Is it really love if you’re not on their home screen?
You can’t get much closer to your customers than taking up real estate on their phone with a mobile app.
Mobile apps are quickly becoming one of the hospitality industry’s most powerful tools for increasing loyalty and enhancing customer experience.
Brands like Pret a Manger, Starbucks and McDonald’s have reported record numbers of loyalty subscribers downloading and using their mobile apps. GAIL’s Bakery recently threw its apron in the ring with its own beautifully branded app.
Is it time for you to start planning a mobile app for your own business?
Discover the powerful benefits that mobile apps can bring to an operation in this article, featuring insights from hospitality brands who’ve launched successful mobile apps already.
On that note, let’s go! 
What are the benefits of a hospitality mobile app?
1. Enhance your loyalty scheme
Nurturing a community of loyal customers is one of the most effective ways to generate long-term revenue for your brand.
According to IGD, 39% of eating out loyalty users say that loyalty schemes influence where they buy food and drink.
With businesses competing more than ever for loyalty, customers have come to expect more from restaurant reward programmes than a simple paper stamp card. From Sushi Daily’s new omnichannel loyalty scheme to KFC’s gamified rewards system, operators are stepping up their loyalty game.
Mobile apps are at the heart of this movement.
From an app, you can give customers a convenient and easily accessible place to earn points and redeem rewards.
You can also integrate your mobile app loyalty journey with the rest of your ordering channels. This means your customers can be rewarded for their loyalty across all touch points.
This adds an extra incentive to transact with you – leading to more repeat visits and more revenue. It’s a real win-win.
2. Personalisation in their pocket
Personalisation is key in making the customer feel like they are treated as ‘loyal’.
According to McKinsey, 76% of consumers get frustrated when they don’t receive personalised experiences.
With a loyalty programme embedded in your mobile app, you can offer targeted rewards and promotions that satisfy your customers’ hunger for personalisation.
Marta Pogroszewska, GAIL’s Bakery Manager, says that their focus is now on giving customers “unexpected delights and treats” that are specifically tailored to their preferences.
The possibilities are endless – from offering a free plant-based menu item to a loyal customer who always orders veggie food, to surprising and delighting customers with a special birthday treat.
Book a free demo with restaurant tech expert for an in-depth chat about the benefits a mobile app would bring your operation.
3. Unlock valuable customer data
Having your brand in the palm of your customer’s hand is a powerful way to encourage brand affinity.
But there’s another benefit of mobile apps which can be overlooked…
Data.
Paper stamp cards don’t give you any information on your customer and their ordering habits or preferences. A loyalty system integrated to your app, on the other hand, gives you access to a wealth of data – from age, birthday, location and order preferences.
You can bring online and offline worlds together, giving you a 360-degree view of customer behaviour.
This data has the potential to transform your business in so many different areas – from menu planning and pricing to developing more effective marketing campaigns.
4. Digital adoption
As your brand grows, so too will the number of channels you operate across.
A well-designed mobile app experience will show your guests just how easy, convenient and rewarding it is to engage with your brand digitally.
Customers might download an app first and foremost to access a loyalty scheme, but discover gateway to ordering through digital channels like click & collect or delivery.
Your mobile app then becomes the centre of your omnichannel brand. It becomes the place to access loyalty, digital ordering, and community.
This helps with customer satisfaction, as you are giving customers choice to order in the way that works for them. Over half (56%) of customers feel more relaxed ordering digitally compared to ordering/paying via a member of staff.
Increasing the popularity of digital ordering also takes pressure off your labour model, which continues to be an urgent concern for operators. I am Doner has cut 10 hours of staff labour every day, and increased average ticket price by 30% since introducing digital ordering channels.
Making your mobile app vision a reality
Interested in launching your own mobile app? The good news is you don’t have to match the size or resources of big brands to build a great digital experience for your customers.
At Vita Mojo, we partnered with GAIL’s Bakery to make the vision for their mobile app a reality.
GAIL’s customers can collect digital stamps in return for complimentary loaves of bread, birthday treats and personalised rewards. They can also skip the queue by ordering ahead for collection.
Speak to a member of the team
Talk to the Vita Mojo team today and see how our technology can elevate your brand, drive sales performance and increase efficiency across your business. Just leave a few details and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
