As a Skip Partner, we want to empower you however we can. Therefore, we have three dedicated teams for the restaurant support. And your Territory Manager is here to help make sure that happens. They can offer on-the-ground guidance and expert advice while showing you how to get the most from the Skip platform, as you grow your business.
We talked to Safi Khan, our Territory Manager in Eastern Toronto, including The Danforth, Leslieville, Church Street, Yonge Street Downtown, and The Beaches, to get his insights into how you can use Skip to its full potential. Here’s what he had to say.
First, what are the responsibilities of a Territory Manager at Skip?
As Territory Managers, we need to make sure restaurants are performing optimally on an operational level. We ensure that each Restaurant Partner is optimized in the best way possible to achieve their business goals. Everything from what to do when an order comes in, to managing the perfect handoff with couriers to reading special instructions when orders come in, etc.
A huge component of the role is helping the restaurant to improve its bottom line. This includes consulting with them on everything from running the right promos targeting the right customers to adding photos to their menu.
We get to work with mom & pop restaurants. During the pandemic, I heard restaurant partners say, “if it wasn’t for Skip, I would be out of business.” I am an ally and consultant they can trust. It is my job to be a good listener and to help build good relationships.
What is your main goal as a Territory Manager?
It’s all about ensuring restaurants are getting everything they want out of the partnership, My barometer for success is if I worked with a restaurant partner on a promotion and menu views (awareness), or conversion (orders) went up. That’s the name of the game.
What is one of your greatest success stories?
A restaurant came to Skip a while ago. They weren’t performing well, and the owner placed his trust in me. I helped him put pictures on their menu, develop more competitive pricing, offer combos, and launched free delivery and free item promos. We even created new banner ads on their site promoting Skip and pushed their Skip menu through Instagram, Facebook, and other properties. It was a symbiotic relationship which he really understood. Their business went from $1,300 a week to $6,000!
What promotional tips have you shared with Partners that have increased revenue and kept customers coming back for more?
It’s a competitive environment. Free item and free delivery promotions are the ones that will make your restaurant stand out.
Sometimes owners ask why would I want to give anything for free? My answer is: It’s all about standing out from the crowd and tapping into what the undecided customer is searching for. You’re competing with hundreds of Partners on the platform. A pizza restaurant that offers $0 delivery is obviously more attractive than one with a delivery fee. Also, it’s important to note that free delivery is co-funded by Skip. Any cost over $2.99 we cover. I cannot guarantee anything, but the majority of the time it works.
And when it comes to the free item promotion, look at the average check size. If your average ticket is $30 and you want to drive that up, offer an enticing item at the $35 mark.
What are some other pieces of advice and tips that you share with Partners?
Window decals in the front of your business are a great way to drive awareness.
We’re always running promos with our sports partner, the NHL®. Take advantage of these.
Also, if you are an Exclusive Partner, we offer six weeks of free delivery and a huge amount of marketing support such as digital ads, push notifications and email marketing campaigns featuring your restaurant.
How can Skip Partners improve their sales on the platform?
The driving factor is the Skip Score. The higher the score, the more the algorithm favours you. In a customer’s search radius, the higher scores are listed first.
There are lots of things you can do. How quickly do you accept an order? When the tablet is ringing, accept it quickly. Another thing is courier hold times. You want the order to get there hot. Setting the correct prep time is extremely important.
Next is customer reviews. Are you putting notes on the bags, prompting customers to give you a positive review and a thumbs up?
Rejected orders are the biggest ones. If the order isn’t accepted in 10 minutes, it times out and automatically is rejected and dings your Skip Score, as it’s a negative customer experience. Be sure to take yourself offline if too busy and adjust your hours if you need to.
More questions about what your Territory Manager can do for you?
Please always feel free to reach out and ask. They’re here to help in any way possible.
