Getting Started Guide
This guide contains basic guidelines for setting up an effective food delivery service powered by Dots Platform.
Introducing the Dots Platform
Flow charts, configuration, and management
Flow charts
Control Panel
Monitoring Panel
Role of company location
Interaction of a location with the service
Online payment
Packaging
Logistics
General structure
Own courier fleet
Third-Party delivery fleets
Equipment and devices
Company location
Couriers
Operators
Quality standards
General information
Stages of customer interaction with the service
Marketing
Strategy, channels, and specialists
Marketing tools of the platform
People and responsibilities
Food ordering and delivery is a complex chain of connected business processes involving a large number of people.
Marketing. The attraction of new customers.
Ordering. Providing customers with convenient ordering tools: website, mobile apps, call center.
Order preparation. Confirmation, preparation, and packing of orders.
Logistics. Management of delivery fleets and couriers.
Customer support and call center. Monitoring the situation on the line and customer support.
Financial and organizational issues. Report generation and monitoring of financial metrics.
Limited time for order delivery.
The need to maintain the freshness and temperature of food.
Additional transportation requirements.
Customer expectations to receive the order as quickly as possible and with free shipping.
Strong competition in the market and, accordingly, low business margins.
All this requires substantial optimization of business processes and their maximum automation in order to reduce the role of the human factor and minimize costs.
Dots Platform is a comprehensive and effective solution for a food ordering and delivery business. It is a single software package that allows you to automate the entire chain of the order from the moment of placement to delivery to the customer.
The Dots Platform has a series of step-by-step guides on how to launch and fine-tune business processes to provide customers with a high-quality service. In addition, Dots Platform allows you to continuously improve the quality of service using various tools.
A number of projects are already working on Dots Platform basis. In total, Dots software is used in their work by 400+ restaurants and hundreds of thousands of customers who are satisfied with the quality of service. Based on the results of reviews received from customers, the average rating of companies is 9.8 out of 10.
Monitoring Panel - single order management center, a workplace for operators and logistics specialists.
Logistics management system and courier app.
Software for the location employees (cashiers and company managers).
Service Control Panel.
Website and mobile apps (iOS/Android) for customers.
Kitchen software.
Integration with third-party services (analytics, marketing, online payments, cartography, etc.).
The structural diagram of the system, user roles, order life cycle, and delivery time standards are available here.
System configuration is done through the Control Panel. Dots Platform provides the Partner with a system administrator account, which has access to all service controls.
Administrator can add new users and flexibly configure the levels of access to various elements of the system.
All users have a personal login and password and can have access to the functionality defined by their role.
The Monitoring Panel is a workplace for a support operator, logistician, and call center supervisor. Here you can find all the information about orders, customers, delivery fleets, companies, cities, reviews, and problems. In addition, it has all the necessary tools for monitoring and managing the situation on the line and the service as a whole.
All company locations interact with the service through the Dots Business app using a tablet.
All new orders appear in the app and require confirmation by the company manager/cashier. When a new order is distributed to the location, it will receive an automatic call with a request to accept it.
To confirm an order, cashier or company manager must select the estimated pickup time of the order (based on the capabilities of the kitchen and its workload). The logistics system will suggest the most suitable pickup time based on the workload of the courier fleet.
If the integration with the POS system is configured, the order can be loaded into it manually or automatically.
To provide customers with online payment options, it is necessary to sign an agreement with the payment service.
All funds paid online by the customers will go to the partner's account specified in the agreement with the payment service. In addition, it is possible to separate check and delivery payments and send them to different accounts. When a customer makes a payment online, the money goes to the company's account within 1-3 business days. The commission of the payment service is 2.5-2.7%. When signing the contract, you can choose who will pay for it (customers or company).
At the time of placing an order with online payment, the required amount is reserved on the customer's card.
The money is debited from the customer's card immediately after the successful completion of an order.
If for some reason the customer canceled the order after payment, then the debiting operation does not occur, and the money will be returned to the customer's account.
In cases where the order amount has changed downward after online payment, only the required amount is debited from the customer's card, and not the full amount of the reserve.
In cases where after payment, the order amount has changed upwards, there are two options: additional payment in cash to the courier or online payment of an additional amount.
Financial reconciliation for all orders with online payment is made in the personal account of the payment gateway.
Proper packaging is the key to quality delivery. It is necessary to provide and test boxes, napkins, appliances, etc. for each delivered item. Hot dishes can only be packed in paper or polypropylene boxes because polystyrene is unsafe and toxic when heated. All materials used in packaging must have appropriate certificates.
The efficient work of logistics is an important component of the service and one of its key advantages.
Own delivery fleet
Reserve couriers
Third-party delivery or taxi services
Different types of couriers can work with the system, while the use of pedestrian couriers and bicycles (as well as ground robots in the future) can significantly reduce the cost of delivery.
All orders are distributed among the couriers on the line. During peak hours, it is necessary to use a reserve. Orders that cannot be delivered by our own delivery fleet may be transferred to a third-party fleet and taxi services. This allows you to deliver orders on time, without delays, guaranteeing customers a high quality of service.
The system allows you to create delivery areas for each location, as well as for the city as a whole. Only those users whose address is located in the delivery area can place an order for delivery.
The partner independently recruits couriers, trains them, and forms a schedule for going online. Each courier works through the Dots Delivery app. Logistics optimization algorithms make it possible to effectively use couriers on the line to optimize the delivery. They also provide automatic merging of orders, which combines two delivery orders within one common route.
The system provides for the ability to transfer orders to third-party delivery fleets or taxis in cases where your own courier fleet cannot cope. These fleets are provided with special software for working with orders.
It is important that the service ensures that there are enough couriers on the line during peak days.
The operators’ room must have access to the Internet and the ability to install an additional display for working with orders.
One order - one car. Delivery of several orders by one driver is allowed only in extreme cases.
The courier fleet is responsible for every delay in arrival at the location and to the customer.
Guaranteed timeliness and quality of delivery (liquid dishes and drinks do not arrive spilled, the packaging is not deformed, food is delivered in a presentable form).
Each company location needs to have an Android tablet with a diagonal of at least 7-8 inches and at least 2 GB of RAM. In case if there are many locations in your chain, it is necessary to provide backup tablets for temporary replacement of failed devices.
Couriers must have Android or IOS devices with mobile data and GPS. External batteries are recommended for pedestrians and cyclists.
Call center operators must be provided with laptops or PCs with Windows (with 15 '' diagonal and at least 4 GB of RAM) and headsets.
One of the important tasks of the food delivery service in a competitive market is the formation of a positive perception of the brand by the customer at each of the stages of his interaction with the service. That is why the Partner needs to think over and approve the standards of customer service, convey them to the staff, and monitor their observance.
The stages of customer interaction with the service and possible problems are described below.
Customers can place orders via phone, support chat, website, or an app.
Connection quality.
Enough operators on the line.
Availability of scripts that describe all possible situations and customer questions.
The competence of operators.
Timely confirmation of orders by company locations.
An unavailable or busy line.
Poor call quality.
Operator incompetence.
Lack of response to a message in the support chat.
Problems with receiving an SMS code.
Big delay in confirming an order.
Waiting for the order to be delivered
Customers can view order status, see the delivery time and location of a courier in the app. If an order was placed via phone or through the website, then the key information (about the delivery time, price changes, pickup time, etc.) will be sent via SMS.
Connection quality.
Enough operators on the line.
Availability of scripts that describe all possible situations and customer questions.
The competence of operators.
An unavailable or busy line.
Poor call quality.
Operator incompetence.
Lack of response to a message in the support chat.
Problems with receiving an SMS code.
Courier's location is not available.
Customer can choose one of the following methods of receiving the order: standard delivery, doorstep delivery, takeaway, table reservation, and room delivery. In the case of delivery, the impression of the service largely depends on the quality of the couriers' work.
Sufficient number of couriers on the line and in reserve.
Timely delivery.
Delivery quality.
Presence of insulated bags.
Competence, appearance, and behavior of couriers.
The quality of customer service at the company location (when customers make orders on-site).
Delivery delay.
Improper order condition (spilled soup, pizza box upside down, etc.).
Problem with a courier (looks bad, rude, asks for more money from a customer, leaves a customer without change).
Incompetence of the location staff.
Delay in receiving an order for takeaway or table reservation.
It is very important that the customer enjoys food, as this is the final step in the entire process.
Preparing the order strictly for the pickup time, and not in advance (so that the food is as fresh and hot as possible).
Order must include all items.
Order notes left by the customer (for example, reporting allergies to certain products, etc.)
The food has cooled down (Because of a delay, lack of insulated bag, or preparation of order in advance).
The taste or quality of the food was not pleasant.
Missing items in the order, for example, juice or dessert, no chopsticks, sauces, utensils, napkins, etc.
The note left by the customer is not taken into account.
If at any of the stages of this chain the customer is not satisfied, you become an “average food delivery service” for him. Therefore, a high level of service, control at all stages, and constant work on its improvement are important and priority tasks.
Customer reviews are managed in the Monitoring Panel in the [Clients](https://dots.wiki/387E) tab, as well as in the Dots Business app in the [Reviews](https://dots.wiki/359E) tab.
Problems of any nature are managed in the Monitoring Panel on the [Problems](https://dots.wiki/386E) tab. Each problem must have a description, a responsible person, and a solution. It is also necessary to provide clear procedures for reimbursing funds to customers in the event of certain problems.
The marketing strategy of the service should be based on three key things: correct positioning, high-quality service, and the use of the most effective promotion channels.
Internal brand capabilities (loyal audience and established channels of interaction with customers).
Promotional activities, advertising, etc.
PPC advertising in search engines.
SEO (search engine optimization).
Contextual media advertising (banner advertising).
SMM (Facebook, Instagram).
YouTube advertising.
Email marketing.
SMS and PUSH campaigns.
Content marketing and PR.
Work with influencers.
Outdoor advertising (boards, city lights, etc.).
Printing (distribution of flyers, booklets, etc.).
Radio and TV advertising.
General marketing specialist
Communications & PR specialist
PPC specialist
SMM manager, targeting specialist
Email marketing manager
Designer
Copywriter
Photographer
Promotions, discounts, and gift vouchers with wide configuration options
Promo campaigns with flexible configuration of different parameters.
SMS and PUSH campaigns.
Integration with SendPulse for collecting customers’ e-mail addresses and organizing e-mail newsletters.
Integration with Google Analytics, Facebook Analytics, and Firebase for detailed analytics on the website and mobile apps.
Export of data about orders and customers for further analysis.
To organize the work of the service in the city, you’ll need specialists who will be able to perform duties within the framework of the following roles. One person can be in charge of several processes.
Service supervisor. Management of all cities.
City manager. Management in a particular city.
Call center supervisor. Controls the correct operation of the call center.
Call center shift supervisor. Monitoring of operators on the line, responding to customer feedback, and solving problem situations.
Operator. Communication with customers, company locations, couriers, managers. Monitoring of the situation on the line.
Logistician. Control of on-time delivery of orders, management of logistics settings, and control of couriers on the line.
Courier. Delivery of orders.
Editor. Manages content, works with the menu, prices, promotions, and discounts.
Accountant. Work with financial statements.
Marketing team. Promotion of the service.
Link to this article: here.
Introducing the Dots Platform
Flow charts, configuration, and management
Flow charts
Control Panel
Monitoring Panel
Role of company location
Interaction of a location with the service
Online payment
Packaging
Logistics
General structure
Own courier fleet
Third-Party delivery fleets
Equipment and devices
Company location
Couriers
Operators
Quality standards
General information
Stages of customer interaction with the service
Marketing
Strategy, channels, and specialists
Marketing tools of the platform
People and responsibilities
1. Introducing the Dots Platform
Food ordering and delivery is a complex chain of connected business processes involving a large number of people.
The main components of this business are:
Marketing. The attraction of new customers.
Ordering. Providing customers with convenient ordering tools: website, mobile apps, call center.
Order preparation. Confirmation, preparation, and packing of orders.
Logistics. Management of delivery fleets and couriers.
Customer support and call center. Monitoring the situation on the line and customer support.
Financial and organizational issues. Report generation and monitoring of financial metrics.
In addition, there are a number of additional functions related to the specifics of the food delivery market:
Limited time for order delivery.
The need to maintain the freshness and temperature of food.
Additional transportation requirements.
Customer expectations to receive the order as quickly as possible and with free shipping.
Strong competition in the market and, accordingly, low business margins.
All this requires substantial optimization of business processes and their maximum automation in order to reduce the role of the human factor and minimize costs.
Dots Platform is a comprehensive and effective solution for a food ordering and delivery business. It is a single software package that allows you to automate the entire chain of the order from the moment of placement to delivery to the customer.
The Dots Platform has a series of step-by-step guides on how to launch and fine-tune business processes to provide customers with a high-quality service. In addition, Dots Platform allows you to continuously improve the quality of service using various tools.
A number of projects are already working on Dots Platform basis. In total, Dots software is used in their work by 400+ restaurants and hundreds of thousands of customers who are satisfied with the quality of service. Based on the results of reviews received from customers, the average rating of companies is 9.8 out of 10.
The main elements of the system are:
Monitoring Panel - single order management center, a workplace for operators and logistics specialists.
Logistics management system and courier app.
Software for the location employees (cashiers and company managers).
Service Control Panel.
Website and mobile apps (iOS/Android) for customers.
Kitchen software.
Integration with third-party services (analytics, marketing, online payments, cartography, etc.).
2. Flow charts, configuration, and management
Flow charts
The structural diagram of the system, user roles, order life cycle, and delivery time standards are available here.
Control Panel
System configuration is done through the Control Panel. Dots Platform provides the Partner with a system administrator account, which has access to all service controls.
Administrator can add new users and flexibly configure the levels of access to various elements of the system.
All users have a personal login and password and can have access to the functionality defined by their role.
Monitoring Panel
The Monitoring Panel is a workplace for a support operator, logistician, and call center supervisor. Here you can find all the information about orders, customers, delivery fleets, companies, cities, reviews, and problems. In addition, it has all the necessary tools for monitoring and managing the situation on the line and the service as a whole.
3. Role of company location
Interaction of a location with the service
All company locations interact with the service through the Dots Business app using a tablet.
All new orders appear in the app and require confirmation by the company manager/cashier. When a new order is distributed to the location, it will receive an automatic call with a request to accept it.
To confirm an order, cashier or company manager must select the estimated pickup time of the order (based on the capabilities of the kitchen and its workload). The logistics system will suggest the most suitable pickup time based on the workload of the courier fleet.
If the integration with the POS system is configured, the order can be loaded into it manually or automatically.
Online payment
To provide customers with online payment options, it is necessary to sign an agreement with the payment service.
All funds paid online by the customers will go to the partner's account specified in the agreement with the payment service. In addition, it is possible to separate check and delivery payments and send them to different accounts. When a customer makes a payment online, the money goes to the company's account within 1-3 business days. The commission of the payment service is 2.5-2.7%. When signing the contract, you can choose who will pay for it (customers or company).
At the time of placing an order with online payment, the required amount is reserved on the customer's card.
Then processing works according to the following rules:
The money is debited from the customer's card immediately after the successful completion of an order.
If for some reason the customer canceled the order after payment, then the debiting operation does not occur, and the money will be returned to the customer's account.
In cases where the order amount has changed downward after online payment, only the required amount is debited from the customer's card, and not the full amount of the reserve.
In cases where after payment, the order amount has changed upwards, there are two options: additional payment in cash to the courier or online payment of an additional amount.
Financial reconciliation for all orders with online payment is made in the personal account of the payment gateway.
Packaging
Proper packaging is the key to quality delivery. It is necessary to provide and test boxes, napkins, appliances, etc. for each delivered item. Hot dishes can only be packed in paper or polypropylene boxes because polystyrene is unsafe and toxic when heated. All materials used in packaging must have appropriate certificates.
4. Logistics
General structure
The efficient work of logistics is an important component of the service and one of its key advantages.
The system allows the use of a three-level order delivery system:
Own delivery fleet
Reserve couriers
Third-party delivery or taxi services
Different types of couriers can work with the system, while the use of pedestrian couriers and bicycles (as well as ground robots in the future) can significantly reduce the cost of delivery.
All orders are distributed among the couriers on the line. During peak hours, it is necessary to use a reserve. Orders that cannot be delivered by our own delivery fleet may be transferred to a third-party fleet and taxi services. This allows you to deliver orders on time, without delays, guaranteeing customers a high quality of service.
The system allows you to create delivery areas for each location, as well as for the city as a whole. Only those users whose address is located in the delivery area can place an order for delivery.
Own courier fleet
The partner independently recruits couriers, trains them, and forms a schedule for going online. Each courier works through the Dots Delivery app. Logistics optimization algorithms make it possible to effectively use couriers on the line to optimize the delivery. They also provide automatic merging of orders, which combines two delivery orders within one common route.
Third-Party delivery fleets
The system provides for the ability to transfer orders to third-party delivery fleets or taxis in cases where your own courier fleet cannot cope. These fleets are provided with special software for working with orders.
Requirements for a backup delivery fleet
It is important that the service ensures that there are enough couriers on the line during peak days.
The operators’ room must have access to the Internet and the ability to install an additional display for working with orders.
One order - one car. Delivery of several orders by one driver is allowed only in extreme cases.
The courier fleet is responsible for every delay in arrival at the location and to the customer.
Guaranteed timeliness and quality of delivery (liquid dishes and drinks do not arrive spilled, the packaging is not deformed, food is delivered in a presentable form).
5. Equipment and devices
Company location
Each company location needs to have an Android tablet with a diagonal of at least 7-8 inches and at least 2 GB of RAM. In case if there are many locations in your chain, it is necessary to provide backup tablets for temporary replacement of failed devices.
Couriers
Couriers must have Android or IOS devices with mobile data and GPS. External batteries are recommended for pedestrians and cyclists.
Operators
Call center operators must be provided with laptops or PCs with Windows (with 15 '' diagonal and at least 4 GB of RAM) and headsets.
6. Quality standards
General information
One of the important tasks of the food delivery service in a competitive market is the formation of a positive perception of the brand by the customer at each of the stages of his interaction with the service. That is why the Partner needs to think over and approve the standards of customer service, convey them to the staff, and monitor their observance.
The stages of customer interaction with the service and possible problems are described below.
**Stages of customer interaction with the service**
**Order placing**
Customers can place orders via phone, support chat, website, or an app.
The main points to pay attention to:
Connection quality.
Enough operators on the line.
Availability of scripts that describe all possible situations and customer questions.
The competence of operators.
Timely confirmation of orders by company locations.
Problem situations that can occur at this stage:
An unavailable or busy line.
Poor call quality.
Operator incompetence.
Lack of response to a message in the support chat.
Problems with receiving an SMS code.
Big delay in confirming an order.
Waiting for the order to be delivered
Customers can view order status, see the delivery time and location of a courier in the app. If an order was placed via phone or through the website, then the key information (about the delivery time, price changes, pickup time, etc.) will be sent via SMS.
The main points to pay attention to:
Connection quality.
Enough operators on the line.
Availability of scripts that describe all possible situations and customer questions.
The competence of operators.
Problem situations that can occur at this stage:
An unavailable or busy line.
Poor call quality.
Operator incompetence.
Lack of response to a message in the support chat.
Problems with receiving an SMS code.
Courier's location is not available.
Receipt of order
Customer can choose one of the following methods of receiving the order: standard delivery, doorstep delivery, takeaway, table reservation, and room delivery. In the case of delivery, the impression of the service largely depends on the quality of the couriers' work.
The main points to pay attention to:
Sufficient number of couriers on the line and in reserve.
Timely delivery.
Delivery quality.
Presence of insulated bags.
Competence, appearance, and behavior of couriers.
The quality of customer service at the company location (when customers make orders on-site).
Problem situations that can occur at this stage:
Delivery delay.
Improper order condition (spilled soup, pizza box upside down, etc.).
Problem with a courier (looks bad, rude, asks for more money from a customer, leaves a customer without change).
Incompetence of the location staff.
Delay in receiving an order for takeaway or table reservation.
Consumption of order
It is very important that the customer enjoys food, as this is the final step in the entire process.
The main points to pay attention to:
Preparing the order strictly for the pickup time, and not in advance (so that the food is as fresh and hot as possible).
Order must include all items.
Order notes left by the customer (for example, reporting allergies to certain products, etc.)
Problem situations that can occur at this stage:
The food has cooled down (Because of a delay, lack of insulated bag, or preparation of order in advance).
The taste or quality of the food was not pleasant.
Missing items in the order, for example, juice or dessert, no chopsticks, sauces, utensils, napkins, etc.
The note left by the customer is not taken into account.
If at any of the stages of this chain the customer is not satisfied, you become an “average food delivery service” for him. Therefore, a high level of service, control at all stages, and constant work on its improvement are important and priority tasks.
Customer reviews are managed in the Monitoring Panel in the [Clients](https://dots.wiki/387E) tab, as well as in the Dots Business app in the [Reviews](https://dots.wiki/359E) tab.
Problems of any nature are managed in the Monitoring Panel on the [Problems](https://dots.wiki/386E) tab. Each problem must have a description, a responsible person, and a solution. It is also necessary to provide clear procedures for reimbursing funds to customers in the event of certain problems.
7. Marketing
Strategy, channels, and specialists
The marketing strategy of the service should be based on three key things: correct positioning, high-quality service, and the use of the most effective promotion channels.
Main marketing channels:
Internal brand capabilities (loyal audience and established channels of interaction with customers).
Promotional activities, advertising, etc.
PPC advertising in search engines.
SEO (search engine optimization).
Contextual media advertising (banner advertising).
SMM (Facebook, Instagram).
YouTube advertising.
Email marketing.
SMS and PUSH campaigns.
Content marketing and PR.
Work with influencers.
Outdoor advertising (boards, city lights, etc.).
Printing (distribution of flyers, booklets, etc.).
Radio and TV advertising.
Specialists that you may need:
General marketing specialist
Communications & PR specialist
PPC specialist
SMM manager, targeting specialist
Email marketing manager
Designer
Copywriter
Photographer
Marketing tools of the platform
The functionality of the system provides ample opportunities for marketing activities, which are:
Promotions, discounts, and gift vouchers with wide configuration options
Promo campaigns with flexible configuration of different parameters.
SMS and PUSH campaigns.
Integration with SendPulse for collecting customers’ e-mail addresses and organizing e-mail newsletters.
Integration with Google Analytics, Facebook Analytics, and Firebase for detailed analytics on the website and mobile apps.
Export of data about orders and customers for further analysis.
8. People and responsibilities
To organize the work of the service in the city, you’ll need specialists who will be able to perform duties within the framework of the following roles. One person can be in charge of several processes.
Main roles:
Service supervisor. Management of all cities.
City manager. Management in a particular city.
Call center supervisor. Controls the correct operation of the call center.
Call center shift supervisor. Monitoring of operators on the line, responding to customer feedback, and solving problem situations.
Operator. Communication with customers, company locations, couriers, managers. Monitoring of the situation on the line.
Logistician. Control of on-time delivery of orders, management of logistics settings, and control of couriers on the line.
Courier. Delivery of orders.
Editor. Manages content, works with the menu, prices, promotions, and discounts.
Accountant. Work with financial statements.
Marketing team. Promotion of the service.
Link to this article: here.
Updated on: 26/09/2023
Thank you!