Why don’t people want to use third parties when placing orders?
Customers want to have a direct relationship with your kitchen
They often want to be able to call and order, receive updates on what’s going on in their favorite dish of yours, or just chat about their family dining habits. Customers also want to feel like their input and opinions matter, which is why they will be loyal if the restaurant meets these expectations.
Third parties are too expensive for some customers, and they may not be as clear about the ordering process
For example, a customer might have to pay $5-$10 just on delivery costs and service fees if they order from third-party platforms such as Doordash, Ubereats, etc.
Third party delivery orders could take a long time to arrive, and customers would need the food faster
Though the service is ideal for customers who don’t want to leave their home, third party deliveries could be a hassle. It might take up to an hour or more before they arrive at your door. Third-party delivery services work well if you’re not in a rush – but they can also cause major delays with food arriving later than expected.
Customers always want their food faster in order to enjoy their meal while it’s still hot.
Third party websites do not provide personalized customer service
Ever ordered from a restaurant and the food was so good, but you were disappointed because they didn’t know who you are? You could’ve just ordered through a third-party delivery service!
Third party platforms are a risk to restaurants because they provide impersonal, automated customer service and do not have any personal investment in your restaurant brand.
Make it easier to do business with you
The bad news is that customers are not always willing to take the time and effort. You need to make it as easy as possible for them by clearly explaining how you work with customers, what a customer order process looks like, and why this will be better than ordering from an outside party.
- Examine your current customer order process
- Make it easier for customers to find contact information. Put up a sign or print out your business card and include them in orders
- Allow direct ordering on website, by phone, by text
- Personalize customer experiences through customized promotions and services
Give customers incentives
- Offer them an incentive for placing orders directly through your website (e.g., promo codes, free samples, loyalty points)
- Helpful customer service: answer questions about the ordering process, give recipes ideas
Summary
Customers will love to order directly from you instead of going through third parties. It’s a win-win situation for you and your customers. You get more business, less customer service complaints, and happy clients.
Get your customers back from third party sites that charge more than you do.
