Introducing our new Senior Sales Manager for the North West, Holly Anderson. We interviewed her in her home city of Liverpool, to talk about what it is that’s driving the success of online ordering and what makes hospitality here so special.
When it comes to good taste, and by good taste, we mean great food, it’s hard to compete with Liverpool.
One of our absolute favourite foodie hotspots, Liverpool has built a vibrant cultural scene around food over many years. Residents and the many millions of tourists who flock to the city each year can choose from more than 300 restaurants in the city centre alone.
So we sat down with Holly to talk about what exactly it is that’s driving the success of online ordering, the kinds of food businesses that are thriving and why D2C delivery (direct to consumer) helps solve some key challenges for Liverpool hospitality.
Holly Anderson, Senior Sales Manager
So tell us about why you think Slerp is doing so well?
I think businesses in the UK are recognising the opportunities that D2C delivery brings. In this economy operators are really feeling the expense of marketplaces, but most of all they want access to and control of their data. I’d also say with the growth of delivery, it makes sense that Slerp is seeing growth too. I’m obviously biassed but delivery is our bread and butter. We are the only ordering platform who handles the whole process end to end, from courier assignment to invoicing. So with more operators opting to do direct delivery, we’re the obvious choice.
What is so special about this city in particular, when it comes to hospitality?
Liverpool is a vibrant and busy city with a strong local economy. It has a good balance of residents, students and tourists who provide a significant customer base for restaurants and takeaways. The high population density ensures a steady flow of potential customers looking for good eats. However, unlike some other areas of the UK, the cost of commercial spaces, including retail units, tends to be more affordable, giving smaller, independent restaurants, with very loyal followings, the opportunity to thrive.
Why do you think Slerp is thriving in this region?
In short, the unique cultures of Liverpool makes it an incredibly rewarding place to operate, as does the community. It’s the perfect environment for D2C. Operators want more contact with their customers, to know who they are and give them an ordering experience that is tailored to their brand. Customer service and building genuine relationships is so important to us here, our team understands the importance of this and we’re excited to partner with more of the incredible brands that this city has to offer.
What kind of businesses do well at online ordering?
A real variety. We work with enterprise partners and mid market businesses as well as local heroes. Recently we’ve seen lots of our partners start to capitalise on pre-orders and the opportunity that they bring. This includes big corporate catering orders or events (the kind that are normally ordered ahead of when they are needed) as well as those promoting big calendar events for gifting (like Valentine’s Day, Lunar New Year, Halloween). This style of online ordering helps drive average order value up and we’ve noticed that operators offering these options tend to be the ones that are really thriving.
Which of Slerp’s products do you think operators will benefit from most in Liverpool?
I would say delivery and loyalty. Delivery in general has seen significant growth across the UK in recent years. We specifically have an extensive fleet of delivery drivers operating in Liverpool, Merseyside and the surrounding areas. With the growth of direct delivery, I definitely think we’ll see more and more operators looking to do it.
But features like digital loyalty also align perfectly with the industry in Liverpool where restaurants see a lot of repeat customers. We have a really collaborative and supportive environment here. With Slerp’s digital loyalty programme businesses can reward customer loyalty easily, however they order – whether it’s online, in person or on an app.