New to POS: Protocol on Customer Info and Order Taking

[PizzaAl]

I am currently setting up my Point of Success system and I hope to get it up and running in July. I am old school and have been doing pen and paper order taking for over 10 years so getting a POS is all new to me.

I was hoping to get some advice and tips from you experience POS users on the right way to gather customer info for our database and future mailing.

I will be starting fresh so right now every customer will be a new one in the system. I am assuming I first get the phone number, or do most of you look off the caller id?

Do you gather first and last name everytime?
Do you gather address even for pick ups? Ever get objections from customers picking up asking why you need their address if they are picking up?
What to do with multi phone numbers and private numbers?
Am I missing anything else?

I rather get on the right foot then gather poor data at the start, so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[pizzapiratespp]

We do not gather address info nor last names on carry out orders. You will find resistance from customers if you do this which causes a tension between your staff and your customers. Gather address info thru deliveries or some other “permission” style. Don’t get to hyped up on the direct marketing aspect that the POS companies sell you on. Direct mail marketing effectiveness has been on the decrease for the last 10 years. Response rates are down and postage cost are up. Let your product market itself.

David
pizzapirates.net

 

[UncleNicksPizza]

PizzaAl,

For Carry Out orders I request a phone number and a first name, nothing more. As PizzaPirates said it will create a bit of tension between your employee and the customer because of the hesitancy to give out personal information on an order they will be picking up. Save the address only for deliveries. I do however make an offer such as “Would you like to receive a (coupon for 20% off, free 2 liter, etc) by signing up for our e-mail list today?” to try to gather e-mails. It is a great, inexpensive way to promote future coupons and offers to your customers.

In addition, depending on where you live, you may get a high rate of walk in traffic who will be hesitant to give you a first name let alone a phone number, etc. If someone walks in to place an order I usually ask them for a phone number or first name to place the order under (a majority of the time they give me both) but this way they have an option to choose which identifier to give us.

Good luck with your POS!

 

[Daddio]

UncleNicksPizza:

PizzaAl,
In addition, depending on where you live, you may get a high rate of walk in traffic who will be hesitant to give you a first name let alone a phone number, etc. If someone walks in to place an order I usually ask them for a phone number or first name to place the order under (a majority of the time they give me both) but this way they have an option to choose which identifier to give us.

I ask for a phone number on walk-in orders and justify it by saying there is only one person using that number for a pick-up and who knows how many Bills or Bobs might be picking up. Just one less thing to cause errors.

 

[PizzaAl]

We always ask for phone numbers for pick up calls because there’s way too many Mike’s and Smith’s out there but for walk ins we just take there name.

I just wasnt too sure about getting the address for picks up and having it in the system but it sounds like that may cause more of an issue and put off for some customers.

For deliveries, I will ask for first and last name, address of course…am I missing anything else for customer data entry, and things to do and not do.

 

[UncleNicksPizza]

PizzaAl:

We always ask for phone numbers for pick up calls because there’s way too many Mike’s and Smith’s out there but for walk ins we just take there name.

I just wasnt too sure about getting the address for picks up and having it in the system but it sounds like that may cause more of an issue and put off for some customers.

For deliveries, I will ask for first and last name, address of course…am I missing anything else for customer data entry, and things to do and not do.

In my personal opinion, I wouldnt ask for the last name. I know when I call to order pizza from somewhere when I am out of town, I usually just give my first name (and that’s all they ask for) but I wouldn’t want to give them my first and last name as it simply is necessary, then I have to spell it out for them, have them mispronounce it. Just my two cents.

 

[Daddio]

Just a side note… When delivering to a hotel/motel I usually ask for the name the room is registered under. It simplifies finding the customer in case of finger troubles on the part of the order taker.

 

[PizzaAl]

Okay so from what I am gathering, just one name for pick up is good enough and don’t bother with address (This will be tough to send coupons to if they don’t order over 90 days)

For delivery orders do you try and get both first and last? Most the time I can look on the caller id but there are a lot of unlisted numbers or private numbers.

Without the full name it will be tough to do any type of marketing down the road.

 

[Daddio]

PizzaAl:

Okay so from what I am gathering, just one name for pick up is good enough and don’t bother with address (This will be tough to send coupons to if they don’t order over 90 days)

For delivery orders do you try and get both first and last? Most the time I can look on the caller id but there are a lot of unlisted numbers or private numbers.

Without the full name it will be tough to do any type of marketing down the road.

The key thing is know when to back off. If the customer doesn’t object to providing the info then all is good but as soon as they resist don’t insist.