-CB News Desk (publisherchefbharath@gmail.com)
New Delhi: In the immediate aftermath of #Logout Movement, NRAI realized that it is important to take larger control of the digital world within our sector for the long-term well-being of the fraternity. NRAI was worried with the trend of several key decision-making getting gradually usurped by these new-age digital landlords. NRAI is committed to partner with tech solutions where core business decisions will be made by the restaurants themselves. NRAI also seeks singular right over customer data for the business owners and not the marketplace owners. NRAI wants a transparent ecosystem that benefits all. With these thoughts in mind, NRAI has been working on multiple tech solutions. Recently, NRAI hosted its Town Hall 2.0 to formally announce its first initiative, a strategic partnership with the Gurgaon-based O2O commerce platform, Dotpe, to increase omnichannel sales, providing seamless B2B digital ordering solutions fully integrated with a payment gateway for its member restaurants and cloud kitchens.
By deploying the Dotpe’s QR-based digital commerce and payments solution, the 5 lakh+ restaurants fraternity represented by NRAI will be able to reorient their operations by connecting with their customers directly through WhatsApp. NRAI Members can avail of these services at a low flat fee rather than a percentage-based commission. Once the lockdown is lifted, the restaurants can use the Dotpe’s QR based catalog and e-commerce platform for digital ordering which ensures minimal human touch.
Dotpe is a technology startup, providing novel digital transformation and commerce solutions to brick and mortar outlets. It aims to revolutionize the offline-to-online market space by combining fintech capabilities with extensive customer engagement offerings. By offering its direct communication and digital ordering solution to the country’s restaurants, it can assist them to not just restore the customer trust but also ensure streamlined business operations following the social distancing & safety norms.
Post lockdown, NRAI + Dotpe’s seamless Digital Ordering solution will make the customers feel safe as it 
ensures minimal human touch while ordering and settling the bill. Guests can scan the QR code placed on the tables from their own mobile phones, and view the entire menu of the restaurant on the phone just like an e-commerce catalogue. Guests can order through the catalogue while remain seated and also make the payment through the phone. The order-related communication will further happen over Guests’ WhatsApp numbers.
This way restaurants can build their own omni-channel digital platform and in the process own the customer completely. Currently used by a few prominent food chains like Haldiram’s, Social, Smoke House Delhi, Cafe Delhi Heights and Fab café, this will eventually benefit lakhs of large and small offline businesses within next few months.
Speaking on the partnership, Anurag Katriar, President of NRAI said“I am extremely happy to announce our partnership with Dotpe for this critical solution for the Industry, which will be especially useful in the post-pandemic era. We are committed to take better control of our business and our customer data and become digitally more self-reliant as an Industry. While NRAI has spearheaded this initiative, I firmly believe that this solution will benefit the entire F&B fraternity at large, benefitting lakhs of small restaurants across the country. This humble beginning will free them off the clutches of the modern-day digital landlords. NRAI will be unveiling few more industry-friendly tech solutions in the coming days which will hopefully change the contours of this trade and benefit lakhs of business owners rather than a handful of digital giants”.
Speaking on the partnership, Shailaz Nag, Founder, Dotpe said, “We’re extremely elated to partner with NRAI and deploy our O2O retail tech solutions across restaurants represented by it. By collaborating with Dotpe, the restaurants will now be able to stay transparent with the customers by communicating with them directly through WhatsApp for all the online orders. Meanwhile, in the case of dine-in, the customer safety is of prime importance and by using our Digital Ordering solution, customers can avoid multiple human contact points. Moreover, there’s no need for customers to download any additional app as they can start ordering food by simply scanning a QR code once. I’m confident that our solution will allow the restaurants to completely own the customer experience, create own digital channel for both online and offline ordering and thereby manage their expenses and customer data better.”
