After weeks of ordering-in, it’s only natural for customers to want a tad bit more excitement in their food deliveries. An unexpected surprise? A heartwarming personal note? Yes, please!

Imagine this scenario — your customer orders the usual family meal kit from your restaurant, something he’s been doing on a regular basis throughout the quarantine period. But this time when he receives the order there’s something else too in store for his entire family. Of course, none of them are aware of it. The family sits down for dinner and opens their package only to find an extra packet of delicious desserts for free along with a handwritten note which thanks them for being a regular patron. What was supposed to be an ordinary meal turns into a truly wonderful experience? What’s more? You’ve won their loyalty for life.

So, these small gestures certainly add that extra ‘special something’ for the customers, but they also do a whole lot more for your business. Let’s quickly break down the key benefits,

•    With every restaurant now scrambling to set up their own online ordering, there’s huge pressure to stand out in a sea of competitors. Creating your own unique delivery experience is one great way to achieve that goal.

•    Personalization has now become one of the primary marketing strategies. 91% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand who provides personalization. When you elevate the delivery experience with such messages, you increase the chances of earning a loyal customer.

•    A handwritten note, for instance, adds a human element to off-premise dining proving to critics of online ordering that this service is not a mechanical process alone but can be a highly interactive experience.

•    The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been the easiest of times for anyone. Food has always been one of the most comforting things for people during good times and bad and by adding a special surprise to their orders, you are showing a feeling of solidarity with your customers that you’ll both get through the storm together. Customers will remember this goodwill for a long time

When the perks are so great, there’s every reason to start working on strategies to enhance the delivery experience right away. Here are some basic tips to get you started.

Complementary connections

Exceeding customer expectations is one of the most rewarding of feelings. Then why not do it more often? An unexpected freebie to acknowledge your regular customers will not only light up their day, but will most certainly earn you a loyal customer and a valuable brand advocate. These can include free food and drinks, gift cards, and coupons.

At the same time, it’s also important to share these complimentary gifts in a way that doesn’t seem like an outright marketing ploy. There has to be an honest sentiment behind it. Only then can you form a true connection with the customers.

For example, if you’ve been thinking of new additions to your menu, you can send a box of free samples asking the customers for feedback on which item should go up on the menu. This simple exercise makes them feel as if they’re being listened to and that they’re part of a larger family.

More than just notes

Handwritten notes are always nice. But they become a bit passé when everyone else is doing it too. So get your creative hat on and go beyond just these notes to please your customer.

One simple idea is to partner with a local artist and create unique illustrations for each note. When you do this, the letter itself becomes a piece of artwork, something the customer can hold on to as a keepsake. There’s no stopping at notes, and you can implement this idea for anything from delivery menus to napkins and packaging materials. You also earn extra brownie points for showing support for a local artist.

On special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries, or national holidays, you can also send a fresh flower or two.

Musical moments

Music has an inexplicable way of bringing people together and creating strong social bonds. At physical dining rooms, whether it’s a bar or a fine-dining, music plays an important role in creating an ambiance that’s unique to that space. More than once, we’ve heard people say they love a restaurant for its choice of music.

If you think this experience is impossible to replicate for off-premise dining, think again. Thanks to technology almost anything is possible now. Here’s how you do this—create a playlist on Spotify, create a Spotify code, which works in a similar way to a QR code, and share the same with your customer when they order delivery. You can choose to share a single track or an entire playlist.

Try and customize these depending on the time of the day and occasion.

Surprise, surprise

Meal kits have become all the rage these days and rightly so. They’re not only convenient to suit our increasingly busy lifestyles but they’re also quite fun. Many industry insiders are also tipping this trend to be the next big thing in delivery. This next tip, therefore, is inspired by the popularity of meal kits.

Instead of a kit that contains ingredients and items that the customer is already pre-informed of, you create a box of surprise for them. So when the order is placed, the customer simply tells you what food and drinks he is in the mood for or what occasion he is ordering for. The rest he leaves to your expert hands. The anticipation of unboxing the surprise kit in itself adds so much more to the dining and delivery experience.

Be an advocate for nature

Delivery experience doesn’t have to be elevated entirely by the food itself. There are other ways you can do this just as effectively. Creating camaraderie around environmental sustainability is one such course of action you can follow.

A Nielsen study has shown that 81% of global customers feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment. People have become even more conscious about this issue after the coronavirus outbreak.

As a brand focusing on delivery, what you can do, first and foremost is to use compostable plant-based packaging. Then you can go the extra mile by sending small packets of seeds for customers to develop a green thumb. These can be seeds of ingredients used to make the food they have just ordered. You can also print messages on the packaging on how customers can take small steps at home to practice sustainability.

Over 85% of restaurants are now offering deliveries, and these simple hacks will help you increase your visibility among the competition.

But if you still haven’t set-up online ordering for your restaurants, Restolabs has the perfect offer to help you launch one.

Not sure if Restolabs is the right fit for you? Get a FREE Live Demo here.