“Jeepers, these gadgets sure are swell!”

It’s official: Americans are addicted to their gadgetry.  Check out these nuggets from Pew Research:

• 91 percent of American adults have a cell phone
• 56 percent have a smartphone
• 34 percent own a tablet
• 26 percent own an E-reader

These technologies have a profound and pervasive influence on the lifestyles of their owners. Nothing to fear, I mean “influence” in a positive, “R2D2” kind of way, rather than a negative, “Skynet,” sort of influence.
Anyhoo, 67 percent of phone owners find themselves reflexively checking the device, even when there hasn’t been a notification. 44 percent sleep next to the device for fear of missing something and 29 percent say they “can’t imagine living without” their digital wubbie.
Those wielding devices are naturally eager to take advantage of all the conveniences the mobile world has to offer, including ordering food.

“Try to pose naturally, like a person talking on a phone. That’s it!”

What does a mobile consumer look like?  According to InformationWeek, 71 percent of businesses see m-commerce as very or extremely important in the future, yet only 26 percent have a mobile strategy in place.

With every generation of devices, the distinction between phone and tablet gets more and more blurry.  Is that a phone?  A tablet?  A phablet?  The same goes for technophiles.  Trying to categorize people as mobile, tablet or PC users is counter-productive since many of these folks use multiple types of devices every day.  Thinking in terms of mobile, online and physical store marketing strategies is played out.  Instead, develop a holistic strategy for creating broad appeal to the tech-consumer.

Mobile consumers trend younger and wealthier

A recent study by Forrester Research shows undoubtedly that these technophiles tend to be more youthful, affluent, educated and sophisticated.  Um, did someone say, “dream customer?”  These folks average 34-years-old and make a median income of $95,000.  They get online often, use more than one device and nearly half of them are willing to share personal information if they get something valuable in return.

Gather data, and lots of it

For all of the exploding mobile culture everywhere, there is surprisingly little accurate data available for many applications.  Traditional advertisers relied on surveys and panels.  Internet analytics often come from embedded code.

These measurement techniques are less accurate with mobile app audiences.  It is possible to cobble together user ratings and reviews, but given the diversity of the app marketplace probably means there will never be a way to measure sentiment across the whole mobile cosmos.

Apps can gather data, too.  As they accept the download terms, users can agree to share data on their location, spending habits, web searches and much more.  While generalized data is harder to come by, app users are more intimate than ever with the apps they choose to download.

“Hey, mobile user, don’t ya wanna eat at my joint?”

Cultivate a customer centric culture 

Impatience and  the need for convenience motivate the mobile user.   A great app has to work en route, on the go, on the fly and offer the right information.  There is not much use in having info in the palm of your hand if your hand has to be within 21 feet of a wifi connection.  Mobile customers want as much info as possible before “decision time.”  If they are not getting what they need, mobile customers are also quick to ditch an app and find an alternative.

App use can lead to sales before a customer ever enters the store.

The success or usefulness of a restaurant app doesn’t just come from a number of downloads or transactions.  An app is part of a larger tool set every restaurant has to engage customers and build lasting relationships.  The convenience, easy information and special perks that come with an app are a form of hospitality uniquely tailored to mobile customers.

Mobile customers are, after all, still just hungry customers with mobile devices.  Use an app to help them get what they want.

Image courtesy of stockimages, imagemajestic/FreeDigitalPhotos .net

Plot a course for more effective marketing

Perhaps someday future historians will look back on these days as the Age of Communication.  Recent decades have seen lightning fast advancement of ever more convenient, effective and accessible communication technology.  But as in any time period, commerce is one of the leading motivators for people to take advantage of new technology.

With the advent of the printing press, and later radio and television, advertisers suddenly had ways to present messages to huge audiences across vast geographic areas.  Today audiences for major media events can number in the tens of millions, compared to the hyper-local audiences available to the street signs and town criers in days of old.

Marketing tactics have always changed along with the times, but another technological sea change is already making short work of 20^th century marketing tactics.  The days of targeting a colossal group of people linked by the most basic demographic traits are all but over.  Not only is this incredibly inefficient, modern media consumers tend to get annoyed by unwanted marketing and actively avoid it whenever possible.  Not only is it wasteful, blast marketing can actually harm the relationship between a brand and its potential customers by annoying them.

The brilliant thing about location-based marketing is that customers often open up to these marketing campaigns by choice.  National TV ads can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or more to air, and the potential audience is vague at best.  “Men aged 18-34” might tend to watch one program or another, but there could be an incredibly diverse set of characteristics by which to subdivide that demographic.

Smartphones usually have built in navigation and location technology and app users can give permission to provide this and other information to marketers.  This means an advertiser can target a message to a specific user in a specific location.  Internet use protocols can provide similar information.  The potential to market to people based on location or other precise criteria has brought the evolution of advertising full circle.

A new report from Business Intelligence confirms not only that businesses are embracing location-based marketing tactics, but that they are working.  They expect location-based ad spending to make up 33 percent of total ad spending in 2017, up from 8 percent this year.

After decades of impersonal advertising in their faces, modern consumers are somewhat desensitized to billboard, TV, radio and printed advertising.  When the white noise of generic marketing has been blaring for so long, people can’t help but tune it out.  The kind of precision that location-based marketing allows for might soon become the only way to effectively market a brand.

Marketers have always tried to adapt their message to suit likely viewers.  The difference now is that accurate information about the habits, demographics and even precise location of the audience is available like never before.

Image courtesy of Keerati / FreeDigitalPhotos .net

Belief is the spark that ignites ideas and forges them into accomplishments. Without ongoing confidence to back it up, any idea good or bad is likely to disappear into the ether of forgotten insignificance.

There just isn’t time to chase every single shiny object

There is good belief and bad belief, and the dividing line is both razor thin and invisible, except through hindsight. Misplaced belief can be every bit as dangerous as properly directed faith is powerful. The potential for wasted time, effort and wounded credibility should make the wary businessperson think twice before backing every idea that comes across the desk.
Nowhere is this dividing line as stark as in the world of startup companies. With limited funding and accelerated expectations, every decision and every risk take on added significance. Here are three of the most common “belief traps” people at a startup can fall into.

1) Chasing too many “shiny objects.” There may appear to be a plethora of great opportunities for a company to engage. And the more you sow, the more you reap, right? Not necessarily. Piling up new goals and projects can make it difficult to stay focused on what is really important. Instead choose the initiative that will make the biggest positive impact in the shortest amount of time and set aside the others for another time.
2) Believing a “no” is actually a “yes,” or worse yet, a “yes someday.” It is impossible to succeed in the startup world without a healthy sense of optimism, but too much can be misleading. Pinning faint hopes against unlikely odds can lead to big emotional swings that are ultimately counter-productive. Take every apparent success (and failure) with a grain of salt and try to stay grounded.
3) Self-imposed smokescreens. An idea is sort of like a baby. It needs nurturing, guidance and unlimited love if it is going to grow up to be strong and productive. Like many parents, people who come up with ideas tend to fall in love so hard that they become blind to faults that are easily apparent to the outside observer. Don’t be a “soccer mom,” screaming at helpless coaches and refs when the player deserves the blame for her or his own shortcomings. Blind faith in any idea is a fast way to failure, so temper that unwavering belief with a little humility and objectivity.

Image courtesy of CNaene / FreeDigitalPhotos .net

The forecast: Sunny skies with increased mobile use.

While these data certainly support the increased ubiquity of mobile computing, there could be natural forces at work here as well.  For the last few years, mobile has defied traditional internet use trends and actually increased during the summer.  It makes perfect sense:  when the weather improves, many people are more likely to head out of doors, either for short excursions or to travel, so they rely more on mobile computing.

According to app data aggregator Flurry, app use peaks between 5 and 9 pm, coincidentally the time when many people might be going out to dinner.  There is another smaller peak in the number of users per hour between 11 am and 1 pm.

The stars, the seasons and the hands of the clock are all pointing to increased mobile app use.  Major pizza chains have reported a drastic shift toward mobile ordering among their customers.  The time is clearly at hand for restaurants to go mobile, yet to this day 45 percent of businesses somehow still lack a mobile presence.  The restaurants that survive and thrive will be the ones that adapt to the changing seasons.  The warm weather will bring hungry mobile users out of hibernation, so be sure your restaurant offers a mobile app they can connect with.

Image courtesy of jiggoja / FreeDigitalPhotos .net

The report details three main reasons for the uptick in mobile spending:

1. The proliferation of mobile and tablet users.  Already mobile and tablet users account for a disproportionate amount of e-commerce spending, compared to their desk-bound counterparts.
2. Mobile marketing efforts like catalogs and coupons are succeeding.  Mobile coupon redemption rates are ten times those of their paper counterparts.  Between driving foot traffic and gathering useful data, mobile commerce is a boon for businesses.
3. Demographics paint a bright picture for the future of mobile commerce.  Smartphone sales are through the roof, but teens today do most of their internet surfing on a mobile device.  Smartphones are still an option or a novelty for some people today, but the next generation of consumers will look to mobile devices as their primary source of media and information.

Now is the perfect time for restaurants to get in on the mobile action.  Today’s consumers have expressed their desire for mobile and online food ordering.  Here’s to hoping restaurants catch up to the demand.

Missing cogs in your mobile and online ordering machine could make the whole thing go haywire.

Big chain restaurants are realizing the potential of mobile and online ordering and taking advantage by offering slick new apps to their customers.  Smaller and medium sized restaurant groups also have access to mobile and online ordering apps.  With options available ranging from skeletal programming codes to add to an existing site to turnkey solutions to developing an app in-house, a restaurant management team might wonder which bells and whistles are essential and which they can kick to the curb.  Here are eight features no ordering app should ever lack.

1. Cross-platform integration  The war between Android vs. iPhone is well-documented, including legions of passionate brand evangelists on both sides.  Whichever device they prefer, all of these users have the potential to become avid mobile food orderers.  Plus there are tons of people that might want to order via the mobile web or computer.  Why choose one platform or another?  Your app needs versions for all three media (Android, iPhone and web) and the consistent testing, updating and troubleshooting to go with them.
2. Secure credit card processing  There is much ado among tech bloggers and journalists about which version of the “mobile wallet” will someday reign supreme.  So far no one system has made enough noise to grab a dominating portion of the market share.  Until someone finds that mobile payment holy grail, why not stick to what digital customers know and are comfortable with:  paying with cards?  Food ordering apps that offer secure credit card information storage and processing allow for the least amount of hassle for customers and merchants alike.
3. Saved favorites  Regular and return customers often know what they want to order before they see a menu.  Since some the most appealing aspects of mobile and online ordering are convenience and speed, the ability to save favorite menu items for quick ordering is essential.
4. Customer feedback  People that shop online or through mobile apps are accustomed to open, easy to access customer support and feedback.  Don’t disappoint them.  A good app will let customers share their feelings at the touch of a button, be it to the restaurant, app developer or sharing thoughts via social media.
5. Charitable giving  Mobile and online ordering customers are just as generous as everyone else, so provide them a chance to give a little when they purchase through the app.
6. Loyalty programs  Like so many other things, loyalty and rewards programs are migrating from wallets and purses into mobile phones.  Punch and swipe cards are making way for easier to manage counterparts that link to user accounts.  Mobile and online food ordering systems that make these rewards easy to track and redeem are that much more appealing to potential customers.
7. Push marketing  Consumers these days are becoming experts at avoiding “intrusive” marketing.  On the other hand, many of the same people are more than willing to sign up to receive special offers they know they are interested in.  The best mobile apps allow restaurants to send push notifications, which are messages the app delivers to users based on criteria like location and previous ordering habits.  The old days of inundating the public with signs, billboards and flyers in hopes that a few customers might bite are in the past.  Connecting with the customers that want to hear about your special offers makes each marketing dollar that much more effective.
8. Powerful merchant tools  Of course great apps offer tricked out experiences for customers, but they can offer useful tools for restaurants to take advantage of also.  One of the best aspects of the mobile and online economy is the prospect of pinpoint accurate customer data.  Restaurant managers should be able to track orders and payment, update menus and hours and prices from a tablet, smartphone or computer.  Another nice feature is access rich data including weekly transaction reports or the ability to monitor data from multiple locations from one portal.

If you are going to implement mobile and online ordering, don’t make the mistake of only going half way.  Be sure your app has all of the shiny new features that offer a top notch experience to customer and restaurant alike.

Image courtesy of Mr Lightman / FreeDigitalPhotos .net

What do we want? MOBILE ORDERING! When do we want it? NOW!

The survey indicates that these potential digital customers would like plenty of bells and whistles to go along with a hi-tech ordering and payment option.  42 percent said they would like their favorite QSR to offer incentives like loyalty or rewards programs, and 77 percent said they would use a stored value card to pay for purchases if that meant they would earn discounts like loyalty points or additional coupons.  Loyalty programs are popular with customers because they offer instantaneous rewards They also help restaurants by inspiring return visits.

Quite a few survey respondents indicated that they would like to be able to save their favorite menu items, as 42 percent said they were more likely to return to a QSR if the system saved their orders.  Customers aged 18-44 were even keener (55 percent) on this feature.

The unifying factor of the poll data is not surprising:  QSR customers are hungry for convenience.  Expedience is one of the main reason the QSR market exists in the first place.  Mobile and online ordering, loyalty programs and saving favorites each provide customers with a way to reduce the time spent and effort exerted when picking up food.

If this poll data is any indication, mobile and online ordering is quickly transforming from a novel amenity to an expectation.  Now it is up to restaurants to catch up to consumer demand.

The newest update for iOS that we previewed in a recent post hit the shelves of the App Store yesterday. All branded iPhone apps powered by Splick-it are now up to speed with this latest and greatest version. Check out the list below for all the upgrades and go update your Splick-it app(s)!

What’s new in this version?

• See store locations on a map and list
• View store operating hours
• Call or get directions to a store
• More accurate delivery distance calculations

Download the free update

A few months ago, we offered a sneak peek of an entirely new version of our merchant administration tool: Merchant Portal. After much tweaking and polishing based on user feedback, today we’re announcing the public release of the fastest and easiest-to-use Merchant Portal experience yet.

Why is new Merchant Portal so great? Here are just some of the reasons we think you’ll love it.

Intuitively designed.
With an ever-increasing abundance of new products and services emerging for restaurants to manage, time is of the essence. We understand that Merchant Portal is just one of things you have to interact with throughout your busy day. To that end, our primary goal for Merchant Portal was to provide our merchants with an experience that embodies the same values as what your guests have come to expect from Splick-it: speed and convenience.

Responsive. Just like you.
It’s no secret that quick-service and fast-casual restaurants are well-oiled machines. And just like their fast-paced work environments, restaurants require tools that respond quickly to rapidly changing circumstances and surroundings. That’s precisely why we optimized Merchant Portal for practically any device. So whether you need to make a quick menu change while making an emergency supply run or adjust operating hours for an unanticipated early closure, you can do it all quickly and easily with your smartphone, tablet or computer.

Your feedback = new features.

• Turn off ordering: Temporarily pause Splick-it orders and schedule a date for it to automatically resume
  - Takeout
  - Delivery
• Refunds: Use password-protected Service Portal to apply full or partial refunds to a transaction
• Own multiple locations? Use one login to view and manage all of them
• Immediate Order Delivery: toggle this preference on to receive orders as soon as they are placed instead of 15 minutes before they are due
• Advanced Ordering: Take orders multiple days ahead of time by enabling this option

Start using it now.
The new merchant portal is live now for all Splick-it restaurant locations at merchant.splickit.com.

Not using Splick-it yet? If you own a restaurant and would like to see what Splick-it and the new Merchant Portal can offer your business, drop us a line for information and a guided tour.

Jersey Mike’s Subs Taps Splick-it to Power Mobile and Online Ordering System

Customers will soon be able to get it Mike’s Way™ online or via iOS or Android mobile apps

Manasquan, N.J. – April 30, 2013 – Splick-it, a mobile and online ordering platform, today announced they have been selected to power the mobile and online ordering system for Jersey Mike’s Subs restaurants.

Passionate Jersey Mike’s fans crave their subs made Mike’s Way™ with onions, lettuce, tomatoes and a signature blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar and spices. The company uses only private labeled meats and cheeses that are sliced fresh for each sub sandwich and piled high on in-store baked bread. Everything is quickly made to order for each customer, just the way the first subs were made at the original Jersey Mike’s more than 50 years ago.

“Customers are increasingly looking for easy and convenient ways to get their meal fast,” said Rich Hope, CMO of Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc. “After considering a number of options, we selected Splick-it because of their outstanding track record. We believe this will be a great addition to our service,” he added.

According to study by the Center for Hospitality Research, restaurants using mobile and online ordering report increased customer frequency. Respondents also noted labor savings, as their employees didn’t need to answer the phone or take an order from a customer, as well as improved order accuracy.

Splick-it will design the online ordering system first, with iOS and Android apps to follow soon. The service will be specifically branded for Jersey Mike’s Subs, as Splick-it has done for other restaurants including Moe’s Southwest Grill and The Pita Pit. In addition to mobile and online ordering and payment, patrons participating in Jersey Mike’s Shore Points rewards program will be able to track, earn and redeem points directly through the application.

About Jersey Mike’s Subs:
Jersey Mike’s, a fast-casual sub sandwich franchise with more than 750 locations open and under development nationwide, has a long history of community involvement and support. Started at the Jersey Shore in 1956, Jersey Mike’s serves authentic East Coast-style subs on fresh baked bread – the same recipe it started with over 50 years ago. The company’s mission is to bring its customers the highest quality, freshest made sub in the industry and give back to the communities in which it operates. A store locator and franchise information for Jersey Mike’s can be found at www.jerseymikes.com.

About Splick-it:
Splick-it powers branded mobile apps and online ordering for restaurants to accept orders from anywhere and provide guests with a VIP experience.