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Check Out How Machine Learning Can Make Your Business Stand Out

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Over the last few years, the rapid advancements of artificial intelligence (AI) have influenced nearly every aspect of human life. From creating incremental revenue to personalized content on social media, this technology proves to be a great asset in today’s digital world, and it’s become accessible to all-sized businesses.

According to PwC Global, the total contribution of AI to the global economy is expected to hit $15.7 trillion by 2030. As artificial intelligence continues to replicate human intelligence in machines, the possibilities to use this technology seem infinite, prompting more organizations to adopt it in their daily operations.

Artificial intelligence is made up of multiple fields, one of the most common being machine learning. It allows software applications to predict outcomes more accurately without being explicitly programmed. This technology’s primary goal is to enable computers to learn on their own without human intervention or assistance.

Comillia AI, also known as Como’s machine learning technology (MLT), is a self-learning algorithm that uses purchase histories to segment and predict members’ future behavior. It brings the technology to your business reach with only a few clicks. It will know which benefits to pairing with selected members so that your business generates maximum revenue, suggesting the gifts to be sent to selected members via SMS, push notification, or email.

We’ve narrowed down four great advantages of what machine learning technology, such as Comillia, has to offer for your business:

1. Incremental revenue

Many business executives are seeking simplified solutions to boost their sales numbers, generating incremental revenue. McKinsey’s 2020 AI survey found that 80% agree that machine learning and artificial intelligence are crucial factors behind the increase in revenue. With the help of artificial intelligence, business owners can make real-time decisions on what they can do to boost sales.

AI also enhances an organization’s ability to grow revenue by identifying the right target market and suggesting how to meet each of its needs. With predictive analytics, you can compare similar customer profiles and determine the characteristics of customers who are more likely to buy from you.

2. Sales forecasting

Sales data is often very complex and challenging to predict in traditional forecasting. On the other hand, machine learning offers the capacity to manage a company’s financial processes, such as sales forecasting. It can find patterns and correlations in financial data that a traditional (or human) system would never be able to find.

Companies can save time and effort on managing their finances, and reduce room for human error that can result in misleading predictions. Instead, you can make accurate forecasts of future sales revenue, set realistic sales targets, and project future budgets.

3. Data gathering 

The amount of data a business can generate can be overwhelming, creating missed opportunities if the data is not appropriately leveraged. Rather than manually reviewing each customer’s transaction history, machine learning can examine large volumes of data and identify trends that humans may fail to recognize.

The use of machine learning technology can help in the efficient collection of data on your customers’ journey and provide insightful data. Understanding their purchase patterns can help build long-term predictions and help your organization strategically move forward. Due to these predictions, you can proactively communicate the right offers at the right time.

4. Offers and campaigns personalization

With such an emphasis on understanding customers’ wants, needs and preferences, AI presents itself as an extraordinary opportunity. Understanding your customers’ preferences is key to successful personalization. For instance, the world-renowned streaming platform Netflix uses AI to recommend shows and movies tailored for each user based on their viewing history.

In contrast to a one-size-fits-all model, AI will suggest and customize offers and campaigns that will resonate with the targeted individuals.  According to a 2020 survey from Salesforce, 97% of brands found an increase in revenue with customized marketing campaigns. The outcome of client loyalty will be repeat buyers who will gladly share positive feedback about your brand.

AI technology such as Comillia can help you discover precisely what your customers like quickly and efficiently rather than checking it manually. Customer actions trigger the algorithm to create customer personas based on information that can be segmented by age, location, and even interests.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning offer some clear benefits for businesses of any kind, playing a vital role in accelerating steady growth, incremental revenue, and boosting customer loyalty. If you want to gain an advantage over your competitors, it is essential to consider incorporating and leveraging AI in your overall business strategy.

Contact one of our CSMs today to learn how Comillia can take your business to new heights!

 

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8 Notable Women In The F&B And Retail Industry

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More and more women are taking up leadership roles in the F&B and retail industries every day. They are following the steps of several extraordinary female leaders who paved their way into the business over the years, continually proving what it takes to be the driving force in such a competitive market.

According to McKinsey & Company’s Women in the Workplace 2021 study, there has been a significant increase in the representation of women at every leadership level over the last 5 years. Among the respondents, 61% agreed that having women in leadership positions brings many benefits, such as how they promote employee well-being by regularly checking on them.

To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th, here are eight exceptional F&B and retail female personalities whose stories continually serve as an inspiration to many up to this day.

1. Alice Waters, The Originator of the Farm-To-Table movement 

Founding her Californian restaurant, Chez Panisse, held Alice Waters internationally acknowledged as the originator of the farm-to-table movement, a modern cuisine culture advocating food made from locally-sourced ingredients, often natural or organic. It has consistently been ranked among the “World’s 50 Best” restaurants for many decades, crediting her for pioneering California Cuisine.

Her culinary career has won her many awards, including the “Best Chef in America” in 1992 by the James Beard Foundation, considered the highest honor anyone can receive in the F&B industry. In 1995, she established the Edible Schoolyard initiative to educate middle school students on sustainable living by encouraging them to grow and harvest their food. In 2015, she was awarded a National Humanities Medal by former President Barack Obama for her humanitarian works.

2. Belinda Wong, The Woman behind Starbucks China’s aggressive growth

Starbucks, the American coffee giant regards China as its most prominent and fastest-growing market outside the USA, opening a new store every 15 hours. One of the significant contributors to their success in the Asian country was Belinda Wong, who took on the role of Starbucks China CEO back in 2016. She led the multinational’s unprecedented growth in the region and launched one of the most successful loyalty programs in Starbucks history, The Starbucks Rewards, growing to nearly 80 million members nationwide.

Now serving as Starbucks’ China Chairman, she continues to focus on delivering the company’s long-term growth strategy while promoting personal development in the organization. For 20 years and counting, Wong has been a member of Starbucks’ global executive team, bringing rich expertise in China and the Asia Pacific to the company’s global decision-making.

Alice Waters (left) and Belinda Wong (right)

3. Cecilia Chang, The Mother of Chinese Food in America

Chinese-American restauranteur Cecilia Chang was best known for founding The Mandarin restaurant in 1962 in San Francisco, California.  She introduced authentic Chinese cuisine to American diners when locals were only familiar with the Americanized version of Cantonese cuisine. The restaurant quickly began to attract loyal customers over time, serving Sichuan dishes like Kung Pao Chicken and Beggar’s Chicken. 

James Beard and Alice Waters were introduced to the Northern Chinese Cuisine from Chiang. In 2013, she won a James Beard Foundation Award for lifetime achievement. Her son, Phillip, continued her legacy by co-founding the globally known Asian-themed restaurant chain P.F. Chang’s.

4. Nancy Silverton, The First Female Chef recipient of a James Beard Award

As a world-renowned chef, Nancy Silverton is known for building an Italian empire with Pizzeria Mozza, Osteria Mozza, and chi SPACCA. She has been nominated five times by the James Beard Awards, where she won the Best Pastry Chef of the Year in 1990, making her the first female chef to win an award from the non-profit organization, and received the Outstanding Chef Award in 2014.

In addition to her remarkable career portfolio, she co-founded the iconic La Brea Bakery, and triumphed over many adversities, including being one of the infamous Bernie Madoff’s pyramid scheme victims, losing an estimated $5 million fortune. She inspired a generation of aspiring chefs, making her a resilient role model in the culinary world.

Cecilia Chang (left) and Nancy Silverton (right)

5. Edna Lewis, The Grande Dame of Southern Cooking 

Acclaimed chef Edna Lewis changed the way Americans perceived US Southern cooking. In 1948, Lewis opened her restaurant, Cafe Nicholson, with John Nicholson, an antique dealer. She took on the role of the cook and served simple Southern-inspired dishes, attracting several famous personalities who frequently visited the restaurant.

In 1976, she authored The Taste of Country Cooking, which became the first African-American cookbook to reach a nationwide audience and was credited with reviving interest in authentic Southern cooking. Lewis later received the James Beard Living Legend Award in 1990, the first-ever award from the organization.

6. Indra Nooyi, The Boss Lady with a Vision

Indra Nooyi first joined PepsiCo as Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development, overseeing the acquisition of Tropicana Products and a merger with Quaker Oats Co. as part of her responsibility to diversify the company into healthier food and beverages. She was later named Chief Financial Officer in 2001.

She assumed the title as the first female CEO of PepsiCo in October 2006 and her 2007 “Performance With Purpose” vision brought the soft-drink and snack-food giant to new and even greater heights, including top-tier financial performance, transforming their product portfolio, offering healthier options, and operating responsibly to reduce the impact on the environment.

Under her leadership, the company’s revenues increased from $35 billion in 2006 to $63.5 billion in 2017. Nooyi’s exemplary performance in her career and especially her journey with PepsiCo has resulted in her being consistently ranked among the world’s 100 most powerful women. She was nominated as second place on the Forbes’ 2017 list of The 19 Most Powerful Women in Business before stepping down as CEO in 2018.

Edna Lewis (left) and Indra Nooyi (right)

7. Gabrielle Chanel, The 20th Century Fashion Icon

The early years of the luxury brand owner, Gabrielle “Coco” Channel, was anything but glamorous. After her mother’s death and being abandoned by her father, she was sent to an orphanage, where she learned how to sew. Before founding Chanel in 1910, she worked for a few years as a cafe singer where she earned her nickname “Coco”.

Famous for her timeliness designs, she was instrumental in breaking the stereotype and changing the way society viewed women by broadening the available fashion. Her extraordinary fashion sense included couture clothing, fragrance, handbags, and jewelry. Her signature scent, Chanel No. 5, has become an iconic product of the brand. 

Chanel is the only fashion designer listed on Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. She is still regarded as one of the most influential couturiers and trendsetters in fashion and retail.

8. Angela Ahrendts, The Charismatic Chief of Retail

Before joining Apple’s executive team, Angela Ahrendts served as Burberry’s CEO from 2006 to 2014 and was reported as the highest-paid CEO in the UK in 2012, making $26.3 million. She then joined Apple Inc. as the new Senior Vice President of Retail and Online stores.

Opening a series of high-profile flagship stores was part of Ahrendts’ strategy to improve the customer experience. She was responsible for renovating every store as they update all their technology. For example, the stores used location-aware sensors to connect to the Apple store app on iPhones and engage with visitors with a greeting when they arrived.

During her career with the tech giant, Ahrendts created a seamless customer experience for over a billion visitors annually by integrating physical and digital businesses. She redesigned the stores and restructured the roles for 70,000 employees worldwide through her strong leadership skills. In 2015, she was ranked as the 25th most powerful woman globally.

Gabrielle Chanel (left) and Angela Ahrendts (right)

As more women enter leadership positions, they continue to face challenges in their day-to-day experiences while making their mark by breaking stereotypes, carving out their paths, and extraordinarily contributing to the business community.

To conclude, here is one of Sheryl Sandberg’s, the COO and the first woman to serve on Facebook’s board of directors, famous quotes: “We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.”

On behalf of the Como team, we salute all women to continue making a difference and inspiring the F&B and retail industries.

Happy International Women’s Day!

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Win Over Your Customers’ Hearts With Product Affinity

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As we are closing in the season of love with Valentine’s Day just two weeks away, consumers are now hunting for the perfect restaurant and gift to celebrate. Businesses in the retail and F&B industries are getting ready to take advantage of this special date, historically one of the highest revenue seasons within the year.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), US consumers spent $21.8 billion on Valentine’s day in 2021, with the expectation to reach $23.9 billion in 2022, ranking the season as one of the top sales periods of the year. The NRF survey also shows that shoppers expect to spend an average of $175.41 per person on 2022 Valentine’s Day gifts, up from $164.76 in 2021. The increase comes as many intend to spend more on significant others or spouses.

It can be challenging to incentivize your clients to choose your brand among the competition with all the buzz around Valentine’s Day. One of the most successful ways of doing it is simple: run a Product Affinity Analysis (also known as Market Basket Analysis) to identify which items from your business portfolio have a high probability of being purchased together during a specific time and offer smart bundles based on data, creating more attraction to your customers and bringing additional revenue.

Take a look at the different ways conducting an affinity analysis can guide your business.

1. Helps in analyzing consumer behavior

Product Affinity analysis provides in-depth understanding to restaurant and retail owners alike on product relationships. By bringing these high-frequency combinations to light in your customers’ minds, your business can make the most out of the analysis.

Amazon is well-known for displaying affinity-related content on their product pages. This makes it convenient for the business to spot buying patterns with the vast data they collect. The e-commerce giant recommends buyers to add two or more items in their cart instead of one by offering bundles of products that complement one another.

2. Improves marketing campaigns and promotions

Gaining valuable information on the co-occurrent relationships between products allows retailers to set up promotions that feed and drive sales. One of the most common illustrations of this is the purchase of shampoo and conditioner together. A simultaneous promotion on both items would not significantly increase revenue. However, a sale on just one can drive sales in the other due to the high probability of these two products being purchased together.

The results collected will also reinforce marketing campaigns on certain products at a particular time. For example, for Valentine’s Day, we can expect a spike in the sales of chocolates. Leveraging this data, supermarket chains can promote a “Valentine’s Section” with high-affinity items readily accessible for shoppers, increasing the likelihood of them picking up a card or flowers to go with the boxes of chocolate.

3. Shows what products have the potential to cross-sell

Cross-selling is an opportunity for businesses to build strong customer relationships by offering products according to their needs and preferences. It plays a crucial role in boosting revenue as guests are motivated to spend more.

For instance, a fast-food restaurant selling burgers finds that it is commonly bought along with a milkshake or fries as the side, meaning that those items have a high-affinity rate. The employee can suggest adding the milkshake or fries by cross-selling or offering it as a combo deal instead.

Examples on how to leverage Product Affinity

After learning how item affinity analysis can help your business, here are some examples you can take inspiration from!

1. Make your way to your customers’ hearts through Combo meals

Create a variety of appetizing combo deals by pairing up one of your “Most-loved menu items” with a side dish or drink. Take this opportunity to promote a new dish and include it as one of the combos. Keep in mind that it is essential to train your staff on promoting the right combo offers to optimize your results.

Grab the chance to further increase sales by also running the promo on the 13th, Galentine’s Day, and on the 15th, Single Awareness Day. This will bring in new guests while attracting the existing customer base to choose your restaurant as the destination to celebrate.

2. Spread love with Gift bundles

Offering items in the form of a gift bundle makes it convenient for your clients to pick out Valentine’s gifts to give to their loved ones. Rather than just purchasing one item from your store, buyers will be encouraged to go for a gift box specially designed according to the occasion.

A customizable gift box is another engagement tool where your staff can suggest cross-selling items to complement each other. In this way, it will be a memorable experience for the buyer and the receiver, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty towards your brand.

The information gained through item affinity analysis can significantly help and impact the way your business operates. It demonstrates that you know what your customers want by immediately responding to their needs. Although, you will need to evaluate your business’s priorities before deciding to implement changes based on the insights provided by the analysis.

Gain meaningful data on your customers’ purchase behavior and leverage automated item-affinity analysis with Como. Contact us to learn more!

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4 KPIs Every Retail And Restaurant Owner Should Know About

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Organizations across all industries have Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor performance and achieve desired results. The data collected from measuring these KPIs can drive growth and aid in making key business decisions.

There are several types of indicators for retail and F&B and some of the common examples include gross margin, cost of goods, labor costs, and average spending per customer. With such metrics, organizations can quickly highlight areas that need improvement and benchmark themselves against competitors.

However, besides the common KPI examples, it is necessary to distinguish which additional metrics to measure are the most meaningful and relevant to your business and its overarching goals. We compiled a list of extra KPIs that we believe you should be tracking over this year – check it out below!

1. Product Affinity

Product affinity determines the link in purchases to study consumer patterns and behavior. A weighted score, also known as the Lift, identifies the likelihood of two items being sold together versus random purchases of either item. It enables restaurants and retail stores to gain insights into the purchasing behavior of their customers, develop cross-promotional programs and redesign the store’s layout accordingly by putting items with high-frequency combinations together.

For example, a drop in temperature has led to a sudden surge in the sales of padded jackets. Running an affinity analysis will help your business determine what additional products were often purchased together based on the customers’ transaction history. The data will likely show that gloves have a high co-occurrent relationship with padded jackets. This will prompt you to strategically place them in the same aisle or near each other, hoping that customers will leave your store with these two or more items.

2. RFM – Recency, Frequency, and Monetary Value 

RFM is a marketing analysis tool to segment your clients based on their visit and consuming habits. There are three key factors in the RFM model, and this includes how recently a customer transacted with a brand (Recency), how frequently they’ve transacted with the brand (Frequency), and how much a customer has spent with the brand during a particular period (Monetary). Leveraging RFM enables you to target each customer segment with personalized marketing campaigns based on past purchases and their RFM scores, leading to increased repeat visits, customer retention and lifetime value.

For instance, customers with top scores for monetary value indicate that they are the big spenders of your products. Marketers usually target this segment with luxury offers or upselling to increase the average order value. On the other hand, customers with top scores for frequency often make purchases but aren’t necessarily the biggest spenders – consider rewarding them with similar offers or free shipping to keep them engaged and loyal towards your brand.

3. Menu Performance by Sales Channel 

As more F&B players adopt omnichannel strategies to distribute their products, it is important to regularly analyze and monitor these sales channels to promote the right one. There are various ways to distribute food, classified as on-premises (in-store ordering) and off-premises channels (takeout/pickup, delivery, or catering). After having an overview of your restaurant’s sales channels, dig deeper into data by comparing how your menu items are performing based on the channel used.

Choosing the appropriate channel of distribution is critical for your restaurant’s success. It determines how your products are managed, the speed at which they are delivered, and how effectively you bring your products into your customers’ hands. Leveraging this learning can help you invest your money and attention in the right channel, reducing costs as you don’t need to spend on promoting channels that do not significantly contribute to your overall sales.

4. Waste and Packaging

One of the major concerns in the restaurant industry is wastage, leading to increased costs for your business. Monitoring waste will improve your restaurant’s production methods, serving sizes, and demand forecasting.

It is also necessary to consider the channels used to distribute the food. With this learning, you can make intelligent decisions regarding packaging. For example, spend on the packaging that fits just right with your serving size instead of buying larger ones that cost more and take up too much space in your store – this could reduce expenses, especially if your restaurant is partnered with a third-party delivery company, which already takes up 30% commission fees.

To wrap it up, consistent monitoring of your key performance indicators will help you assess where your restaurant or retail store stands and make informed decisions. Measuring KPIs is a proactive practice that increases your business’s success, from checking which products are highly complementary to keeping track of waste levels. These must be adequately defined and communicated across all internal levels to ensure your team knows the importance of these metrics.

 

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5 Black Friday/Cyber Monday Email Marketing Tips To Drive Growth

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As shoppers are getting ready with their wallets and credit cards, it’s time to gear up for the Black Friday & Cyber Monday (BF/CM) season! According to NRF, 2020 was a record-breaking year for online shopping as it peaked 100 million consumers (up 8% YoY) despite the in-store limitations due to the global pandemic.

Whether your business is brick-and-mortar, online, or both, carefully plan out your marketing strategies and these include effective email marketing campaigns. According to Campaign Monitor, a total of 116.5 million emails were sent out in last year’s BF/CM! And with thousands of emails to compete with, it can be challenging to capture your audience’s attention.

Check out our email marketing tips to prepare your business to stand out from the crowd for the biggest shopping weekend of the year!

1. Grow your email list

Before you start considering sending out emails to your subscribers, the first step is to prioritize expanding your email list before the big event. There are several ways to secure your customers’ contact information both offline and online. For example, you can ask for their email address during the checkout process if they are shopping in-store, provide incentives for email subscribers only or create a form and/or pop up on your website to encourage visitors to share their information.

If you go for a BF/CM website pop up, make sure it comprises a headline that highlights the perks of subscribing to your newsletter, with eye-catching visuals to make it more appealing. This will give you a pre-list of customers who are interested in your products and expecting to hear from you.

2. Increase open rates with catchy email subject lines

Instead of using predictable subject lines, pay attention to your choice of words for higher open rates. Create a sense of urgency that can fit within 20-30 characters so that customers will choose to open your email amongst the dozens they will receive on Black Friday morning.

Use wordings that emphasize scarcity and deadlines, such as “Last chance” or “Only 3 days left” to drive a sense of last-minute urgency. Although, be cautious of using email subject lines that don’t deliver what you promised. This can cause your subscribers to think that they are being misled – they might choose to unsubscribe or your emails might end up going to their spam folder.

3. Choose the right Black Friday/Cyber Monday email templates

The content and subject lines of your email are important, but so is your email template. A well-designed email template will help your readers scan through your content and pull out the most vital information that you wanted to highlight.

Also pay attention to your email sizes to ensure that your content is correctly displayed in the inbox, in both desktop and mobile views.

With Como’s dynamic email builder, you can easily create and send out personalized emails with dynamic content as well as videos and/or gifs. Make use of striking colors, different fonts, and compelling visuals to intrigue customers with your products.

4. Give something extra to your loyal customers

Remember that you are not only focused on this certain shopping period: you are also looking forward to building long-term relationships with your customers. Emailing is an opportunity for your business to gain loyal shoppers even after this holiday season ends and expect them for next year’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday.

Spend extra time nurturing your most loyal customer because there is a high chance they’ll purchase from your business during BF/CM. Don’t forget to offer them exclusive and early promotions or free-of-charge gift-wrapping services to drive some additional revenue before the shopping weekend arrives.

5. Extend your deals past Cyber Monday

In 2020, Black Friday Statistics revealed that 30% of consumers planned to shop on Cyber Monday compared to 24% saying they planned to shop on Black Friday. Hence, it will be relevant to extend your offers and deals, just for one or two more days, after Cyber Monday.

The marketing of your extension is crucial in order to keep the momentum you’ve built before the start of the BF/CM season. Ensure that you maintain the exclusivity of your promotions to keep shoppers coming back to your store after the 5-day shopping experience.

With the biggest shopping period just around the corner, it is ideal to start planning your email marketing campaigns as early as now. To get the most out of it, you must successfully capture your customers’ attention that will deliver the seasonal conversions you desire for your business. We hope these tips will help you prepare accordingly for one of the busiest shopping holidays this year!

 

Have a great Black Friday/Cyber Monday season!

 

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11 important tips to create a good survey

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For the success of your company, you must continue to keep your customers happy. For this, you need to follow their complaints and suggestions.

According to a survey of Surveymonkey;

  • Gaining new customers costs 25 times more than keeping existing ones.
  • You are 3 times more likely to sell a product / service to an existing customer than to a prospect customer.
  • Increasing the return rate by 5%, up to 95% increase in your turnover.

The Question: How do you ensure that they continue to buy your product / service?
The Answer: By listening to them! By creating a customer feedback program, which is a systematic way of collecting customer opinions throughout the customer journey, you understand the real needs of your customers and offer products and services accordingly. In this way, you ensure loyalty.

The better the questionnaire is prepared, the faster and easier it is to answer, the better the answers will be and reflect the truth.
First decide the types of questions you will use. (open-ended, closed-ended yes / no questions, multiple choice questions, rating scales, etc.)
In addition, you must decide how to ask your questions.

Here are 11 top tips you need to make a good survey!

1. Grouping.

Make it easier to answer the acknowledgments by grouping similar questions related to each other.

2. Be brief and to the point.

Answering too long questionnaires may make the respondents feel that their time is stolen and may leave them bored. So, try to ask as few questions as possible.

3. Be clear and specific.

With vague questions, you’ll make it difficult for the respondent to answer. For example, when conducting a customer satisfaction survey about your restaurant’s, set the standard, don’t let the respondent guess what you are asking. Ask separately whether the meal is on time, whether the waiter is friendly, whether the toilet is clean etc. instead of asking how was all…

4. Concentrate on closed-ended questions.

Open-ended questions are more challenging. These types of questions may cause the respondent to leave the survey quicker. Try not to ask more than 2 open-ended questions per survey and answer them if possible so that you have collected the answers to the previous questions even if the answerer skips those questions.

5. Use words, not numbers.

When designing your response letter, use expressions such as “Very satisfied” or “Not at all satisfied” instead of a scale of “1” to “5”.

6. Save the personal questions for the end.

Personal or sensitive questions at the top of the survey can make people nervous and they can leave the survey. If absolutely necessary, save these questions for the end.

7. Make sure your survey questions are neutral.

Do not ask leading questions. These types of questions can manipulate the respondent, as well as make the results and insights wrong.
For example;
When you ask the question as “We think the food you eat is very tasty. How tasty do you think?”, you get the perception that you expect the respondent to agree with you. To make the expression more neutral, you can change it to: “How would you describe the taste of the food you eat?”

8. Pay attention to the balance of the answer options.

In order for the answers to be reliable, the answer options should be inclusive.

While asking “the taste range of the dishes you serve”, a selection of responses you prepare as follows will not be balanced:
1- Very good / 2- Good / 3- Average
These responses do not give the space to tell those who do not like the food they dislike. Likewise, it is necessary to see the expression in an objective and balanced form:
1- Very Good / 2- Good / 3- Neither Good nor Bad / 4- Bad / 5- Very Bad

9. Try to differentiate question patterns.

Even if you are asking different questions, using the same question pattern in all questions may cause the respondent to feel constantly answering the same question, or cause him to leave your questionnaire or answer all questions without thinking.
To prevent this, you can change the types of questions and the way you ask them, and you can position similar-looking questions away from each other.

10. Make sure that most questions are not mandatory.

The responder may not be willing or able to answer all questions. Enforcing questions may result in dropping the survey or choosing random responses.

11. Test before publishing.

You can identify possible mistakes by first sharing the questionnaire with your close circle.

Steal Your Customers’ Hearts With BOGO Deals

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As soon as Christmas and New Year decorations are taken down, the stores’ aisles and the online shops’ pages are flooded with Valentine’s Day ornaments!

Valentine’s Day sales reached almost $28B in 2020, in the United States alone! Everyone is scrambling ways to awe their loved ones so what better time than now to offer exclusive discounts to your customers? Shower them with love and much needed small attentions!

The month of hearts definitely calls for BOGO (Buy One Get One Free) deals, letting your customers offer a product to their loved ones at no extra cost – it’s on you! BOGO is one of the most common form of sales promotion techniques used by both restaurants and retail stores.

Don’t just take our word for it! Here is a recap of the BOGO deals benefits:

1. Get rid of undesirable inventory

What better way to get rid of extra inventory, and at the same time remain profitable, than offering BOGO deals? Slow-moving inventory can be sold along with other items, while still making profits.

2. Delight your customers

According to Academia, shoppers are more likely to participate in BOGO deals because according to them, goods don’t seem to have extra cost attached to it and they’re perceived to be more valuable due to the offer. So select the products you want to highlight and include them in a BOGO offer!

3. Make it pocket-friendly for shoppers

When customers see the word BOGO during Valentine’s day promotions, the first thing that comes to their mind is that they’re saving money while making their loved ones happy. Indeed, it is a great way to maximize their spend thus rewarding your loyal customers and teasing new ones!

Now that you know some of the benefits of BOGO deals, here are important aspects you can keep in mind when you’re planning to run BOGO promotions:

1. Form a target audience for the promotion

Try to find out which audience you want to specifically target. The overall goal of BOGO deals is to touch the heart of loyal customers and make sure to bring in new ones to your business and loyalty program. Targeting a specific audience helps your business cut down on cost. Since you are holding BOGO promotion on Valentine’s day, your target audience should specifically be couples and families.

2. Bring in a sense of urgency to your BOGO deals

If you don’t limit the availability of your BOGO offer or if you keep them active for too long, customers may lose the excitement and will probably not take action. Create a feeling of necessity so that your customers are incentivized to visit your store (in-person or online) and make a purchase.

3. Leverage your social media platforms and website

Social media is key to communicate about your BOGO deal. You may come across a lot of restaurants and retail stores on Instagram and/or Facebook. Since most of your target audience is active on at least one platform, it is crucial to utilize social media platforms to actively keep customers informed about the latest promotions and offers. In the age of social media, you should invest all platforms: Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter and Linkedin.
Here are some of the ways you can generate some buzz around your BOGO deal on your social media pages and on your website:

  • Post video content (stories, lives, posts, Tiktoks) to launch the BOGO deal
  • Create hashtags and encourage your followers to use them too if they’re posting a picture
  • Showcase customers (with their consent) who purchased the BOGO deal and work with influencers who will help spread the word about your offer
  • Create a dedicated page on your website (and provide a link to it on your social media) to highlight the BOGO deal and present the products, the time frame for the deal and the terms and conditions. You can also recruit new members and bring more customers to your business by setting-up a Traffic Acquisition Coupon
  • Feature the BOGO deal on your website’s live-chat

4. Promote your BOGO deal in-store

While promoting BOGO deals on your website and social media pages is essential, especially during the current crises, additionally promoting the deal in-store will help you reach your objectives!  Your locations offer lots of great opportunities to spread the word about your promotions. Here are some of the ways in which you can let your customers know about your BOGO deals:

  • Outside the store: Posters on windows, roll-ups and pamphlets distributed by staff members.
  • On tables and products: Table mats, iPads, TVs can be great props for your deals. You could also place scan-codes on tissues or coffee cups.
  • At the checkout counter: Employees can inform customers about the deal. You can also promote in on the staff uniforms, on the flyers placed in the bags or stickers on customers’ receipts.

BOGO deals are win-win strategies: They make customers feel spoiled and grateful as they love getting a good deal. And in turn, they boost customer satisfaction, engagement and can help businesses not only make additional sales but also attract new clients! When executed properly, Buy One Get One deals can be amazingly effective tools to delight your customers for Valentine’s Day! Do not hesitate to contact Como to get started with your BOGO deal!

You’ve got a Friend: Referral Programs that Drive New Business

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While some restaurant and retail chains invest tens of thousands in advertising, social media and paid reviews, the numbers show that people trust their family and friends above all else when choosing a new place to dine. According to SevenRooms’ Influence in the Restaurant Industry report, which references a study conducted by YouGov, 54% of Americans turn to family and friends for restaurant recommendations. In comparison, only a third relies on review sites like Yelp, and a mere 10% look to Instagram.

Statistics from Nielsen reveal a similar conclusion: Word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, often referred to as “earned advertising,” remain the most influential form of advertising, with 84% of respondents in 58 countries naming this source as the most trustworthy in an online survey.

In terms of how that translates to buying power, Nielsen found that 77% of consumers are more likely to buy a new product when learning about it from friends or family.

McKinsey similarly found that word of mouth is the primary factor behind 20-50% of all purchasing decision.

Still not convinced that word of mouth matters? Just take a page from the online giants, nearly all of whom rely on friend referrals as a major stream of customer acquisition:

Airbnb boosted booking by over 300% per day

Airbnb managed to boost bookings by over 300% per day by incentivizing friends to invite each other to the platform: When the recipient of a friend referral completes his or her first trip, the referrer and invitee each receive a $25 Airbnb travel credit. The overhaul of Airbnb’s referral program replaced a previously under-performing system, bringing the new program front and center on the company’s website and to its iOS and Android mobile apps

Uber engaged with both users and drivers

Much of Uber’s success can also be chalked up to its referral programs, one for passengers and one for drivers. Both the referring passenger and new invitee receive $20 Uber credits when the new passenger takes his or her first ride. Employees, in turn, get $500 for referring a new driver with rideshare experience or $100 for referring a new driver without relevant experience – quite the incentive! The driver referral program, in particular, has allowed Uber to quickly expand its operations to over 80 countries worldwide.

Dropbox – from 100,000 to 4 million registered users

Dropbox attributes 35% of its daily signups to its referral program, which allowed the company to grow from 100,000 to four million registered users in just four months. That’s 9.76% of monthly growth coming from word-of-mouth referrals. The incentive is simply additional free storage space for the referrers.

Are you seeing a pattern? Successful word-of-mouth referral programs are all about rewarding users. That means that you’ll need to get into the spirit of giving to make a referral program work.

Simply put, in order to make sure your loyal users will recommend you to family and friends, you need to incentivize them. Motivate your customers to advocate for your business by offering points, punch cards, gifts, vouchers or discounts when they bring in new customers. You should also consider providing the new customer with an incentive in order to further drive new business. This can be the same reward as offered to the referring friend, as in the cases of Uber and Airbnb, or a different reward entirely.

A customer engagement platform like Como Sense can make the entire referral and rewards program a breeze to manage with simple-to-use yet sophisticated automation. In creating your own referral program, our platform allows you to choose customized incentives for both parties, limit the number of friends a member can invite (and, thereby, limit the rewards he or she receives), and track your ROI.

Word of mouth may just be the best marketing tool that you aren’t yet using. To get started with a referral program, schedule a demo with Como today.

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