Omnichannel ordering: a new approach to customer engagement in company catering


Pioneering a sustainable omnichannel approach – the qnips kitchen concept:

At qnips, we have created a unique catering solution for our team. The ‘qnips Kitchen‘ is an example of an innovative omnichannel food ordering system designed to improve both efficiency and user experience. Employees at qnips can preorder their meals a week in advance, using our app, a dedicated catering portal or a physical ordering Kiosk, present in the canteen itself. This approach not only helps with accurate sourcing and quantity planning, but also meets our sustainability goals by reducing food waste and offering only vegetarian options.

But what does omnichannel mean?

Omnichannel ordering means to utilize several channels of communication in sync. This, in turn, means customers can expect a high level of quality and consistency between each of our many ordering channels, be it our menu-apps, the kiosks, or our catering portals.

Extending the model to larger canteens

This seamless integration of digital and physical touchpoints in ‘qnips Kitchen’ can be scaled to larger company canteens, transforming them into sophisticated omnichannel ecosystems. By providing multiple ordering touchpoints, companies can significantly enhance the dining experience and ensure convenience and flexibility for employees.

Benefits of omnichannel food ordering systems

  1. Improved user experience: omnichannel systems provide a consistent user experience. This allows employees to interact with the service across multiple platforms – from apps to kiosks to email – making ordering intuitive and accessible.
  2. Upsell and crosssell opportunities: with user profiles, caterers can personalise their offerings and recommend additional items based on past preferences, increasing both satisfaction and sales.
  3. Reduce labour costs: automated ordering processes streamline operations, reducing the manpower required to take orders and freeing up staff for more important tasks.
  4. Food waste reduction: advanced planning enabled by omnichannel systems allows for precise order quantities, reducing overproduction of food and associated waste.
  5. Time and cost savings for guests: the efficiency of omnichannel systems saves time for your guests, reducing the stress of mealtimes and potentially lowering overall food costs.
  6. Flexibility and pre-planning: despite the need to order in advance, these systems offer flexibility through easy change options to accommodate the unpredictable schedules of today’s workforce.
  7. Inform and educate: ongoing communication through digital channels educates and informs employees about the benefits of the system, including how it helps reduce food waste.


    A dream come true, right? Realistically though, every chance comes with a risk and every opportunity has its challenges. So too, does the omnichannel approach. We at qnips, however, are very much aware of these circumstances and actively work on minimizing risks and turning uncertainties into even more opportunities.

What are the risks, and how does qnips handle them?

While the implementation of omnichannel food ordering might seem difficult at first, we guarantee you that things are much easier than they might appear.

1. Initial investment in technology:

The initial cost and resource intensity of setting up an omnichannel system can be substantial. Companies must factor in the expense of software development, purchasing hardware like kiosks, and integrating various digital platforms.

To mitigate these problems, for example, the qnips infrastructure allows for a piece-by-piece modular integration. This allows customers maximum control over how much money they want to spend at a given time and how much time and capacity they want to direct towards the implementation. The customers can also controll how fast they want to exchange old systems and workflows for newer ones. Financially, the ROI from increased effectiveness, multiple order and payment channels, as well as an improved customer experience, justifies the initial expenditure over time.

2. Loss of personal touch:

Many first-time users of omnichannel systems worry about losing the personal aspect of customer service once they decide to go digital. In our experience, quite the opposite is the case. Time that would have been spent writing and communicating orders to the kitchen can suddenly be used to talk to customers, decorate food a bit more thoroughly, or plan the next weeks schedules ahead of time. Additionally, most modern ordering channels allow for the broadcast of custom content, photos, and news, allowing for a personal touch.

3. Integration with existing processes:

A major source of worry for many people who seek to advance their businesses into the omnichannel is how they will be able to transition from their existing software, hardware, and workflows to newer ones. We use our experience in working with all sorts of partners and interfaces, to work out plans on how to easily and painlessly migrate any systems we encounter.

4. Staff having a hard time adapting to the omnichannel approach:

Old habits die hard, and adapting to new routines and workflows can be challenging to even the most open-minded of us. You can offer your staff comprehensible and personal training, as well as all-around customer-support by trained software experts to ease the adaptation to new processes. Since the implementation of the omnichannel ordering system happens in a modular manner, staff training can be tailored to the exact level of implementation customers wish for.

5. Maintaining data security and privacy:

The challenge of providing adequate cybersecurity and data privacy is often cited among the biggest obstacles caterers fear when deciding to switch to digital systems.To provide the necessary safety and peace of mind one needs to operate in a digital world, qnips adheres to all recent cybersecurity standards and continuously works on improving our data security structures.

6. Adaptability to user preferences and improvement of the product:

The decision to move to a digitized omnichannel system usually comes with the question of whether the system will stay current during its lifetime. Our software is continuously improved upon in accordance to the ever-changing needs of our customers while also adapting to new and useful technologies.

7. Emergencies and reliability:

Finally, the big worry: What if the system fails?

As part of our services, we offer a competent technical and customer support that will help you with any arising technical issues. Additionally, due to the multiple channels in operation, users always have an ordering channel to fall back on, should the need arise.

The bottom line

The omnichannel approach is more than just a technological upgrade; it is a strategic enhancement of the corporate dining experience that meets the needs of the modern employee while delivering critical operational efficiencies. There certainly are obstacles to overcome, yet none of this should discourage you from switching over yourself. qnips not only supports you through every step of the way but also dampens or even negates most of the occurring risks for you, leaving an easy path for you to follow.

By adopting such systems, companies not only streamline their operations, but also contribute to a more sustainable and enjoyable dining culture. Join us as we redefine the future of contract catering, one meal at a time. Let’s get in touch!


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