Introduction
It’s no secret that economic headwinds are influencing how brands and marketers navigate the markets in 2024. Over the past few years, customer acquisition costs have increased by over 60%. This, coupled with low return on ad spend (ROAS) and the decreasing attention span of modern consumers, has reduced businesses’ dependence on paid marketing channels.
Amid all the challenges, email is a channel that brands can count on more than ever.
Let’s burst a bubble. The perception that email is a static and non-interactive messaging channel is entirely inaccurate! In 2019, email experienced its ‘iPhone moment’ with the birth of Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). Consider AMP as the technology that directly brings web and app experiences to your recipients’ inboxes. This innovation empowers marketers to explore endless possibilities beyond plain text and images, as typically seen in HTML emails. AMP email also forms the roots of email’s next big revolution – Inbox Commerce.
Inbox Commerce allows brands to seamlessly incorporate the complete customer journey within their emails, from product discovery and purchase decisions to fostering customer loyalty. Present-day marketers can include dynamic games for incentivizing rewards, allow users to peruse menus, and allow recipients to make reservations… all within the email.
Brands can now offer interactive recommendations based on the new awareness of customer affinity and even integrate these recommendations into smart search bars within the email. Bundled offers and even AI-powered chatbots can now be included directly within the email body.
Learn more about all of Netcore’s Inbox Commerce use cases by reading our in-depth blog.
Key Inbox Commerce Use Cases for QSRs and Hospitality
1. Display a Personalized Menu with Expand Options
Brands can now offer interactive recommendations based on the new awareness of customer affinity and even integrate these recommendations into smart search bars within the email.
Now, you’re not limited to mere images and text; you can craft engaging and interactive email experiences. For instance, you can go beyond static content when showcasing a delightful dish as you can see in the image below. You can implement a parent menu with sub-menus to showcase various enticing variants and create an immersive and mouthwatering presentation.
Furthermore, you can include an ‘add-to-cart’ button. Say goodbye to external redirects. This cart functionality can have real-time edits. You can modify dish variants and make adjustments seamlessly, as exemplified in the animated GIF below. It’s akin to bringing the convenience of DoorDash directly into your email experience.
If you think that’s great, here’s another interesting feature of Inbox Commerce: You can seamlessly integrate the entire customer journey into their inbox by incorporating a payment window which takes convenience to unprecedented levels.
2. Live Order Tracking
Many restaurants and food tech brands like UberEats include this functionality into their apps, but with Inbox Commerce, we elevate convenience by integrating the entire experience directly into their emails too. Now, you can send real-time location updates for their orders, track the cooking progress, and let them know when the delivery representative has picked up the order. Additionally, you can utilize expandable menus to include special instructions and communicate specific preferences.
3. Locate Nearest Restaurant/Franchise
Restaurantgoers want convenience, and this feature does just that by bringing an e-commerce-grade search box inside their inbox. You can now insert your address/pin code inside your search bar and evaluate your options based on the displayed ratings. This forms a truly empowering experience. Moreover, you can incorporate your entire menu and cart in tandem with this feature so that restaurantgoers can order their favorite dishes from their favorite franchises effortlessly.
4. Embed Interactive Loyalty Programs
An essential aspect of the dining-out experience involves accumulating loyalty points for future discounts on orders. This perk is particularly popular among college students, recent graduates, and savvy bargain seekers who constantly seek the most enticing deals. Enhance their experience by displaying their loyalty points directly in the email without any redirects. Provide real-time updates on the credited points and details on their earnings from each order and more.
5. NPS Surveys
Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a prevalent metric within customer experience programs. It offers valuable insights into customer satisfaction and loyalty. We’ve introduced an engaging feature so you can integrate a visually appealing NPS email into your restaurant’s communication strategy. This streamlines the process of collecting data from your patrons and gives them a unique and enjoyable experience.
By leveraging this fun-filled NPS email, you can efficiently gather essential information about your restaurantgoers. This data becomes a valuable resource, empowering you to make informed decisions and implement improvements that align with your clientele’s expectations and desires.
With a clearer picture of customer sentiments, you can tailor your offerings and services to create a more personalized and satisfying dining experience, ultimately fostering customer loyalty.
Conclusion
The digital marketing landscape is evolving, and email, contrary to popular belief, stands resilient as a potent tool for engagement and commerce. As the allure of social media ads diminishes and customer acquisition costs rise, our exploration of Inbox Commerce unveiles a new frontier within the realm of email marketing.
The versatility of Inbox Commerce extends far beyond traditional perceptions of email marketing. The features discussed in this blog merely scratch the surface of its potential impact. Here you getmerely a glimpse into the transformative power it holds for Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) and restaurants.
From personalized menu displays with expandable menus to live order tracking, locating the nearest restaurant/franchise with an e-commerce-grade search box, embedding interactive loyalty programs, and implementing engaging NPS surveys… Inbox Commerce redefines the email experience today. It seamlessly integrates the entire customer journey and offers a dynamic and interactive platform beyond static content.
These innovative use cases elevate the convenience for the restaurant and the customer and create a unique and enjoyable experience. With Inbox Commerce you can incorporate dynamic elements like accordions, carousels, and interactive features within emails to capture attention, foster customer loyalty and provide a personalized and satisfying dining experience.
As we navigate the potential challenges of a financial recession, adopting Inbox Commerce for QSRs and restaurants presents an opportunity for differentiation, enhanced customer engagement, and data-driven decision-making. By embracing these features, businesses can weather the storm and thrive in the digital marketing landscape and even set themselves apart in an increasingly competitive industry.
Get a glimpse into shoppers’ minds and understand their preferences by downloading our North American Consumer Benchmark Report. Moreover, download our Lifecycle Guide for Email Marketing to witness all the Inbox Commerce use cases in action with tangible metric uplifts witnessed by global brands.
Learn More: Experience Inbox Commerce
