The restaurant industry is one of the hardest-hit sectors by the pandemic. As markets around the world shut down and travel came to a standstill, restaurants suffered a devastating blow. While most restaurateurs had to lay off workers, some had to close forever. However, there was still one hope for many restaurants: online delivery.
Online food ordering soared — from New York to New Delhi and elsewhere in the world. App-based ordering and delivery fit perfectly in a world dominated by the fear of a deadly virus. It ensures the safety of both the customers and delivery workers. But most restaurants still rely on third-party delivery apps.
The Problems With Third-Party Delivery Apps
In India, food delivery apps like Zomato and Swiggy have become household names. But many leading restaurants face conflicts with their delivery partners. Such disputes are prompted by issues like delivery charges, commission, and restaurant preferences, among other things. You can overcome all these by developing your own on-demand food delivery app with personalized features.
The fact that third-party delivery apps take a significant cut from every order makes it financially challenging for restaurants. The charges include payment processing, delivery service, and application maintenance. Most restaurant owners eventually realize that it substantially increases their overhead costs.
Besides, when customers order from a third-party app, they’re likely to be loyal to the app, not your restaurant. Customer loyalty has always been a critical factor in the ruthlessly competitive restaurant industry. Worse yet, some third-party apps increase their charges and change terms without giving any prior notice.
The Benefits of Making Your Own Delivery App
Online delivery has become central to virtually every well-established restaurant. And this trend is likely to stay even after the coronavirus loosens its grip on the world. Restaurateurs are now starting to see the benefits of having their own delivery app. Many restaurants are, in fact, either building their app or finalizing the plan with an android app development company or other agencies.
With your own delivery app in place, you can have immediate and wide-ranging benefits. An in-house app means a significant reduction in operating costs. It also helps you establish a stronger brand image and foster customer loyalty. Below are some of the most striking benefits of having an on-demand food delivery app of your own.
Customer Relationship Management
If you are in the restaurant business, I don’t have to explain to you how crucial customer relationship management is. Restaurants with a loyal customer base fare better even during challenging times like the one we’re navigating.
Some strategy-driven restaurants are abandoning third-party apps because they distort customer loyalty dynamics. In other words, third-party apps shift loyalty to the app from the restaurants. But when you have your delivery app, you don’t have the risk of losing loyalty to any other platform. Many app makers are offering restaurant app development services focused on customer relationships.
Personalized Features & Functionalities
A customized ordering and delivery app dramatically enhances the experiences for your customers. The app development industry has evolved tremendously over the past few years. You can either hire Android developers or outsource your project to build a custom app. While third-party apps offer the same feature for all restaurants, that’s not the case with a custom app. You can create as many personalized features for your restaurant as you want. Personalization also helps you stand out in the online food delivery market.
Point of Sale (POS) Capabilities
POS features have become crucial parts of food delivery apps. They help you add many different payment options. The more payment channels you could add, the higher the chances of conversion. Most POS solutions support all major credit and debit cards, along with other digital wallets like Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and Paytm. Use a POS solution that is perfectly compatible with the existing software ecosystem of your restaurant.
Automation & Chatbots
With the right restaurant app development services vendor, you can incorporate cutting-edge automation solutions. By automating repetitive tasks, you can both improve operational efficiency and reduce overhead costs. Customer support has emerged as the most popular area of automation in the restaurant industry. Chatbots are responding to customer queries and resolving issues. With a customer support chatbot in place, you don’t have to bear the costs of managing customer service executives.
Additionally, automation and AI can also improve customers’ online ordering experience. Automated features are prompt and free from the risks of human error. So, they improve your app’s overall user experience. Restaurant owners are also using automation to boost their marketing. Whether it’s email marketing or push notifications, automation makes everything better.
Rounding Off
The pandemic changed the way restaurants and other service industry businesses operate. With Pfizer and Moderna announcing their vaccine success, we could hope to control the virus by next year. But industry experts believe the online ordering boom won’t peter out even after the pandemic is over. That means you must keep the long-term goals in mind. So, adopt a strategic approach to developing your food delivery app. The best way to start is to discuss your requirement with a reputable app development company.
At Android Developer, a trusted Android app development company, we have vast experience of working with large fast-food chains, independent restaurants, and multinational food service companies. With an award-winning app development team in place, we are poised to build a perfectly customized food delivery app for your restaurant.
FAQs
Q. How do I make an on-demand delivery app?
If you are a restaurant owner or an entrepreneur, the best way to create an on-demand delivery app is to hire an app development company or a dedicated app developer for your project. Android Developer offers on-demand delivery app development services at a competitive price.
Q. How much does it cost to build an on-demand delivery app?
The costs of developing an on-demand delivery app depend on several factors. Design complexity, development time, type of features, etc., play a vital role in calculating the costs. We build on-demand food delivery apps at competitive prices, without compromising with quality.
Q. How long does it take to develop an on-demand food delivery app?
We offer rapid app development services to meet your requirements urgently. However, there’s no predefined time for developing an on-demand delivery app. The development time varies depending on the features of the app and its design. The best way to know an estimated time is to consult app development experts.
