The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our way of life in ways unthinkable. For restaurants, dining-in meant impending disaster and off-premises swiftly became the new normal. POS providers needed to add delivery and contactless functionalities to their technology stack, and many struggled to do it effectively and seamlessly. In addition, the need to utilize 3rd party and/or in-house delivery became a top priority for owners/operators, but with slim margins and added costs, sustainable profitability became elusive.
We caught up with John White, EVP/CTO of PDQ Signature Systems, an acclaimed technology solutions provider that specializes in restaurant, retail and casino F&B POS systems, to ask him about best practices and new technology for adding value, minimizing costs and ensuring customer satisfaction as it relates to off-premise solutions.
First let’s briefly talk about PDQ Signature Systems. We see that your brand is that of a technology solutions provider vs. a POS provider. What’s the difference?
Great question—right out of the starting gate! We’ve been a multi-award-winning provider of POS systems for over 34 years, but at our core, we’re really a technology solutions company. That’s because we provide innovative, fast-cycle holistic solutions that accompany the POS. And we do it all domestically, in-house! It’s a key differentiator in the marketplace.
With regard to delivery, what’s the most important aspect owners/operators should understand?
First, let me say that delivery is in our DNA, as our PDQ POS system has been doing it seamlessly for over 34 years. Other providers struggle, where we excel. Now to answer your question with a multi-faceted answer… The delivery industry will say 3rd party delivery equates to more customers and increased revenue. But it’s more apt to say that customer ordering habits have shifted from in-premise to delivery and pick-up. That being said, it’s essential for owners/operators to adopt delivery, as it’s here to stay—even after the pandemic subsides. But the added costs for delivery need to be recouped either by raising prices or by controlling costs—and that’s where our Delivery Toolkit mobile app comes into play.
OK. You’ve piqued my interest. Please explain the PDQ Delivery Toolkit.
In a nutshell, the PDQ Delivery Toolkit is a feature-rich, easy-to-use mobile application that has been proven to enhance delivery services, lower costs and ensure the integrity of in-house drivers. It contains a host of essential elements, all of which seamlessly work together to lower bottom-line costs for delivery services, enrich the customer experience and provide detailed metrics to assess driver performance.
Interesting… How does the PDQ DELIVERY TOOLKIT measure value?
For in-house delivery, it can be measured in three distinct ways:
1. It’s been proven to reduce in-house delivery costs by mapping out the fastest route, enhancing driver dispatch/routing abilities, ensuring accurate orders via “item reminders,” or allowing for the addition of a convenience fee to help offset third-party fees/surcharges.
2. It enhances customer satisfaction, as customers will get up-to-date notifications, (order is on-the-way; driver will be there in “x” amount of time; order has been left at the door for contactless service), prompt delivery and accurate orders.
3. It assesses driver performance with detailed driver metrics. There’s a dedicated driver tracking map to see exactly what drivers are doing from the time they are dispatched to when they return to the store. And there are historical driver run maps for educational and discipline purposes.
What about third-party delivery?
We currently integrate with DoorDash, and our in-house development team is striving to finalize integration with Uber Eats. And, of course, the PDQ Delivery Toolkit is natively integrated with PDQ POS, PDQ Online Ordering and PDQ Rewards/Loyalty.
Last question… What’s the best way to obtain more information on the Toolkit, as well as your POS system?
Visit PDQpos.com to learn about our all-concept point of sale system; visit PDQdt.com to explore our Delivery Toolkit; and go to PDQ.oo.com to discover our native online ordering platform. Or talk to one of our POS solution experts at 877-968-6430. And thanks for the stimulating conversation!
About PDQ Signature Systems
For over 34 years, PDQ Signature Systems has been a leading technology solutions innovator. Its signature product—the multi-award-winning PDQ POS—is a top rated, all-concept restaurant/retail/casino point of sale system.
With built-in and seamless integration with all top-tier 3rd party platforms, our highly scalable hybrid platform is designed for independents, franchises and chains of all sizes and scopes.
With essentials such as all-in-one, tablet and kiosk POS; cloud-based Enterprise Management; a delivery toolkit app; and PDQ Security, an all-environment data/cyber security platform, PDQ POS will help you protect and grow your most important asset: your brand.
Learn more about our all-in-one solution, with all-in-house development and all-in-accountability today!
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