In this article we’ll be exploring…

  • The call centre versus digital ordering discussion
  • When phone ordering delivers a better customer experience
  • Where digital ordering has an advantage
  • How both channels can and should work together to increase revenue

There’s a very good chance that you see digital ordering and call centres as competing channels. Thankfully, they’re not. Your customers actually use different channels for different reasons. Sometimes they want the speed and convenience of digital ordering. Other times they want the reassurance of speaking to a real person. The idea is therefore to make them both work together to your advantage.

Where the phone still wins

There are most definitely times where speaking to a person is simply easier. Take complex orders for example. Large family meals, catering requests or special dietary requirements can be difficult to manage online. A trained agent can guide the conversation and make sure everything is captured correctly.

The phone also remains important for many older customers who are less comfortable using apps or websites. Removing this option can push them away from you as loyal customers towards competitors.

And when something goes wrong as they do on the odd occasion, Mrs Roberts from down the road usually wants to talk to a person. A well-handled complaint can turn a negative experience into a loyalty-building moment.

Where digital ordering wins

Digital ordering, on the other hand, has clear advantages when it comes to speed and scale.

During peak periods, an app can handle thousands of orders without placing customers on hold. It allows you to process demand efficiently without increasing staffing costs. It also has the capability to drive larger basket sizes, which means more revenue for you. Strategic upselling prompts, meal bundles, and add-on suggestions consistently outperform traditional phone-based upselling.

The real opportunity

Our advice is simply this: don’t treat these channels as separate but rather integrate them. Use them together. Treat them as siblings. Why? Because the same customer may order through the app during the week and phone-in for a large family order over the weekend. With YUMBI Switchboard, agents can access customer history, preferences, and previous orders regardless of which channel was used.

So the question really isn’t whether call centres or digital ordering are better, but rather which one delivers the best experience and when! Connect both channels to create more convenience, stronger customer relationships, and better long-term loyalty and you win all the way to the till. No matter which channel your customer chooses to use.