The SMS edge for orders and deliveries
It’s a rainy Friday night, and your pyjamas are looking like a great option, but there’s nothing dinner-worthy in the fridge. This is where online-order food wins. In a pandemic and post-pandemic world, ordering in is the new going out.
With a 12.1% market size growth in 2021 and a 43.8% growth in the market since 2016 – food ordering and delivery platforms in Australia are going gangbusters. Get an edge for your business and stay relevant in this environment.
The rise of eats to-your-door
Online food delivery is poised to grow into a $200 billion industry by 2025. Considering only 11% of the global population can access delivery platforms, more customers are out there. The food behemoth, Uber Eats, has a yearly revenue of $1.4 billion and is accessible in 670 cities worldwide. Delivery by drone or robot may sound like a future fantasy, but it may be an actuality by the end of the next decade.
The entire spectrum of cuisines is available with one tap of your mobile; that’s food choice and convenience like never before. We’ve all been purchasing our clothes and countless other products online for a while now, so we expect similar timeliness and transparency when it comes to ordering food.
In this busy business environment, SMS presents an opportunity to reach out to customers with customised communication and stand out by being responsive.
Improve delivery business practices
When it comes to revolutionising the order-delivery industry – technology is the answer. Delayed or cancelled? There’s an SMS notification for that. Don’t let your customer order and hope for the best – set your business apart by being accountable, efficient and reactive. SMS for orders and deliveries is a top tool for facilitating customer expectations.
Looking for some inspo? This is how DoorDash runs its contactless delivery experience. Direct communication between customers and deliverers is excellent in the food space, but it relates to any online ordering context. A smoother, safer delivery experience is in everyone’s interest.
Making text messaging part of your process keeps customers informed and updated in real-time. Instant messages that are short and informative are very likely to be read and invaluable to customer service. Foster customer confidence and loyalty by giving them visibility over the whole order process.
Why incorporate SMS for orders and deliveries
There’s a mountain of reasons to bring SMS delivery confirmation into your delivery business automation.
Direct Connection
SMS delivery updates let your customers know about their current order in real-time. Being able to contact your business with questions, minus the middle-man, is empowering.
Order Sequence
Follow up on orders with a summary and text message delivery confirmation, so customers know it’s locked in. Give them an estimated delivery time and let them track their order so they can turn the lights on when it arrives.
Satisfaction Surveys
SMS gives you the power to get valuable information from customers. Follow the delivery with a survey or request a review; both help your business grow and adapt.
Coordinate Parties
Integrate SMS with your delivery tracking software. Simplify communication between the restaurant, drivers and end-eaters.
Customisation
When you target the content of your SMS to an individual rather than the collective, you speak to the particular process and pain point of that particular person.
Get Creative with your food-related SMS
Like all marketing touchpoints, the more striking and unique your SMS, the more memorable and interactive your brand becomes. Instead of the run-of-the-mill messaging, get creative, and try these templates. These are in the food space, but you can apply the outside-the-box approach to your business.
One way SMS: after order placed
One way SMS: order en-route or delivered
Two Way SMS: same day order review
Hi [Name], now that you’ve had time to enjoy your meal, we’d love to know how we did. Any feedback? (pun intended) What went wrong, what went right?
Opt-out reply STOP
Two Way SMS: one-week review (rating 1-5)
Hi [Name], it’s been a week since your Massaman curry meal. Now that you’ve had time to digest your experience – how do you rate us from 1-5?
Opt-out reply STOP
Two Way SMS: post rating, link to review
Hi [Name], thanks for rating us honestly. If you want to expand on your feedback, head to our review page [link] and let loose.
Opt-out reply STOP
The capacity of two-way customer communication
If you’re not currently using SMS for order and deliveries – you should. Our templates are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the potential this tool offers. Burst SMS is the way forward for your business – send direct, compliant communication to streamline the order-delivery experience for your customers.
