Nigeria’s quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry is growing rapidly, and technology is playing a major role in this growth.
QSR operators are increasingly using technology to deliver end-to-end services to consumers, from ordering and payment to delivery and loyalty programmes.
As of 2021, Nigeria remained Africa’s largest ICT market with 82 percent of the continent’s telecommunication subscribers and 29 percent of internet usage, according to Kashifu Inuwa, the director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to be the fastest-growing region with a compound annual growth rate of 4.6 percent and an additional subscriber enrolment of over 167 million in the next five years.
Nigeria’s organised fast-food industry is estimated at N250 billion and has been growing at a 10 percent annual rate in recent years according to the Association of Fast-Food Confectioners of Nigeria.
Read also: Local QSR brands create new menus, better ambience to win market share
Considering its huge and young population, the market size is expected to keep expanding, opening a vista of opportunities to leverage digital technology to meet demands.
More than ever, with a growing middle class in Nigerian cities, Gen Zs, and millennials who are more inclined to eat out, more opportunities are opening for QSR businesses.
Consumers are demanding more convenient and affordable dining options, like mobile ordering and payment apps ordering food and paying for meals as urbanization grows.
The use of technology in the QSR industry may still be in its early stages in Africa, however, there is a growing trend toward digitisation, and this is likely to continue in the years to come.
Read also: Changing demographics, lifestyle drive QSRs expansion
One of those on that train is EatN’Go Africa, a leading quick-service restaurant operator in Africa, with over 315 restaurants across six African countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, Uganda, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The company operates two of the most popular QSR brands in Africa, Domino’s Pizza and Cold Stone Creamery.
EatN’Go Africa was founded in 2012 by Patrick McMichael and Kola Ajao. The company has since grown rapidly and is now one of the largest QSR operators in Africa.
It is committed to providing its customers with high-quality food and service, and to making its restaurants family-friendly and welcoming to people of all ages.
EatN’Go Africa is a major player in the African QSR market and is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. The company is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for QSR food in Africa, thanks to its strong brands, experienced management team, and extensive network of restaurants.
Read also: Sustaining Nigeria’s quick service restaurant growth hinges on innovation – Brifo
EatN’Go Africa has been in Nigeria for over 10 years and the company has proven its strong commitment to innovation by introducing many technology-driven initiatives to improve the customer experience.
One of EatN’Go’s most notable innovations is its one-number call centre for all its brands. This allows customers to call a single number to reach any of the company’s three brands Domino’s Pizza, Cold Stone Creamery, and Pinkberry Frozen Yoghurt regardless of which location they are calling from.
The call centre put together in partnership with 9Mobile, not only accepts orders, but it also serves as a customer contact centre.
To check quality service delivery and value, ENG ensures a weekly call back to all customer orders. The company continually leverages channels to make the customer experience seamless including WhatsApp ordering for customers.
Speaking further on the partnership with 9Mobile, Pat Michael, GMD/CEO, EatN’Go Africa said: “The partnership has revolutionized the food delivery service in Nigeria, providing us more opportunities to be easily accessible to our customers and providing more channels of communication to our customers while employing technology to improve service delivery. As an organization, we are committed to always being at the forefront of customer satisfaction, and by adapting to innovative ways, we believe we will keep improving on our service delivery which the call centre avails us.”
To connect with its Nigerian customers, EatN’Go deploys innovative ways to incorporate local cuisine into its food menu which the company termed ‘Menu Reengineering’.
Another innovation from EatN’Go is its website review system. This system allows customers to rate and review their experiences at EatN’Go restaurants. The feedback from this system is used to improve the quality of food and service at EatN’Go locations.
The company is invested in e-commerce platforms for all its brands, with each of the brands having a distinct app whilst regularly working with major aggregators to widen its digital funnel orders.
This makes it easy for customers to order food online and have it delivered to their homes or offices. This is a convenient option for customers who are short of time or who want to avoid the hassle of going out to eat.
In addition to these innovations, EatN’Go is also one of the best CRM and business intelligence solutions, leveraging data analytics and personalisation.
Read also: Eat‘N’Go marks 10 years, spends N2b on diesel in 8 months
Data is often referred to as the new oil, and EatN’Go has harnessed its potential to the fullest. Through data analytics, the company gains valuable insights into customer preferences, behaviour, and trends.
This data-driven approach allows for the customization of menus and promotions, tailoring offerings to individual tastes.
Moreover, Eat and Go has introduced enhanced customer loyalty programs, made possible by data analytics. These programs reward customer loyalty and encourage repeat business, ultimately fostering a deeper connection between the brand and its patrons.
The data is used to improve the customer experience by making recommendations for food and services that customers are likely to enjoy. The QSR giant deploys a QR code that allows customers to provide easy customer feedback to improve customer service and reward its great team.
Technology innovations come with its ills which is insecurity hence, the company is fortified with a multi-layer cyber security system, deploying all smart POS terminals to its stores to improve customer security when making transfers.
This system helps to ensure that customer information is safe and secure. For EatN’Go, nothing can stand in the way of leveraging innovative technologies to improve service delivery.
