Do Your Customers Get Exceptional To Go And Delivery Products Every Time?

Since Covid took over our lives and businesses we had to start to pivot new ways to bring in customers. For the restaurant industry it was more to go and curbside ordering. For retail it was online ordering and curbside pick up. The great thing was that these changes did attract new and old customers that preferred to stay home.

To Go Ordering In Restaurants: Good Or Bad?

Recently we ordered food to go from Chipotle. We ordered a salad bowl with chicken and a burrito bowl with chicken. When we placed the order online, we were able to choose add-on items. Like most people, we didn’t look at each item till we returned home. We of course were surprised when we opened our containers and saw that the salad bowl had NO LETTUCE (since the name of the item is “salad bowl, one would think it would include salad) and the burrito bowl had NO VEGETABLES (added item). The receipt listed all the items correctly however the order was prepared incorrectly. Besides missing items, the food was cold. We live less than two miles from this location, so it should have been warm at least. We were tired so didn’t contact anyone just ate our food. This isn’t the first time we have had problems with our food from Chipotle however last time it was a different location. This will be our last time ordering from them. When I looked at their reviews prior to our last visit I noticed that they only receive 3-3.5 stars on Yelp. It seems clear that others have had other poor experiences with them! 

We have also had problems with Boston Chicken, White Castle and a few other locations. We don’t usually order fast food prefer dine in restaurants because of the atmosphere and we can send back then, if there is a problem. Does a restaurant manager and/or owner have time to check every order? NO of course not. They have to trust their team. Since more restaurants are offering to-go and curbside orders they are relying on those sales more than ever in this pandemic and they must offer the same exceptional customer experience as dine-in.

Here is a checklist of items to review and confirm before the order goes out the door:

• Poor packaging (spillage outside container). Improper food items mixing together
• Cold food/undercooked food
• Utensils / napkins
• Food and add-on items missing
• Product inconsistency

Retail Stores Online Purchasing: Good Or Bad?

How often do you order something online based on the visual and when it arrives it doesn’t look the same? Many times the product is smaller, missing parts or lacks the quality that was mentioned in the description/shown in the picture. Since Covid many stores have seen a great increase in the number of online sales. We have ordered items from Wal Mart, Amazon and other locations and have been disappointed with the size and quality of product. Let me give you a few suggestions on ways to keep you customers reordering.

• Check your posted dimensions and picture for accuracy
• Make sure all parts are placed in with the package
• If using a call center make sure your team is giving accurate product information
• Poor packaging leading to broken or damaged products
• Can the packaging withstand the heat or cold?
• When delivering a product ring the doorbell before leaving item on the doorstep

How many times do you think you are losing customers from these inconsistencies? The customers that are ordering in this manner during this time are doing so for convenience and safety. If customers have problems with their order 84% of the time they may not order again and will go to your competitors. These customers are usually silent and will never let you know about their experience. As many as 86% of customers are willing to pay more to get a better experience and better value.

Another great idea is to put a thank you card and/or discount coupon in their bag to get them to return.

Let us at The Hart Experience mystery shop your restaurant or retail store and educate you on what is happening behind the scenes with your to go orders and online purchases. Contact Debbie@thehartexperience 602.717.3271, https://www.thehartexperience.com

P.S. Don’t let lack of quality products and untrained employees cost you REVENUE…