A similar scenario happened at Tacoma, Washingtonbased Farrelli’s Pizza, when Clayton Krueger, director of marketing, communications and beer, decided to wait for the pizzeria’s existing POS provider to introduce online ordering. “We’re pleased with the system now,” he says, but the initial process proved challenging. “In the beginning, we didn’t want to limit pizza customization, and the system has to be able to interpret everything someone can modify. We had to make some tough decisions.”
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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Fortunately, most POS companies work closely with their clients to ensure a smooth transition. And pizzeria operators who implement online ordering typically are glad they did it once all of the kinks get worked out. “Industry analysts—as well as most restaurants—agree that an online order averages 18% more than an order placed over the phone or in person,” notes Larry Fiel, director of marketing for Signature Systems, a Philadelphia-based provider of the PDQ POS software and online ordering technology for pizza restaurants. “When you think about it, it makes sense—versus [calling on] the phone, you see the whole menu online, so you order items you wouldn’t normally order over the phone. In person, it’s generally a time thing. When there’s a line, you don’t want to hold people up, so you typically go for ‘the usual.’” Getting started with online ordering is the hardest part for many operators. Seeking out advice from those
“We see online ordering as an added value for our guests even though we don’t offer delivery. Our customers still order online for carryout, and we receive between 20 and 60 orders per month. We want to provide what our customers want.” — C L AY TO N K R U E G E R , FA R R E L L I ’ S P I Z Z A