The business would never be as usual! Times are changing, and so your customers’ purchasing power, as well as behavior. The New Normal as we all know would require us to make substantial changes to our annual goals, marketing strategies, as well as operational efficacies. You might even have to rethink the core vision for your business. A lot has changed since the last one year, and a lot needs to be changed in the coming years.

So where does the change begin?

The answer is with technology! ASMAC  - the new tech term is doing rounds in the hospitality industry, enabling businesses across sectors to elevate their service standards, cut down costs, as well as better connect with their customers.

What exactly is ASMAC? The acronym goes like this:

A - Artificial intelligence

S - Social Media

M - Mobile

A - Analytics

C - Cloud

In simple terms, ASMAC is a wholesome business plan for your restaurant that can help ease some of the challenges the new normal will bring in its wake. It also ensures that your business stays relevant and competitive in the future.

Let’s explore each element of this phenomenon to help you better understand the implications of each.

How ASMAC can help restaurants obtain an upward trajectory for their business

Artificial intelligence

No, it’s not just about Robots! Most restaurant owners feel overwhelmed with the term AI itself, conjuring up an image of a robot cooking food in their kitchens. That’s just one element of AI.

AI, as a whole, focuses on machine learning which we encounter on a daily basis - right from buying groceries to reading news on smartphones.  For all that we know, AI must have routed you to this article based on your search history and interests!

On a small scale, AI is helping restaurants personalize the customer experience by analyzing customers’ on-site and off-site interaction with the brand. This not only helps restaurants boost sales but also increases customer loyalty.

95% of restaurant owners agree that using AI-enabled restaurant technology improved their business efficiency. KFC recently partnered with Baidu to develop AI-powered facial recognition that can provide recommendations to customers on the basis of their age and mood. The program is also designed to remember every customer’s order history to further refine the recommendations.

Additionally, implementing a strategic and perfectly coordinated AI solutions give the restaurant the flexibility to serve its customers faster and with more accuracy.

Social Media

Next comes the Socal Media, a place where you can find everyone who has ever walked into your restaurant, or is planning to interact with it for the next meal. From a teenager browsing through various dishes on his Instagram feed to a middle-aged woman trying to escape coking for the next mealtime - your customers, even the potential ones, can be found, targeted, and converted into a happy, satisfied lot with the help of an effective social media plan or a strategy.

Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter are the strongest social media platforms for the restaurant industry to drive customer engagement in real-time through marketing activities like special promotions, giveaways, limited time offers (LTOs), and community building campaigns. We have a detailed guide on the things that you can do to attract, as well as retain customers using different social media channels. Read it here.

Mobile, apps, and more!

That same gadget that you are using to read this article can prove to be a powerful tool for your restaurant brand. Did you know an average American spends 10-12 hours browsing on their mobile phones, placing an average of 3 orders a day on eCommerce apps?

Can you imagine the number of orders you are losing out on a daily basis by not providing mobile ordering capability to your customers? Pause, and calculate again!

QSRs brands McDonald's and Dominos are way ahead when it comes to delivering mobile app ordering experience. Starbucks goes a step further by making its mobile app innovative and engaging for customers. From user-friendly designs to indigenous reward programs, and the ability to integrate with other platforms and services, the Starbuck app has become a “must-have, must-use” app for customers.

For the marketing team, such apps provide a great foundation for creating content that is highly relevant to the customer consuming it. Whether it's sending push notifications on new offers to drive mobile sales, or SMS intimation on loyalty points to drive new installations. Restaurants deploying mobile apps allow customers to savor daily offers even before they plan their next meal. If you’re yet to get a mobile ordering app for your restaurant, get in touch with us here

Analytics

The world has moved from fast decision-making to fact-based decision making and all thanks to the easy access to powerful analytical tools. From your website to social media channels and mobile app ordering - all digital assets have the capability to generate valuable data on each and every aspect of your restaurant business - even the items on the menu.

Want to create a delivery-only menu? Customer and product analysis of your website can help you segregate the most-selling items from the digital menu. The ones that sell repeatedly are the ones that travel well and enjoyed by your customers the most.

The wise use of analytic can also help you strategize marketing plans for better customer engagement.

Cloud

Even though the restaurant industry has been a bit of a laggard in adopting cloud technology, COVID has made them push the boundaries, leading to widespread adoption.

At its most basic level, Cloud software provides business solutions to streamline operations and boost overall profitability. Cloud-based services allow restaurants to take advantage of the platform without installing them on their computers. They also enable restaurants with the ability to also store enormous amounts of data in a centralized repository that consolidates and analyzes the collected information.

Having a dedicated cloud environment allows restaurants to launch their own applications to engage with new and existing customers. In the age of IoT, it’s important to interact with customers beyond brick and mortar establishments. Restaurants can take advantage of cloud-based services and platforms that offer flexibility to develop innovative experiences - from uploading digital menus to collecting customer reviews.

So are you ready to future-proof your restaurant?

Start with offering your customers the flexibility to order food online with Restolabs' robust, feature-packed online ordering system.

Take a LIVE demo here, or request a personalized demo here!