![\"7](\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/sales.appinst.io\/2018\/01\/7-secrets-for-building-customer-loyalty-at-your-restaurant.png\" "\\"7")
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Restaurants that enjoy steady business make it look easy. Regulars return again and again, even on weeknights. Business is brisk. Check averages are high. But don\u2019t be fooled: Customer loyalty doesn\u2019t just happen; it must be earned. Behind the scenes, successful restaurants are hard at work \u2013 using these 7 secrets to build customer loyalty.<\/p>\n
As a restaurant owner or manager, you\u2019re busy. So why add customer loyalty to your already-full plate? These stats prove why it pays strengthen bonds with your guests.<\/p>\n
Move over punch card. More than half of today\u2019s guests want your loyalty program on their smartphone, based on a 2017 VISA study of over 28,000 customers.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easier \u2013 and more affordable than ever \u2013 to design a mobile customer loyalty program<\/a> for your restaurant. One of the biggest benefits of launching one is a boost in sales. Most loyalty apps alert guests when a reward is within reach. Studies show that the quest to earn rewards becomes a game, increasing guest spend by as much as 39%.<\/p>\n While customer loyalty programs are effective, loyalty is more than mechanics. Mobile app platform AppInstitute says it best:<\/p>\n \u201cLoyalty programs are a great way of adding value to customer visits.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n They discovered that 90% of consumers joining mobile loyalty programs<\/a> feel they are gaining value from them and 95% of people were likely to continue using them. Why? It creates a more personal experience for the customer and builds trust between both parties. To be likeable and trusted by guests \u2013 try these next 6 strategies to build loyalty.<\/strong><\/p>\n Personalization<\/strong><\/em> In a 2017 loyalty study by Accenture, 57% of millennial guests reported more loyalty to businesses that invite them to personalize their experience. So, start fostering customer loyalty as soon as guests place orders.<\/strong><\/p>\n That\u2019s where tabletop dining tablets come in.<\/p>\n Tabletop tablets<\/a> let guests order from a digital menu, empowering them to customize their meal like never before. Even your best waiter can\u2019t recite a list of every add-on and option for each menu item. But a tablet can display all the extras!<\/p>\n Personalization doesn\u2019t stop at ordering. Some dining tablets<\/a> also let guests pace out their meal: Guests decide when to order, re-order, checkout, and pay. While waiting for food, guests can even access on-tablet games and trivia (see more in tactic #5).<\/p>\n No worries. When patrons control the meal\u2019s pace, they don\u2019t turn into campers. Dining tablets actually speed up table turn\u2026an extra bonus on top of improved customer loyalty.<\/p>\n Security<\/strong><\/em> In fact, the Accenture loyalty study showed that 85% of customers are more loyal to businesses that take steps to safeguard their financial information<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The same tabletop dining tablets that take orders also include secure EMV card reader<\/a> (also known as a \u201cchip\u201d card reader). Guests don\u2019t have to hand off their credit card to a server. It stays with them at the table.<\/p>\n One of the best ways to be loved by guests? Show you\u2019ve got heart.<\/p>\n Make charitable causes a priority to boost customer loyalty. The Accenture study found that nearly 4 in 10 U.S. customers show loyalty to brands that actively support charities. The key word is \u201cactively\u201d \u2013 it\u2019s not enough to make occasional cash donations. For the biggest lift in customer loyalty, create charitable programs that involve guests.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the ultimate goal of any customer loyalty program? Repeat business. Encourage return visits with exciting events that bring guests back again and again\u2026<\/p>\n Live Trivia Night<\/strong> Advance Preview Nights<\/strong> Knowing that the key to customer loyalty is likeability, try these tips to raise your fun factor. Think of people you like to be around. They\u2019re entertaining, upbeat, and fun. How can your restaurant embody those traits?<\/p>\n Bar Olympics<\/strong> Handheld Gaming Tablets<\/strong> An independent Arbitron study revealed that over 56% of players returned more often than the average guest \u2013 and spent 21% more per table check. Want in? Find out more about Buzztime<\/a>.<\/p>\n Alert System for VIPs<\/strong> Most restaurants affix acronyms<\/a> to reservations and orders. It\u2019s a simple way to alert the team a VIP is in the building. Some even have codes for new guests \u2013 to ensure they receive extra-special service to build customer loyalty from the start.<\/p>\n First Name Basis<\/strong> It\u2019s not \u201ccan I get you another beer?\u201d \u2013 it\u2019s \u201cJohn, can I get you another beer?\u201d Bartenders have it easy. When guests open tabs, bartenders should sneak a peek at the name on the credit card. Learning first names is an added benefit to carding every bar patron.<\/p>\n Customer of the Month 2.0<\/strong> Instead, shine the spotlight on your customer of the month using digital signage technology.<\/p>\n A digital signage system<\/a> can turn your existing TVs into customizable displays \u2013 in a few fast clicks. Now, your top customers can see their name in lights\u2026all month long.<\/p>\n Start a Blog<\/strong> Personalized Email Marketing<\/strong> In addition to building customer loyalty, you\u2019ll see a drop in unsubscribe rates. In a 2016 survey by HubSpot, 66% of customers said they unsubscribed from emails because \u201cthe topics weren\u2019t aligned with their interests.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n When you capture email addresses, ask guests if they want to receive emails about:<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to ask for the guest\u2019s birthday! You can send guests automatic emails for a special birthday offer \u2013 a simple way to enhance customer loyalty.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a fact. Competition is fierce in the bar and restaurant biz. To keep guests coming back to you, make customer loyalty a priority and put these 7 secrets into play today.<\/p>\n Restaurants that enjoy steady business make it look easy. Regulars return again and again, even on weeknights. Business is brisk. Check averages are high. But don\u2019t be fooled: Customer loyalty doesn\u2019t just happen; it must be earned. Behind the scenes, successful restaurants are hard at work \u2013 using these 7 secrets to build customer loyalty….2) Guest-Facing Dining Tech: Proven to Improve Customer Loyalty<\/h2>\n
\nTo build customer loyalty, emphasize the \u201ccustom\u201d in customer.<\/p>\n
\nAfter likeability, trust has the biggest impact on customer loyalty. The easiest way to instill trust in your guests is through a safe, secure payment process.<\/p>\n3) Charitable Causes\u2026and Effects on Customer Loyalty<\/h2>\n
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\nIn addition to building customer loyalty, being charitable attracts new guests through word-of-mouth: 72% of bar and restaurant patrons recommend venues that support a good cause<\/a>.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/sales.appinst.io\/posts\/online-ordering-system-CTA-blog.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n4) Special Events That Build Bonds<\/h2>\n
\nJoin nearly 3,000 bars and restaurants who are hosting live trivia nights\u2026themselves. Most restaurants just hire an outside trivia host, but the host ends up bonding with your guests. Instead, let your staff rock the mic \u2013 and build customer loyalty. Partner with a live trivia company<\/a> that trains your team and provides the trivia questions and tablets for easy scoring.<\/p>\n
\nMake guests feel like insiders with invite-only menu preview nights. To foster customer loyalty, let guests be first to try new seasonal menus. Your chef should give a brief talk about his or her inspiration behind each dish. Or, partner with a local brewery. Host a \u201cFirst Tap\u201d event where guests try new brews before everyone else.<\/p>\n5) Game On! Up Your Entertainment Factor<\/h2>\n
\nEveryone likes a little friendly competition. Guests can team up and compete in classic bar games. Think cornhole, darts, ring toss, and beer pong.<\/p>\n
\nGive guests tablets that tap into nationally scheduled trivia games<\/a>. The same tablets also give customers access to a digital arcade loaded with games for all ages.<\/p>\n6) Customer Loyalty Tips to Make Guests Feel Like a VIP<\/h2>\n
\nRegulars. VIPs. NPRs. PPXs. Whatever you call your best guests, have a customer loyalty abbreviation system in place. That way, everyone \u2013 from the host to the busser \u2013 is alerted to treat the guest like royalty.<\/p>\n
\nSay hello to one of the easiest customer loyalty tactics. Train your servers and bartenders to use the guest\u2019s first name whenever possible. Nothing sounds sweeter to guests than hearing their name. Studies show that when people hear their own name<\/a>, it evokes a powerful emotional response. Plus, it makes the guest feel like a VIP.<\/p>\n
\nMany bars and restaurants have a customer of the month program. It\u2019s a tried and true method for building customer loyalty. The problem is, usually the guest is the only one who knows!<\/p>\n7) Marketing Tactics That Grow Guest Loyalty<\/h2>\n
\nGot a blog already? Great. You\u2019re ahead of the game. While most restaurants start blogs to build SEO, blogs also increase customer loyalty: 6 in 10 guests feel more positive about a business after they read its blog. Use these tips to start a restaurant blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nJust like dining tablets, your email marketing can give guests a personalized experience \u2013 one that boosts customer loyalty. To personalize the emails, use the power of list segmentation. If you use an email service provider, like MailChimp, it\u2019s simple to set up and maintain different email lists. That way, you only send emails with information the guest cares about.<\/p>\n\n
\nNew menu items
\nSpecial events and live music
\nSpecial offers and coupons<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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