What’s covered in this Deep Dive
- Current Status
- Challenges & Opportunities
- Future Trends
We have tried to take a holistic view of the industry’s approach to digital marketing & based our analysis on that.
COVID-19 Turmoil
- The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our lives in ways we had never imagined. Our everyday interaction with the outside world, with public spaces, the retail environment, and even with one another, has come under intense scrutiny.
- The F&B industry contributes to approximately 3% of the total GDP and is one of the largest employers in this country.
- The amount of losses incurred due to this lockdown has been immense.
Diner Preferences Survey
In-Restaurant Survey
- According to the same survey it has been noted that 96.2% people reserve a table before reaching the restaurant.
- The remaining 3.8% prefer to reach the restaurant and wait in queue.
- The people who have reserved in advance prefer to be seated as soon as they reach the restaurant.
Ordering Behaviour
- It is also been noted in the survey that 80.8% users would like to use digital means or a QR code to place an order without touching public places like a paper menu or restaurant tablets.
- Users have preferred to like as much a seamless method of no touch as possible when it comes to the whole restaurant experience all the way from seating to ordering to making a payment.
Systematic Behaviour Change
- Once the COVID-19 era ends a systematic change will be seen in the overall behaviour of customers when coming to a restaurant.
- Most customers will prefer ways to stay as safe and hygienic as possible with minimal touching of public places and maintain social distancing from other people / tables.
- A constant checking of temperature of new diners as well as staff too will need to take place as a necessary precaution.
State of Marketing
Challenges
- Covid Scare
- Negligible Media Spends
- Brand Outreach
Opportunities
- Creating an ecosystem
- Customer Conversations
- Contactless Measures
The Ecosystem
- Once the COVID-19 era ends a systematic change will be seen in the overall behaviour of customers when coming to a restaurant.
- Most customers will prefer ways to stay as safe and hygienic as possible with minimal touching of public places and maintain social distancing from other people / tables.
- A constant checking of temperature of new diners as well as staff too will need to take place as a necessary precaution.
Key Measures
Staff Management
Staff need to masked and gloved at all times maintaining safe hygiene for all along with regular temperature checks.
Safety
Unwell staff should be rested proactively along with maintaining highest hygiene for all at the restaurant.
Kitchen Operations
All surfaces need to be sanitized regularly. One should be as safe and clean as possible at all times with the best possible use of social distancing.
Inventory Management
Understanding the flow of inventory is extremely important and a separate sanitization area should be created for all raw materials with a thorough check.
Dining Area
A safe and modified seating plan can be introduced to follow social distancing rules along with sanitizers at most places possible.
Deliveries
Checking temperatures of all delivery personnel along with having safe and temperature controlled delivery bags for optimal hygiene and safety.
The Ecosystem
Discovery & Preorder
Users can go on the app and discover restaurants near them and place orders via the app when they are about to reach the restaurant.
Contactless Valet
Once they reach the restaurant valet parking should be done in a clean and systematic manner adhering to social distancing rules.
Contactless Check-in
Once at the reception the onboarding of the patrons at the restaurant directly on to their table by checking their reservations and seating.
Contactless Menu
Complete ordering should be contactless with the help of the mobile and QR codes along with the ideal option of preordering.
Contactless Dining
Each item should be sanitized and there should be no need to touch menus or bills along with seamless access to sanitizers.
Contactless Payments
Contactless payments are a must where users can simply make payments without interacting with anyone seamlessly via the app.