More and more industries are turning to gamification to engage customers and build brand loyalty, including the quick-serve restaurant industry.
What is gamification? To put it simply, gamification is the process of integrating game-like elements into everyday activities. The goal is to complete certain tasks in order to receive rewards as a result.
Gamification has been used in the restaurant industry for a long time, with the use of punch cards. However, gamification technology is expanding rapidly, and research shows it will expand even more in the next few years. It’s time to find way creative ways to add gamification into your business. There are so many different way to utilize gamification, from basic ideas like punch cards to high-tech solutions that are built into your POS.
Here are some simple ways your restaurant can use gamification to improve customer experience:
- Rewards – Gamification can refine your loyalty programs and rewards, and ensure customers engage with your program. This will improve customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. An easy way to add rewards to your restaurant is with a loyalty card stamped for every dish or drink a person consumes at your business. Once they have received 5 or 10 stamps, the next dish or drink is free. If you have an app or a text program, adding a points system is even easier. This type of gamification motivates your customers to keep coming to your restaurant for rewards.
- Utilize social media – Encourage customers to tag themselves at your place of business to receive a percentage off their purchase. This is free marketing and a simple way to build brand awareness on social media. Another method of using social media is through encouraging post-sharing and interaction. Consider offering the first 10 people to share and like your post get a free coffee, redeemable that day only. How you interpret this is unique to your business, but a great way to drive engagement and brand loyalty.
- Challenges – A little competition can always build customer engagement and experience (think about eating challenges and how popular they are!) You can try seasonal “challenges” like encouraging your guests to visit on Taco Tuesday to earn more points towards a discount, or order curbside pickup on Mondays to earn an extra stamp on their card. These short-term challenges also utilize FOMO (fear of missing out) by encouraging customers to get that discount before it disappears. Scarcity is a classic marketing technique for one main reason – it works!
- Staff Engagement – Gamification within your team is a simple, yet effective way to improve morale and attitude at work for everyone. When the team is motivated to compete internally, or receives accolades publicly it can do wonders to motivate a team member to do their job better than before. With QSRSoft you can do this easily, and even across multiple locations, making your quick-serve experience a great one all around!
Even though the restaurant industry has used a form of gamification for years, gamification will continue to evolve in the coming years. Innovations in tech will increase, resulting in new forms of gamification. For the restaurant industry, this means it’s time NOW to get on board with gamification and there’s no simpler way than with QSRSoft TV. Interested? Book a demo to see it in action!