s QSR landscape and offers multiple benefits to owners of quick-service restaurants.
We’ve identified four main reasons why guest Wi-Fi service in a QSR is advantageous to the owner. Many of these overlap with benefits to the customer, which creates a win-win situation. These reasons can be broken down into the categories of data collection, personalized marketing, operational optimization, and an improved client experience.
Data Collection
When customers log in to a QSR’s guest Wi-Fi, they are typically prompted for personal information, such as email addresses, in order to access the network. Restaurant owners and managers can use this information to create a database of customers, which helps to better understand restaurant demographics. Knowing who is coming to your store and when, is invaluable information for any restaurant owner. This leads us to the next advantage.
Personalized Marketing
The simple act of data collection allows QSRs to send promotional emails, such as ads and coupons, to those customers. This kind of personalized marketing can take many forms. For example, customers can receive a coupon upon signing in to the Wi-Fi, offering them an immediate reward in return for their information. Thanks to each mobile device’s SSID technology, QSRs can also send a customer a promotional email before they’ve even connected to the Wi-Fi, for example if they are walking past the store. After the visit, QSRs can maintain the relationship with that customer, by sending out personal emails inviting them to return. Research by Deloitte has found that 40% of diners want to hear from restaurants once per month, and 80% of customers would prefer email communications to contain discounts and special offers. These personalized touches can help create brand loyalty by offering the diner multiple incentives to return.
Operational Optimization
Guest Wi-Fi service is not only beneficial from a customer retention standpoint. With the database of information acquired upon customer sign-in, restaurant owners can plan their operations more efficiently and offer a higher quality of service. For example, it becomes possible to know which hours of the day are busiest based on the number and duration of Wi-Fi connections, allowing restaurant owners and managers to plan accordingly. In addition, the database allows restaurant staff to receive a notification when serving a return customer. Staff can then address the customer by name and offer the usual order. This kind of personalized experience is what makes high-quality service.
Taking it a step further, guest Wi-Fi offers the possibility for customers to make orders and pay for them online. According to Deloitte, 40% of customers prefer to order online, and, when they do, spending increases by 20%. While a clear benefit to the customer, this is also advantageous to restaurant owners as it allows them to streamline the order and fulfillment process, and take more orders than otherwise.
Improved Client Experience
Of course, all of these categories overlap in that they allow for the creation of an overall improved customer experience. And an improved customer experience means people are more likely to come back to that restaurant and spend more time there during each visit. According to Business.com, repeat customers spend on average 67% more than first-time customers. Personalized touches, such as offering a loyal customer a coupon and addressing them by name, makes that person feel that their business is valued and special. With so many dining options to choose from, diners will appreciate that restaurant the most which puts in the effort to welcome them. These customers will then be more open to leaving a positive review of the restaurant online, which a personalized email after their visit can prompt them for.
Conclusion
Guest Wi-Fi access is a must-have for every QSR today. The many advantages such a service offers are directly correlated to the benefits offered to the restaurant owner. At Datavalet, we are proud to offer managed Wi-Fi solutions to quick-service restaurants. Our services include Wi-Fi access management, infrastructure management, analytics, and more. Our comprehensive suite ensures that restaurant owners can provide a seamless Wi-Fi experience for their customers. Call us today to find out how we can set up your restaurant for digital success.
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Datavalet provides high-speed Wi-Fi network management to guest and staff across your business. We can transform Wi-Fi from commodity to business value.