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QSR Technology: 4 Advantages of Restaurant Loyalty Programs

QSR Technology: 4 Advantages of Restaurant Loyalty Programs

A key factor to staying relevant and competitive in the ever-more-crowded quick service restaurant (QSR) sector is leveraging every technological advantage you can. One QSR technology that has become a “must-have” is a restaurant loyalty program. Let’s take a look at how a loyalty program can strengthen your relationship with customers and lead to increased profits.

1. Gain Insight into Individual Customers’ Behavior

Owning a quick service restaurant is a high-volume business. It is a challenge to keep track of every customer’s preferences, patterns of behavior, and details of each order history. Even if you’re already collecting data from your point of sale (POS) system, you still need to consolidate that information into a singular view of each customer to translate insights into actions. That’s where an integrated quick service restaurant loyalty program comes to the rescue. A loyalty program that is integrated with your point of sale will allow you to view all of your data from the workstation and the loyalty program in one single dashboard.   Loyalty programs paired with work station data will help you learn more about your diners — for example, that Lily H. always orders two pizzas every Sunday during football season, or that Christian C. is allergic to tomatoes —  so you can provide more personalized experiences and drive repeat business.

2. Send More Targeted and Relevant Offers to Customers

The insight into customer behavior and order history gained from a loyalty program will equip QSRs to create offers specifically tailored for your customers. You can customize promotions based on factors such as time between visits, previously or frequently ordered items, and more. Say you have a customer who always orders a grilled chicken BLT with avocado, but their last visit was more than three weeks ago. You could send them a limited-time coupon for 20% off their next grilled chicken BLT with avocado to bring them in for a return purchase.

Customers appreciate these tailored experiences. By demonstrating your knowledge of their personal preferences, you show them you value their business, and foster a more positive association and loyal relationship. 

3. Connect Digital Activity to Brick-and-Mortar Actions

Your loyalty program should integrate across all your ordering channels, from your brick-and-mortar POS to your mobile and online ordering platforms. Not only does this integration bring a consistent experience to all customers, regardless of their chosen path to purchase, it also provides consolidated data for actionable insights. It connects customer digital ordering activity and your brick-and-mortar locations. For example, you could send a digital offer to be redeemed in-house. Their greater sense of connection with your brand creates a more positive customer experience, and makes them more likely to return.

4. Increase Repeat Business, Sales, and Overall Revenue

Customers who receive more targeted and relevant offers are more likely to return to your quick service restaurant. Repeat business is a revenue opportunity more cost-effective than finding new customers, and should always be a high priority. According to research from advisory firm Bain & Company, increasing customer retention by just 5% can result in a 25% to 95% jump in profits. Repeat customers tend to spend more (as much as 33%) on return visits — and they’re more likely to tell their friends. Loyalty programs are designed to encourage repeat business and increased spend, growing your sales, customer base, and overall revenue.

The question is no longer whether a loyalty program would be a good QSR technology investment; its value has already been well-established. The question now is, can you afford not to have one?

HungerRush is a provider of choice for QSR technology, including a loyalty program that integrates smoothly with our point of sale, mobile, and online ordering platforms. We design solutions to fit QSR customer needs and provide U.S.-based support available 24/7/365. For more information on how our loyalty program will increase your customer retention and grow your profits, New call-to-action .

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