Vino Volo's Mobile Strategy

The appearance of restaurants like Shake Shack and Vino Volo in terminals around the country was early evidence of a new trend in elevated airport dining [Cat Cora and I developed a show on this movement if anyone wants to chat further about it :)]. Once such establishments experienced success, they were quickly followed by the arrival of full-blown restaurants helmed by Michelin Star chefs ranging from sit-down dining experiences like Cotta at LGA to quick stops like Tortas Frontera at O'Hare. 

Vino Volo has experienced minimal competition in the airport space thusfar, but what can be done to leverage its early mover status? In class, we discussed several strategies for how Vino Volo could improve its mobile app. Others I would suggest the company consider include:

• Push Notifications: Research has shown that push notifications lead to 2x the open rate and click-throughs than e-mails, as well as increased sales and customer satisfaction. While some find location-based push notifications intrusive or annoying, the ability to opt in or out gives customers control so that those consumers consistently receiving notifications value and will likely take action on them. To walk through security or off a plane and receive a location-based notification on the location of and perhaps an exclusive offer from a Vino Volo in the Terminal would be especially helpful to travelers unfamiliar with the landscape of the airport they are departing from or have just arrived in. 
• Order Fulfillment & Tracking: As travelers are often conscious of time, push notifications can also be used in combination with in-app ordering and tracking the status of an order so that a traveler can grab a newspaper, use the restroom, or do whatever else he or she needs to before his or her flight or connection rather than spending that time idling in the restaurant waiting. 
• Mobile Payments and Coupon Retention: Though this strategy adds another operational complication, it deploys reward-based conditioning to train customers to use the app more frequently, and to keep the app permanently rather than downloading and deleting. A year after Starbucks launched mobile order and pay, it accounts for more than 5% of transactions in the US.
• Adding The Menu to the App: According to research conducted by the firm Chadwick Martin Bailey, 62% percent of customers are less likely to stop into your restaurant if they can’t easily see your menu on their mobile device.
• Pick Your Seat: Though this adds an operational component, similar to choosing a seat on a plane or a bike in advance of a SoulCycle class, customers might enjoy a map of the space including proximity to outlets, and the ability to choose their seat and have it held with a "Reserved" card for 10 minutes.
• Get The Digits: I would be interested to see whether asking customers to sign up using their phone numbers rather than their e-mail addresses would help with customer engagement. The average e-mail open rate for marketers is about 25 percent. Text messages receive a 98 percent read rate, and up to a 36 percent click-thru rate (vs 3% for e-mail).
• Menu Optimization: In class, several students mentioned that there were not enough options on Vino Volo's menu, or the existing options didn't meet their needs. The app could be a means for gathering data, like asking customers which of 3 options they would like to see added to the Winter Menu, or which staple they would like to see added, for example. Customers might even receive a discount off their next order for completing the survey. 
• Added Value for Suppliers: As we've learned, it's difficult for small vineyards to reach a broad market and to differentiate. If Vino Volo added its menu to the app, complemented by promotional videos from the vineyards behind each wine (on any topic from: what they are tasting, to how its made, to more generally how to hold a tasting or knowledgeably order at a restaurant), it would not only provide customers with interesting content to consume while dining, but would also incentivize small vineyards to work with Vino Volo.