Customer behavior in the online food industry has changed dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some local restaurants had to suffer greatly as the food delivery business thrived and gained a larger audience.
When it comes to online food delivery services, brands such as UberEats, Grubhub, and Doordash have seen a significant increase in customer numbers. We discovered some important statistics:
- Uber Eats generated $4.8 billion in revenue in 2020, a 152 percent increase year on year.
- Grubhub generated $1.8 billion in revenue in 2020, a 39 percent increase year-on-year.
- DoorDash increased its revenue by 241 percent in 2020, from $850 million to $2.9 billion.
These figures show that the above mentioned platforms made the most of the pandemic situation and will continue to do so.
To understand how these platforms increased their revenue during COVID-19, let’s take a look at the must-have features that every online food business app must have in order to scale their business post-pandemic.
1) Voice Instructions in Online Food Delivery Apps
Even after receiving the COVID-19 vaccinations, people must keep a safe distance from any non-essential human interaction, which is why adding the feature of voice instructions is so beneficial to your business. It is also useful if a person is staying in a remote or low-network area. This feature can help to avoid any unnecessary delays in order delivery.
For example, Zomato introduced a new feature on their app last year that allowed users to leave voice commands for delivery personnel, making the delivery process easier.
This feature also aids in effective communication by allowing customers to leave important location-related voice instructions, making it easier for delivery personnel to reach them. It not only allows you to improve communication but also to improve customer interaction and brand experience.
2) Advanced Search Option in Online Food Delivery Apps
Customers must be able to browse through different categories and select what they prefer when using online delivery apps, which must include an advanced search feature where cuisines and restaurants can be organized based on location and preferences.
Grubhub lists nearly all of the city’s restaurants, giving users a wide range of choices. The goal is to make it as simple as possible for clients to explore the various possibilities. By ensuring a smooth delivery procedure, this function enhances the client experience.
3) Contactless Deliveries
People nowadays are concerned about their safety, making contactless delivery one of the most vital elements for a post-pandemic online food business. It is no longer an optional feature, but rather a requirement.
Customers can receive their orders without coming into direct contact with delivery personnel thanks to contactless deliveries. Customers can also monitor the delivery person’s temperature, symptoms, and so on.
All of the platforms mentioned above, including Doordash, UberEats, and Grubhub, offer contactless deliveries to ensure the safety of their customers and employees.
4) Delivery Order Management
When a company decides to expand its operations, order management comes into play & it is a critical feature for any multi-vendor online food business, as these businesses frequently collaborate with various service providers and restaurants. When a company decides to expand its operations, order management comes into play.
Some delivery order management tips include integrating WMS, ERP, or eCommerce backend systems, picking orders faster, implementing artificial intelligence, using multiple carriers, and so on. You must also integrate inventory stock with your order management system.
Furthermore, as a business owner, you should remove dishes from your menu that are out of stock so that customers do not encounter any problems once their order is placed.
5) Faster Payment Options
Although payment is the final step in the ordering process, it is an important factor in shaping customer opinions. Ascertain that the payment procedure is efficient and simple to use; all payment options must be clearly listed for the customer to make the desired payment.
As technology advances, modern-day apps include debit/credit card information as well as bitcoin. Google Pay, PayPal, Amazon Pay, Online Banking, Cash On Delivery (COD), and other payment gateways and mobile wallet services are also available on the market.
6) Feedbacks & Ratings
Receiving relevant reviews and feedback is critical for any business because it helps the company grow and creates an authentic platform for its customers. Your review and ratings demonstrate how much you value your customers and their needs.
This feature is a great way to learn about your customers’ needs and how they react to your company. You can be creative when creating a feedback portal for your customers by incorporating gamification techniques and offering discounts to people who write reviews; this is a great way to encourage people to write reviews and give ratings.
7) Revenue Tracking
As a business owner, you must keep track of your revenues so that your company’s growth can be accurately measured. It shows how much money the company makes and whether the revenue earned is sufficient to cover the business expenses.
The revenue per order may increase or decrease as your business grows. This is yet another reason why revenue tracking is essential. By incorporating this feature into your business, you will be able to plan better strategies and achieve higher profits.
Retention rate, daily active users, monthly active users, return on investment, average income per user, and other useful KPIs can be used to measure the success of your app.
8) Complete Purchase History
Have you ever noticed that when you open your food delivery app, you see similar recommendations to those for which you previously placed an order? This occurs as a result of this feature. It must be present on all platforms, such as partner portals, the restaurant manager web interface, and the admin panel.
With the help of purchase history, businesses may get a good idea of what their customers want to buy and, as a result, what sort of content marketing plan they should use.
Conclusion
In 2021, we anticipate that internet food delivery will reach new heights. By 2023, revenue is predicted to reach a market value of US$ 134,490 million. However, you must ensure that your business app stands out from the competitors in this market, and to do so, you must incorporate all of the characteristics listed above.
We can assist you in developing an app for your online food services that incorporates the features listed above. Explore our food delivery app development services!
