Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Americans have unintentionally changed their eating habits and turned to fast food restaurants and third-party delivery apps more often than ever. Drive-thru and delivery apps offered consumers a more secure way to order their food, as there would be limited contact required for all parties involved. CNBC reported that from March to August 2020, a sudden and unexpected increase in queues behind the wheel increased the time people had to wait for their food by 29.8 seconds. While 30 seconds may seem trivial, it can permanently alter a consumer’s experience and cause them to try a drive-thru that they feel is faster and more efficient.
With the emergence of new variants of the virus, limiting our attempts to return to normal, quick-service restaurants and franchisees can use this time to familiarize themselves with how consumer preferences have changed when it comes to scheduling. meals. One way to do this is to use digital news platforms to uncover deep and meaningful consumer information. Here are some steps quick service and fast food restaurants can take to understand changing consumer preferences and ultimately increase profitability:
See how different order platforms affect the customer journey
Third-party delivery apps like Uber Eats, GrubHub, and DoorDash have completely changed consumers’ food ordering habits as they eliminate the need for consumers to call restaurants to place their order. Additionally, fast food restaurants are increasingly coming up with new ways to order food, such as third-party apps or allowing customers to order directly from their own website or app. The incorporation of these new ordering methods has dramatically altered the consumer experience, and it would be up to restaurant executives to gather information from a consumer perspective to better understand changes in the customer experience journey.
Restaurants can use digital news platforms to capture authentic information when their customers order food through third party apps or on their own website / app. Through mobile screenshot videos, consumers can share their experiences using delivery services when ordering their food and express their thoughts and feelings throughout the process. Mobile screenshot videos, along with voiceover narratives, allow industry leaders to capture and observe the consumer experience in real time.
These videos can help determine details such as how consumers review menu items, why they choose their meal, and how they navigate the checkout process. Additionally, mobile ethnographies allow restaurant chefs to hear and see the full experience of customers ordering a meal, from the moment they begin their restaurant search, to the time of placing their order, to the moment they place their order. the moment they receive it or collect it. Whatever method is used, the information resulting from these studies will eventually paint a clearer picture for leaders in the rapid service industry to better understand changing consumer behaviors and preferences.
Use Insights to Advance Email Tactics for Campaigns
Most marketers know the value of messaging testing to better understand how consumers react to different campaigns or products. However, it is not a good idea to base decisions solely on the results of surveys, as they offer little or no context on reactions or feelings. Instead, to get the most authentic feedback when testing posts, restaurant executives would be better served by taking advantage of video-based post testing.
Video message testing allows businesses to capture the most honest consumer feedback, as it is typically done in the comfort of consumers’ homes. By asking the consumer to read the concepts aloud and provide a verbal response during the video, restaurant managers can assess their gut reactions, shared context, tone of voice, feelings, and body language. Artificial intelligence technologies such as facial recognition, sentiment analysis and keyword research can help restaurateurs understand how consumers perceive messages and copy before they are published on a larger scale. This helps restaurant executives execute marketing campaigns effectively to an audience they know will be receptive to.
Understand the client’s daily routine
Many fast food companies know who their target demographics are. However, to develop a deeper relationship with clients, they need to understand how they behave, how they make choices and what their daily routines are. Video diary studies are a type of mobile ethnography that can be used to uncover behavioral data and can help restaurant owners reveal how meal planning plays a role in consumers’ daily lives. Similar to the message test, this interaction can be recorded from the comfort of the participant’s home, allowing them to answer questions and capture meaningful moments in the consumer’s journey. Leaders should ask questions to identify why customers have chosen their food, the frustrations they experience during the ordering process, and how often they eat throughout the day.
Leveraging digital information platforms is the best way to learn about changing customer preferences for meals or orders at fast food outlets. Whether through video messaging testing, mobile ethnographies, or mobile screenshot videos, restaurateurs now have unprecedented access to their consumer. They can collect the most honest feedback from their customers regarding their experiences on restaurant websites and / or third-party apps, as well as learn about their customers’ new meal preferences and daily habits. Armed with this detailed information, executives can confidently change the way their restaurants operate and ensure those changes serve their customers’ evolved preferences.
Nihal advani is CEO of QualSights, an immersive information platform that enables brands, consultancies and agencies to reveal significant moments in life and generate authentic information to consumers around the world.
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