Ways Mobile Survey Applications are Revolutionizing Customer Feedback in Restaurants

Mobile applications have been revolutionizing the restaurant sector over the last several years. Think back to the experience of ordering food a decade ago and compare it today. It seems downright archaic by modern standards!

Now, we can order food from anywhere through a food delivery app and start chowing down without leaving the house. Many restaurants also employ mobile apps that connect to POS systems for more efficient in-store experiences and smoother restaurant operations, allowing guests to view menus, order ahead, take advantage of special offers, pay for food and more. Apps are everywhere, and most fast-food chains, from McDonald's to Starbucks, have one.

While many focus on the consumer benefits of mobile applications, restaurants also have much to gain. In addition to better exposure and more streamlined operations, one of the most powerful ways restaurants use apps is to encourage customers to complete online surveys. In this blog, we'll review how mobile survey apps are a game-changer for gathering customer feedback.

A Brief Overview

Customer feedback is crucial to the success of any restaurant. The restaurant industry is all about keeping customers happy. To do that, you need to understand what they think and gain valuable insights into the overall customer experience.

The information you learn from feedback surveys, comments and online reviews is important. They help you keep up with ever-changing trends and customer preferences in the restaurant sector while keeping tabs on your guests' needs. It sheds light on your customer base and highlights ways to enhance your restaurant operations.

Feedback can highlight issues with food quality, gaps in employee training, lackluster menu items and other problems with the customer experience. It can also elevate your strengths, showing you how to put your restaurant's unique selling points front and center. All the while, you can use what you learn to improve your business continuously.

But one major problem exists: You must get people to complete surveys!

Restaurant owners from the past have tried everything to collect data and gather insights. That included printing survey links on receipts to offering incentives to people who provide honest feedback. While those methods provided modest results, it wasn't until mobile survey apps hit the scene that things became infinitely easier!

Recent surveys and statistics show that mobile survey apps have higher response rates than the alternatives. Plus, it costs restaurants significantly less to implement.

Convenience and Accessibility

One of the reasons why mobile survey apps are so effective is because of the sheer convenience they offer. The reality is that most people won't hunt down a link on their receipt or even scan a QR code next to the register to do a survey. While you might think those are minor conveniences, they are kinks in the customer experience that most people don't want to deal with.

But when you put surveys in a mobile application, things are different. Your customers likely already use the app to reserve a table, place an order or view deals. App users are already in your digital ecosystem, so completing a quick survey is suddenly far more convenient.

The accessibility mobile survey apps provide is another factor. The latest estimates show that around 97 percent of Americans have a cellphone, and nine out of ten people with a cellphone have a smartphone. We live in a connected world, and diners are always on their phones.

By putting surveys into a mobile device that's constantly in their hands, you're making things more accessible to your customers than ever.

Real-Time Feedback Collection

Another huge perk of mobile survey apps is that they make real-time feedback collection possible.

Think about the customer experience with traditional surveys. Whether you have a dedicated flyer or provide directions to a survey on your receipt, many steps are involved in responding to questions. If people decide to complete a questionnaire, they likely do it hours later.

But with a mobile survey app, you can reach your customer base when they're most engaged. Invite patrons to complete surveys immediately after submitting takeout orders or receiving food. You can even implement push notifications to remind them.

This approach allows you to get honest feedback when their experience with your restaurant is fresh. Learn about the ordering process, app user experience, customer service, delivery speed and more. It's true real-time feedback collection, a rarity in the restaurant sector.

Enhanced User Engagement

Mobile surveys are a powerful tool for customer engagement. For many people, providing feedback is a boring and time-consuming process. But you can flip that concept on its head when you find innovative ways to ask for feedback, such as through a mobile survey app.

It's a fantastic way to keep your supporters engaged. Reach app users when they're most tuned into your restaurant and brand. Take advantage of their attention, time surveys strategically and watch engagement soar!

Customization and Personalization

It's not just timing and accessibility that can keep your customer base engaged. With mobile survey apps, you can create a fun feedback experience! The days of boring questionnaires developed and administered by third-party market research companies are over. Now, you can build tailor-made surveys that stay true to your brand.

Make feedback surveys another opportunity to raise awareness and improve brand visibility. Treat it as an extension of your restaurant by using similar colors, art styles, logos and more.

Integration with Loyalty Programs

Here's another major reason why mobile survey apps just work. Check on nationwide brands, and you'll see that most have some type of loyalty program in place for customers who use the app. App users can often gain access to better deals, earning free food and other fun rewards the more they place orders.

Want to maximize engagement and gather tons of feedback? Integrate your surveys into your loyalty program! Apps are a great way for restaurants to turn surveys into chances to earn points and freebies! It's a great incentive that continues to deliver great results for restaurant brands, big and small.

Data Analysis and Insights

In addition to loyalty program integration, mobile surveys can pave the way to more efficient data analysis. Getting people to leave feedback is just half the battle. You must also have the means to turn raw data into actionable insights.

Mobile surveys offer an all-digital experience. There are no paper documents to digitize or complex hurdles to jump through to make sense of the data you collect. Many survey apps and platforms have built-in analysis tools.

They can visualize data clearly, pinpoint potential problems, highlight strengths and identify opportunities. The right tools can turn data into insights that count, and mobile surveys streamline the process from start to finish.

Streamlined Communication Channels

Want a quick and efficient way to communicate with your customer base? Mobile survey apps are your best bet. Sure, social media platforms, marketing campaigns and traditional advertising can have a wide reach. But none of those methods allow you to reach people through their smartphones!

Apps are an excellent way to communicate deals, remind people to leave feedback and more. With technology like push notifications and alerts, there's no better way to connect and engage.

Overcoming Challenges and Obstacles

Mobile surveys have their undeniable strengths. But they're not without a few hurdles.

One of the biggest is getting customers to opt in. Despite our constantly connected way of life, people are increasingly concerned about data collection, privacy and digital safety. As a result, you'd be hard-pressed to find customers who would download an app just to complete surveys.

Fortunately, there's an easy fix to that problem. The best way to overcome adoption issues is to provide value through your mobile application. Use your app to improve every step of the customer experience. Implement features that allow users to view your digital menus, a system for online ordering, food delivery management and more. Then, consider developing a loyalty program with tons of incentives for people to use the app.

Once customers become regular app users, you can realize the full potential of mobile surveys. The key is to provide value beyond leaving feedback. When patrons have a reason to use your app, they're more likely to leave feedback you can utilize to boost your business.

Get Started With Superorder Today

If you're not taking advantage of mobile survey apps, you're missing out on a valuable source of feedback. Every restaurant needs to keep tabs on what customers think. It's integral to continued success and business growth. Mobile survey apps present one of the most effective and convenient methods to engage clientele.

With a successful app, you can learn more about your customers and their experiences than ever before and use that to take your restaurant to the next level.

With Superorder, growth and success are closer than you think. Superorder is a comprehensive restaurant management software that can streamline operational efficiency and help you gather the feedback you need to understand diners on a much deeper level. Superorder uses advanced technology like AI to turn feedback into insights you can use. Check out Superorder today to see how it can transform your restaurant business.