Pretty much every time someone does business with you, there’s a data trail. If they order from you online, there’s a bit more data. If they order from you multiple times, the data starts to get rich and fertile with opportunities for deepening your relationship with them.
Why Does This Matter?
Because if you’re using a third party delivery service, like DoorDash or Uber, they own the data and the relationship. You don’t. They use the data to market to your customers and build loyalty for their service. Not for your business.
If you use a point of sale (POS) system, like Toast or Square, they give you access to the data. But to get value from it, you’d need to download it and then perform analytics over time so you could figure out how to best engage with each customer. Let’s say you want to reach out to customers who haven’t ordered for a month. You’d download the customers from last month, separate the ones who didn’t order this month, write an email, then send it through a system like Mail Chimp. It would be kind of impersonal. To save time, you could always hire a data analysis firm and a marketing agency. That gets expensive.
Another option is to tap into artificial intelligence (AI). You can use a tool that constantly pulls the data, crunches it, and then uses it to your advantage. All day, every day, 24/7.
What Does That Look Like?
- A customer clicks the Order Online button on your website.
- A customer might also call you and get an AI-driven answering service that sounds just like you. That service can text a link to your online ordering. It also takes those busy-busy-busy calls off of your staff – like hours, location, and specials of the day.
- Your online ordering system recognizes the customer and greets them with their Loyalty Program status. (This encourages them to order more to get the discount or free appetizer with points.)
- As the customer places their order, an AI-driven assistant gives them suggestions for additional items they might like. (This is one way Amazon continues to break sales records.)
- After check out, your customer gets a personal thank you note included their text or email receipt.
- If the customer doesn’t order after 20 days, AI triggers a completely unique email encouraging them to reorder. You can even offer a discount.
- When the customer gives you an online review, AI generates a response that you can post or edit. (People typically look at reviews, and research shows that responding to all reviews – good and bad – drives business.)
The thing is, if a customer goes into your physical store, you and your staff can provide a personal touch. If a customer places an online order, that’s more difficult. The more you use data to replicate the in-store experience, the more likely a customer will be loyal. AI is a terrific tool to help you with that.
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