Love them or loathe them, the mobile phone is now an integral part of dining out. From browsing the latest food trends on the Harden’s app, to sharing the latest #FoodPorn pictures on Instagram, the humble mobile phone has certainly helped to spread the word of restaurants far and wide, beyond a simple advertisement in the local gazette. Now a new business is in town to benefit restaurants beyond a simple share on social media…

Harden’s caught up with Alex Macdonald, co-founder and co-CEO of Velocity, a leading, global mobile payment application, to discuss how the evolution of mobile payments has actually enabled restaurateurs to get to know their customers in greater detail than ever before. Once upon a time knowing your ‘regulars’ and their ‘usuals’ was the remit of local bistros and village pubs, but thanks to Velocity and their unique CRM platform – which provides real-time insight into the number of diners’ previous visits, their favourite dishes, average spend per head and the rating they’ve given the restaurant previously – it is recognition that even bustling, city centre venues can offer their clientele.

Founded in 2014, Velocity empowers diners to discover, reserve tables, view their bill in real-time, split and pay their bills directly from their mobile phones, while also encouraging repeat custom through bespoke loyalty schemes. Diners using Velocity spend up to 14% more than regular diners.

Payments and more

Alex says: “Velocity is a payment app, but it’s much more than that too. It allows customers to check into a restaurant on their phone so that staff know when a Velocity customer has arrived. Staff will also know if that particular customer has been in the restaurant before and even what they ordered. So not only can diners pay the bill without waiting, and split the bill easily for large groups, they will also get a more personalised experience when they dine out.

“Using the Velocity dashboard, staff can see what repeat diners ordered the last time they paid a visit, offer them their usual drink or make suggestions based on that customer’s likes and dislikes. In a way, mobile technology has brought back a level of service that would once have been seen among the most professional maitre d’s, who memorised details about their regulars, long before the ubiquity of mobile phones.”

Click here to read our quick Q&A with Alex on his foodie credentials.

But restaurateurs who are concerned about wading through vast swathes of customer data in order to deliver this level of service can breathe easy. Velocity does all the heavy lifting for you on this front, so only the most pertinent data is presented to front of house staff. The app also includes a review function which allows Velocity customers to privately leave feedback for the restaurant. Managers can view this in real-time and respond to any complaints before the customer leaves the premises, resolving the problem on the spot.

“Our ethos is that we are a hospitality company first and a technology company second,” Alex continues. “We spent four months working with restaurateurs on our technology so that it was tailored to meet their needs. We know that front of house staff don’t want to be trawling through data to gain valuable insights on their diners, they don’t have the time. Velocity makes sure that they have the information they need at their fingertips, building a profile of customers automatically. That way staff can focus on the important things – customer service and driving sales.

“Some people think new technology is a barrier, but it takes away any friction and awkwardness from service so that restaurateurs can develop a closer relationship with customers by getting to know what they like.”

Operational benefits

Velocity offers plenty of operational benefits, as well as helping to foster a closer relationship with customers. For a start, their payment app means diners can pay the bill instantly which leads to quicker table turn times. Velocity’s technology integrates seamlessly with a restaurant’s existing point-of-sale (PoS) system, meaning that it requires a simple system update to add the Velocity button to the PoS. Through this integration, managers are able to filter the feedback they receive from 100% of Velocity diners to individual staff members to identify their best performing staff and those needing further training.

Restaurant owners and staff receive full training on how to use the simple integration which is supported with online training resources that managers can use to train new staff, or just refresh their memories a bit. Phone support from Velocity is available 24/7 too.

Alex added: “There are very few steps to learn. This is simple technology that’s easy to use, but if support is needed, it is available 24 hours a day.”

On top of all this, customers using the Velocity app spend on average 14% more than other diners. This is in large part due to their corporate clientele. Velocity attracts many high value customers through their integration with the world’s leading expense management platform, Concur. Corporate diners are able to process their corporate meal expenses directly into their Concur account on paying their bill, saving them valuable time in having to process these bills at the end of every month.

From the horse’s mouth:

José Pizarro (José, Pizarro, José Pizarro): “Since implementing Velocity in all three sites, we’ve been able to turn our tables quicker to seat more customers, while still providing the same high levels of service expected from the brand.”

Kurt Zdesar (Chotto Matte, Bouillabaisse): “Velocity gives restaurant staff more time for quality interaction with customers as less time is wasted administering bills. Restaurants can gain a better understanding of their customer, allowing us to tailor our approach to meet their specific needs. Through the app, we can also reward our regular customers who visit time and time again.”

Velocity announced the acquisition of mobile payment app Cover in the US making them the world’s leading international digital hospitality service. The combined venue network now includes hundreds of iconic restaurants and hospitality groups – and 21 Michelin stars – in London, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, including the likes of Burger & Lobster, Chotto Matte, Jose Pizzaro, Carbone, Daniel, Cosme, The Slanted Door, Al’s Place, smoke.oil.salt and Republique.

Velocity is free to install. For more information www.velocityapp.com.