01 September 2006

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www.sandwich.org.uk
 

The order taking revolution is about the happen.

A new centralised order taking system, which could open the door to on-line ordering for many sandwich bar operators, is set to take off in the UK.

OrderTalk is a centralised order taking system provider which allows food businesses such as delivery operations to maintain their own brand identities but to share costs with other operators – thus reducing overheads.

The system, which combines on-line ordering and the ability to handle telephone ordering either at an in-house or outsourced call centre, is already being used by Jason’s Deli in the USA and is now being launched across the UK in partnership with The British Sandwich Association whose members will benefit from 15% discounts on set-up costs. Indeed the system has already been adopted by a number of chains, including Yo! Sushi, Lupa and Herbies and Deliverance as well as the Bombay Bicycle Club.

Essentially it works by providing a centralised order taking centre where both on-line and telephone orders are co-ordinated on behalf of the individual store. From the customer’s perspective the on-line ordering and telephone calls are dealt with by the store as they are done entirely in the name and brand of the business by a professional team of operators who understand the market.

Immediately upon receipt, all orders are transmitted – by fax, printer unit, console or directly into a POS system – to the store or restaurant who then confirms the order. Once confirmation is received, the customer is notified. The system is simple to operate in store as orders can either be printed out or integrated with many existing computerised systems. Furthermore, the OrderTalk system co-ordinates both telephonic and on-line ordering through central servers and, because the service is fully supported by professional sales people who are trained to up-sell, experience shows that order values tend to increase through the system.

For the store or restaurant it means that telephones are always answered quickly and professionally, regardless of how busy the business might be, and operators do not have to worry about order-taking staff not turning up for work. Indeed, for many, the system is likely to enable substantial reductions in overheads. Furthermore, since the system covers both telephone and internet ordering, it will naturally manage the transition to online-ordering. With some 88% of Britons currently having access to the internet, on-line ordering is expected to increase substantially in the next few years.In addition to systemising order-taking, orderTalk also offer account managing and payment processing integration as part of their services.

While the system will serve the individual store or restaurant as well as chains, it is likely to have particular appeal for those with multiple sites of franchised businesses as it offers a higher degree of management control without taking away the ‘local-ness’ of the business as every call and on-line order is dealt with in the name of the local business. On site sandwich and catering operations are also likely to find the system beneficial as it enables pre-ordering which can substantially reduce queuing at peak times.