Smartphones and tablets have become ubiquitous, and it is becoming clear that mobile applications are a major way to interact with customers and create brand affinity. The most recent statistics show that
64% of adults in the U.S. now own smartphones, and 42% of adults own a tablet computer. On top of that, a whopping
85% of adults ages 18-29 (including a segment of the coveted "Millennial" generation) own a smartphone. Mobile technology is now mainstream, and cannot be ignored; your business needs to think very seriously about how you can integrate technology into your operating strategies. As the
NRN reports, major fast food brands, some of the largest players in the restaurant industry, have begun launching full-fledged mobile programs. Soon, free WiFi at every consumer-facing business will not be a bonus, but an expectation.
We've mentioned before that having a wifi network is a key part of a strong social media strategy for any type of hospitality oriented business (see below for more on this subject). At hotels, airports, cafés and other businesses where people are known to be productive, patrons have come to expect complimentary wifi. Now, as the
NRN notes, Miami based fast-food giant Burger King has begun rolling out what the it calls
"Whopper Wifi", complimentary internet access for guests (we don't get the name either). BK is working on remodeling it's U.S. locations nation-wide, and adding wireless internet is a big part of the brands mobile strategy. Beginning sometime this month, another part of their mobile strategy will come into play: customers will be able to use mobile payment options using their smartphone at most BK locations.
Wendy's has also announced that their customers will be able to pay for their food using the brands mobile application. McDonald's has begun testing a similar service, and already allows customers to pay using their smartphone via
Google Wallet. It was also announced this year that Google will be
partnering with 3 of the 4 largest wireless carriers in the U.S., to pre-install Google wallet on smartphones, likely increasing the number of consumers who use the service, and the number of businesses that accept mobile payments.
With Apple Pay now built into every iPhone, that service is gaining steam as well. Apple has been making a huge push to get businesses onboard and increase the number of consumers & businesses using and accepting Apple Pay.
Having a WiFi network helps your customers help your business. In a world dominated by #FoodPorn and sharing on social media, encouraging customers to access the internet while at your business can facilitate sharing their experience, and providing you with word-of-mouth (or word-of-social post) advertising. You an boost this by including a prompt along with instructions for connecting to your WiFi network. That way, every customer that connects is reminded to share information about their visit with their friends on social media. It's a good idea to include a hashtag (i.e. #YourBusiness), so that all your customers' relevant posts are easy to find online. With most major smartphone carriers introducing capped data plans, consumers are likely more willing to post photos and share their experience at your business if they do not have to worry about using up their limited data plans.
While mobile payments are just beginning to catch on in America, internet access is increasingly being viewed as an essential utility, a-la water and electricity. As the number of smartphone owners increases, so will the demand for internet access. So get a jump now, and create a wifi network for your guests. We've already run through even more reasons why you should,
check out our previous blog post for more information and tips on how to set up a guest WiFi network.
Source:
Nations Restaurant News
Tablebases.com
