It’s no mystery that this new generation of millennial and Gen Z students need mobile ordering. They want transparency and convenience, and it’s the cherry on top if they can get those things through their cell phone. That is why mobile ordering has grown exponentially in popularity in recent years. Mobile ordering apps inform students during the entire ordering process (i.e. when their order is being made, when to pick it up) providing the ultimate transparency. And convenience is obviously provided through allowing them to order on their phone, and completely bypass the cafeteria lines. But mobile ordering shows its ultimate potential during campus exam time.
Line Bypass (a given)
Being able to skip the line is a need for students during exam time—for many different reasons. One, their time is precious and school cafeterias are particularly packed during exam time. Two, because students are spending more time on campus than usual, this opens up new opportunities for mobile ordering. For example, library seats are a hot commodity during exam prep and students are like vultures when it comes to big tables and study carrels with a view. With mobile ordering, students can order from their study spots and then receive a notification when their order is ready. This prevents students from spending extended periods of time away from their study spots waiting in line; instead it’s as if they left for the restroom for a brief moment and have now come back with hot food.
Busy Mode
Hangry’s mobile ordering platform has a ‘busy mode’ for campus dining. Essentially, a simple switch can be flipped on every time a campus dining location gets busy. Once the mobile ordering solution is switched to busy mode, the dining location will be allotted an extra few minutes to make each order, avoiding missed orders or mistakes. This is essential during exam time. In addition, the Hangry mobile ordering platform groups similar orders together making it even easier for dining staff. For example, if 3 different students ordered turkey sandwiches, the system will group those together so the staff can get those orders done quickly.
Loyalty and Rewards
Hangry’s mobile ordering platform works best with its partner in crime, the loyalty and rewards program. With Hangry’s loyalty program, you are able to reward students for using your app, drive behavior, and mass-market to your app users. The best part? These features can all be *star powered* during exam time. What do we mean by this? Well, the loyalty program allows you to send push messages to your students directly. This can include simple messages like ‘good luck on exams’, to more detailed messages like dining exam specials, discounts, and campus cafeteria closures. In addition, you can drive behavior through the loyalty program. For example, if you really want students to eat at a certain campus dining location during exam time, you can let them know they will earn ‘double the points’ by trying out that location. Your options are endless when it comes to a loyalty program, and this will become your bread and butter for increasing app usage.
On that note, if there are any students currently reading this blog post, the Hangry team would like to personally wish you the best of luck writing exams this semester. We would also like to say good luck to all campus dining staff who will be experiencing an overwhelming turn-out during this busy time and if you don’t yet have mobile ordering… may the odds be ever in your favour.
Want to learn more about Hangry’s Mobile Ordering Platform? Click here.