5 Things You Should Look at Before Getting a Third-party Delivery Partner

Online food orders have increased 300% more than dine-in has since 2014 and now make up around 40% of restaurant sales. It has transformed into a sub-industry, and restaurants must prioritize delivery. As such, it’s essential for SMB restaurants, dark kitchens, and restaurant chains to be confident about delivery. Deciding to partner with a third-party delivery service can be daunting, as it means entrusting part of your business’s customer satisfaction to an external company. To help navigate this decision, here are five factors restaurants should consider before partnering with a third-party delivery service:

1. What technological elements should you look out for?

The customer’s user experience should be prioritized when considering a third-party delivery partner. An app that is easy to navigate throughout the customer journey, from choosing their meal to ordering and paying to track their delivery, will surely retain brand loyalty, increase brand recognition, and keep those sales coming in. It’s what will build trust and customer loyalty with your restaurant. 

Another important factor to consider before choosing your food delivery service is how they run promotions to attract customers. Platforms with a vast user base and consistent promotions are vital to getting new customers. Once you’ve chosen a platform, continue to monitor your sales and customer feedback to help determine whether the platform is right for you.

2. How does having a third-party delivery partner impact your team’s workload?

Having a third-party delivery partner reduces the workload on your team by taking on delivery management, freeing up time for other business development tasks such as testing recipes, introducing new dishes, and managing staff for quality. An internal delivery service stretched for time can impact food quality and drive away customers.

Managing delivery drivers is a challenge in starting food delivery, but Deliverect Dispatch can help. With Deliverect Dispatch, you can stop wasting time managing delivery drivers; instead, you can augment your driver network with external drivers. On top of that, your operational costs are optimized, with orders being auto-assigned to the most cost-efficient driver. You get to stay in control without worrying about driver management. Deliverect Dispatch also allows auto-assign drivers to orders after a set time based on your rules. This reduces the workload of manually assigning orders to drivers.

If you’re still considering in-house delivery and aren’t sure which option is right, read about the pros and cons of in-house and third-party delivery.

3. What is a third-party delivery service like?

When choosing a delivery partner, check out their reach and speed when completing food deliveries. It may be worth researching where your target consumers live and choosing from the best-performing delivery services in those areas. Are consumers satisfied with the speed and quality of their deliveries? Note that 62% of customers hold both restaurant and delivery service accountable for a negative experience. 

Additionally, know the fees and commissions charged per order and if there are added costs like marketing or advertising fees. Ensure the partner represents your brand well and provides marketing support to promote the restaurant.

4. Can you afford the cost of a third-party delivery partner?

While partnering with third-party delivery companies isn’t free, they provide you with benefits that you would —otherwise— have to pay individually. They can offer a range of services, including a ready-made infrastructure, delivery drivers network, tracking services, secure payment methods, and POS integration for a seamless delivery experience, especially for new food businesses. Don’t forget to assess affordability and consider if increased orders may offset the cost.

5. Which third-party delivery partner is the right operational fit for your restaurant?

When choosing a food delivery service partner, consider their order management system. Most food delivery service partners have their own terminals to manage orders. The third-party partner must align with your restaurant’s operations and logistics. The platform should offer order tracking, customer communication, and seamless integration with your restaurant’s systems. Avoid the hassle of manual order transfer and the risk of errors by opting for a partner with POS integration. This also ensures access to customer data for better business insights. Deliverect offers two-way integration, connecting your online orders to your POS for a complete sales overview and efficient order processing. A seamless integration will allow for accurate order processing while streamlining kitchen order preparations —This will allow for accurate sales reports.

Venturing into the food delivery market is both thrilling and daunting, with the potential to expand your customer reach. Partnering with a third-party delivery service can broaden your customer base and boost sales, even when customers do not dine in. Selecting the right partner is vital, as they serve as the face of your brand for new and existing customers. Customer experiences with the chosen delivery partner will shape your brand’s reputation.