{"id":18747,"date":"2019-04-12T14:16:06","date_gmt":"2019-04-12T14:16:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.posist.com\/restaurant-times\/?p=18747"},"modified":"2023-08-29T17:08:22","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T11:38:22","slug":"customer-retention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.posist.com\/restaurant-times\/restro-gyaan\/customer-retention.html","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Focus On Customer Retention To Increase Your Restaurant Sales"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Indian food and beverage industry is <\/span>growing at an annual rate of seven percent<\/span><\/a> which makes it crucial to match up with the competition and attract as many customers as possible. Attracting new customers is the prime focus of several restaurateurs but, what about the repeat customers? For a restaurant owner, customer retention should be extremely important\u00a0<\/span><\/b>since repeat customers tend to\u00a0spend sixty-seven percent more as compared to the new customers<\/b><\/a>.<\/b> This is because loyal customers are familiar with your restaurant\u2019s services and have developed a taste for the food that you serve.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Plus, it is 6-8 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Importance Of Restaurant Customer Retention <\/b><\/h2>\n

Keeping your loyal customers happy is essential as they are the backbone of your restaurant. The regular customers help in spreading the good word about your restaurant which is very beneficial since people are more likely to try a place which was recommended to them by someone familiar. <\/span><\/p>\n

Restaurant customer retention helps in increasing the restaurant\u2019s sale, and these points will tell you how.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Repeat Customers Are Easy To Upsell To<\/b><\/h3>\n

The repeat customers are more likely to order the same old dishes they usually do but, you can train your servers to suggest the menu items that have high-profit margins. <\/span>It is easier to upsell to repeat customers because over a period they develop a sense of trust towards your restaurant and would love to try something new. <\/b><\/p>\n

For example, if someone were to order a glass of wine, the server can suggest them to opt for the one that has a high-profit margin and describe the wine a little to build your guests’ interest. <\/span><\/p>\n

Make the item you are selling sound appealing and ask your servers to be enthusiastic about it. If the server sounds bored while upselling a particular item your guests might not end up ordering the menu item suggested. <\/span><\/p>\n

Try these effective upselling techniques<\/a> to increase your repeat sales.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. \u00a0Contribute To Word Of Mouth Marketing <\/b><\/h3>\n

If someone loves coming back to your restaurant, the chances are they will tell other people about your restaurant. Word of mouth is a powerful asset in the restaurant industry as it is the best source of free advertisement. Be sure to provide the best service to both,\u00a0repeat as well as new customers. The more you interact with your customers, the more likely your name would spread. <\/span><\/p>\n

Word of mouth is vital as people tend to trust their friends and family more and tend to go with their recommendations. <\/b><\/p>\n

Restaurant customer retention not only brings back your loyal customers but they tend to bring new customers along with them which results in more sales.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read how you can employ word of mouth marketing<\/a> to bring in more customers here.<\/p>\n

3. Repeat Customers Give Honest Feedback<\/b><\/h3>\n

As a restaurant owner, you must always look for ways to make your restaurant superior and cater better to your customer’s needs and wants. <\/span>You can talk to your repeat customers and <\/b>collect their feedback<\/b><\/a> since they have interacted with your restaurant quite a few times they will give you honest suggestions. <\/b><\/p>\n

Regular customers have certain expectations from your restaurant business and would not shy away from giving an honest opinion. Feedbacks are a great way of determining what your guests expect and this will indeed help increase the sales of your restaurant.<\/span><\/p>\n

How To Improve Your Restaurant Customer Retention <\/b><\/h2>\n

Now that you know the benefits of restaurant customer retention here are some of the ways you can retain more regular customers to increase the sales of your restaurant. Offering something extra now and then is a good way of attracting people to your restaurant. Make sure you encourage people to follow your restaurant’s social media pages and regularly post about any upcoming events there. You can also send out emails or SMS to your regular customers and encourage them to visit your restaurant. <\/span><\/p>\n

1. Enticing Loyalty Programs <\/b><\/h3>\n

Loyalty programs are a great way of rewarding your regular customer\u2019s loyalty and giving them an incentive to come back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Make your customers aware of the loyalty programs you offer by sending them regular updates through custom SMS and emails.\u00a0The critical thing to remember here is that generic promotional messages don’t really work in bringing back customers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Loyalty Programs should be customized according to the type of restaurant and customer behavior to improve restaurant customer retention.<\/strong> For instance, the restaurants having high footfall and low Average Customer Spend should run visit-based Loyalty Programs. For restaurants having low footfall and high Average Customer Spend, point-based Loyalty Programs work well.<\/p>\n

Loyalty programs are a great way of engaging your customers and having them come back for more.<\/p>\n

Learn how to create Loyalty Programs that actually bring back customers here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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