Insights
We wanted to find out the correlation between brands and loyalty, so we asked our panel of guests which type of brands they are most loyal to.
Interestingly hospitality brands came out on top with 36% stating that they feel most loyal to restaurant brands, followed by 22% feeling most loyal to food brands. Other categories were clothing (14%) café (9%) with tech and hotels at 7%. The commitment guests feel to restaurants in particular shows the scope that brands have to build further on loyalty and trust in the industry.
So why is loyalty so important? Well, on average 47% of guests visited their favourite restaurant brand 3-5 times over the last 6 months, with 23% visiting 6 times or more. This makes a significant difference to an operator’s bottom line.
What’s more, almost half of guests (47%) actively shout about the brands they love - 80% through family and friends, 10% via review sites and 8% on social media, creating a whole host of mini brand ambassadors. So, how can you ensure that guests want to be loyal to you?
Deciding where to dine was once based on location, with a handful of options available at most, but simply existing doesn’t cut it anymore. Now, within a 10-mile radius, you can find a whole host of restaurants from chains to pubs to independents, budget and high end, including a range of cuisines. Now, it’s your story and your ethos that guests buy into, as well as the look and feel of your website and interiors… all before they even taste your food.
Story telling
Many operators now tell their story on their website. This is what sets you apart because each brand launch has truly unique reasons behind their why. Restaurants are opened by people so it’s important that brands really communicate this as a means to emotionally connect with their audience. The attractive brand colours, signature drinks, stand out interiors and great food all come afterwards.
It’s that first impression of your brand that sets the expectation for your guest experience. From your logo to your brands ethos, you give guests a taste of what you’re about and what they can expect from you before when they set food it your venue. So, it’s important to regularly review this, your target audience and whether each element of your brand reflects what you’re about.
Community
Community is becoming increasingly important to our technological world. Guests like to feel a part of something, and this starts with the welcome they receive from you both online and in person. This connection can be extended by encouraging your guests to become one of your top customers through your loyalty programme. 68% of guests use loyalty cards or apps and 40% of guests use them every time they dine out.
Of guests that use loyalty apps, 56% say that a loyalty card alone would encourage them to visit you for the first time. Many chains have offers such as 241 or 3 courses for 2 during the week or quiet periods and independents could certainly take something from this. What’s more, after a bad dining experience, 75% of guests would actually give a brand a second chance if they were offered a discount as an incentive to return and providing they were given the opportunity to feedback
We believe that your brand truly sets the expectation for the guest experience so it’s important to consider your guest journey, right from conception of your adverts and website through to their experience with you at your venue. What does your brand say about you? Does it convey your story, your ethos and appeal to your target market?
Guest feedback surveys are a great way to discover how your guests perceive you, allowing to you collate feedback, track your Net Promoter Score (NPS) and be alerted to things that might require attention. Our feedback surveys allow you to build your guest database and influence word-of-mouth whilst attracting brand engagement. To find out more about how we can support you with our guest feedback surveys, speak to the team today on 01225 470999 or email enquiries@hgem.com.
