Internet Ordering Vs Phone Ordering:

In 2000 Protouch developed a Caller ID module for a small chain of Pizza Restaurants in order to enhance and streamline the order taking process.  The Caller ID system was designed to manage a pizza ordering call center.  Once the call is answered, the customers phone number is passed to ProTouch Caller ID software, which then retrieves the customer name,address and order history from the database. Once taken, ProTouch distributes the order via the internet to the customers closest pizza shop for pickup or delivery.

The restaurant then placed their menu on the www to make it easy for customers to gain access to their menu.  As Internet site gave a 24/7 presence, the concept of developing an online ordering system/shopping cart soon evolved to capture the web viewers.  Web ordering immediately gives the advantage of unlimited orders being taken at peak times.

We noted on other Protouch installations that used Caller ID software that often restaurants didn’t have an adequate phone system capacity or the required personnel to cope for the peak time period which led to loss of customers orders. Then along came VoIP, unlike Standard PSTN phone lines which only hold one caller at a time the VoIP could contain 32 callers.  Protouch then enhanced the Caller ID software to interface with a VoIP PBX exchange where inbound callers are placed in a holding que listening to advertising, specials etc.  This reduced the loss of business caused by peak time loading of phone calls.

We have since revised the www ordering system interface against a phone ordering system and found these interesting point:

Website sales were on average about 10% higher, the reason we be believe is contributed to:

* Phone operators do not try to up-sell, they are often busy processing other customers orders between calls.

* Language barriers can cause orders to take longer to process.

* A phone is designed for a one to one conversation where a www site can deal with many people looking at a screen at once.

* www offers consistent selling with attention grabbing pop ups,  great looking pictures etc

* www purchase time can be as long as the customer wants

* www text is easy to read or even the website has the ability to change languages

Over the years ProTouch has adopted the use of technology, where our past has proven solid steps in POS, phone and www internet ordering systems. We believe a quick service restaurant requires both forms of technology to maximize their production capabilities.

The worth of the deployment of technology to capture and maximise sales can be proven, by calculating deployment costs against loss of income and labour.

ProTouch has the building blocks in IT to maximise your restaurants profits.