This quote is particularly telling about one of the main benefits of online ordering:
“Maximizing the number of customers who are engaged with the brand and come into the restaurant at least once per month, as a percentage of your total customer base, is what differentiates restaurants on the metrics that we monitor," said Dan Meichenbaum of Dectiva, a California-based research firm. "Preventing customers from becoming lapsed customers is critical to sales and ongoing brand success.”

It reminds us of one of the most important aspects of NetWaiter: It helps you take good customers and make them better ones.

According to a 2011 study by Cornell University, the top two reasons consumers use NetWaiter is convenience and speed.  Customers know they can get their takeout order without hassle, and they can get it quickly.

We'd like to add another reason - Reliability.

Once customers know they can rely on your restaurant for an easy takeout experience, they have less incentive to change.  Make it simpler by adding the ability to order with their smartphones (a feature provided to all NetWaiter clients) and you will further establish your restaurant as reliable and convenient.  Combined, these efforts make it difficult for another restaurant to lure them away.

"An alarming number of customers order online four and five times a week," says Charlie Olson, owner of Blue Moon Burgers in Seattle, WA (and NetWaiter client).  "The customer always has the right menu in front of them, and the order is always accurate.  If the customer pays online, then they just come into the store and grab their bag, and they're gone."

According to a recent article from Restaurant Hospitality, 30% of all traffic to your website comes from a mobile device.  In reality, that figure may be a lot higher, but 30% is still significant.  Here are some dos and don'ts for promoting your restaurant to mobile visitors and customers:

1. Create a mobile-friendly website.  Pssst... NetWaiter automatically creates a mobile site for your restaurant.  It's easy to use and folks love it, but it’s also a good idea to have a mobile friendly version of your existing homepage.  Provide customers easy navigation and show your critical information.

2. List your mobile site on sites such as Yelp, Urbanspoon, and Foursquare.  Your regulars may know where to find you, but others may be looking up your restaurant on their mobile device using one of these sites.

3. Keep it simple.  People care more about ease-of-use and functionality when it comes to mobile websites.  They just want them to work - so forget fancy graphics that take forever to load.  Keep it simple and easy to navigate.  Note: A mobile NetWaiter site is fast and easy to navigate.  

4. Make it easy for customers to find you.  Use a QR code on all your signage and spread the word that you have a mobile site and mobile ordering.

With more than 90 million internet-accessible Smartphones in the United States, mobile ordering and accessibility is something you don't want to miss!