While millennials are clearly a key demographic when it comes to designing mobile experiences, new research from mobile solutions provider DMI suggests that quick service restaurants, or QSRs, seeking the biggest payoff should focus on a new cohort: Mobile Reliants. According to the DMI report, although this group only represents 31 percent of all QSR diners, their worth is far higher, as they eat at QSRs more often and report higher satisfaction than the average diner. And perhaps most importantly, 85 percent of Mobile Reliants would visit a QSR even more often if its mobile app delivered the features they’re looking for.
The return on investment, or ROI, for investing in mobile has never been more clear: QSRs that prioritize mobility stand to gain significant competitive advantage.
Top Tips for Mobile QSR
In order to win over Mobile Reliants, the report states that QSRs must deliver these key mobile experiences, in order of importance:
1) Apps that meet visibility expectations. Time is precious. The survey notes that the Domino’s pizza tracker is setting high expectations for order visibility from end to end, as it allows customers to view where their order stands in the queue and its expected delivery time.
2) Loyalty and offers. As an incentive to return, Mobile Reliants want their apps to have personalized offers along with loyalty rewards.
3) A range of pick-up options. Guests want to be able to specify whether to pick up their order at the counter or on the curb, and want to know exactly where to pick it up inside the restaurant.
4) In-app ordering. Surprisingly, the survey notes that few QSRs offer in-app ordering, especially in franchised fast food.
5) Personalized experience. Diners are less enthused than restaurateurs about personalization, perhaps because efforts to date are rudimentary; what guests really want are saved favorites, and information about allergens and other important data.
6) A range of easy payment options. Many QSRs are already meeting expectations in this category, but more options add value.
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Fast Casual Leads
According to the survey, fast casual chains (as a group) own the mobile space, although Domino’s, Starbucks and Taco Bell lead the way overall in mobile maturity. Domino’s in particular is showing its prowess in winning over Mobile Reliants through a standout mobile experience: It’s the tenth most visited QSR among study respondents overall, but the fourth most visited by this mobile-first group.
Keeping up with guests’ mobile demands requires QSRs to commit resources to moving up the mobile maturity ladder. The report also advise QSRs to take an omnichannel approach, one that may include mobile web, distributed ordering or third-party delivery systems.
Most of all, QSRs need to build great mobile experiences by keeping guests front and center. As the report advises, “Successful mobile experiences will cover the entire journey, from the first rumblings of hunger to giving feedback on a meal.”
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