Introduction to the Byte to Bite Series

Welcome to the “Byte to Bite” series, your essential guide to navigating the digital dining landscape. This series is designed to help restaurateurs understand the importance of creating exceptional digital customer journeys. By examining how restaurants leverage technology, we provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of their approaches, offering practical takeaways for enhancing your own customer experience.

About Genki Sushi Singapore

Genki Sushi has long been a favourite among Singaporeans of all ages, known for its fun and unique “bullet train” convey belt sushi delivery system and affordable prices. In this review, we take a closer look at their digital experience and deep dive on their membership programme. Our team visited the Vivo City branch for lunch during a weekday to see how they fared.

Overall Verdict

• Digital Engagement – 3/5

• Digital Integration – 5/5

• Personalisation – 2/5

• Customer Delight Factors – 4/5

• Follow-Up Engagement – 2/5

• Data Utilisation – 2/5

👍🏻 Queueing Experience

Genki Sushi Singapore offers a highly efficient queueing experience. The queue number kiosk is conveniently located with clear signage indicating wait times, making it easy for customers to understand their position in line. Upon entering your phone number, you receive both a printed chit and an SMS notification. The printed chit is particularly useful for those who prefer not to constantly check their phones, while the SMS allows for mobility around the mall while waiting. Additionally, the large display showing queue numbers adds to the informative and pleasant waiting experience. Overall, similar to other best-in-class queue management systems, the queueing experience at Genki Sushi is smooth and efficient, even during peak hours.

Prominently located kiosk to enter your phone number to join a queue. The estimated wait time is also a nice touch to help manage expectations.

Queue chit which tells you how many parties are ahead of you.

👍🏻 Ordering Experience

Once seated, the ordering process at Genki Sushi is straightforward and efficient. The waiter presented us with a QR code for seamless ordering. This system worked flawlessly during our visit, allowing us to place orders without any issues. This efficient system mirrors the smooth experiences seen at other high-profile establishments like Din Tai Fung. The highlight of the ordering process is the unique delivery method; orders are promptly delivered by the signature mini bullet trains, not only saving on manpower but adds a layer of excitement and novelty to the dining experience that never gets old. 

Possible improvement - Order tracking

One minor drawback we encountered, particularly in a larger group, was the challenge of tracking which dishes had arrived. Since each person orders separately through the QR system, it can be challenging to keep track of individual orders. In contrast, Sushiro’s system, which we’ve reviewed before, includes a feature that allows customers to see which items have been delivered. Incorporating such a feature into Genki’s system would significantly enhance the user experience.

Sushiro’s ordering system clearly shows you which items you have ordered and which items are arriving now. Additionally, clicking on the ordered list shows you a list of items and their delivery status.

👍🏻 Membership Signup Call to Action

Genki Sushi does a commendable job of promoting its membership program. Call-to-action materials are strategically placed throughout the restaurant, ensuring high visibility. The benefits, such as “Up to $160 in benefits” and a clear tiering system, are well communicated through these materials.

Possible improvement - Promotion by Staff

While the in-restaurant promotions are effective, a slight improvement could be made by having the host mention the membership process upon seating. This proactive approach could significantly boost enrolment rates by informing customers of the benefits right at the start of their dining experience.

👎🏻 Membership Enrolment Process

A significant drawbacks of the Genki Sushi membership program is the requirement to download an app, which poses a significant barrier to enrolment. Studies indicate that a large majority of consumers resist downloading brand-specific apps, so much so that 90% of consumer say they dont want to download a brand’s app. The typical sign-up process, which involves entering personal details like name, email, and phone number, results in enrolment rates of only 20-30%. Additionally, staff usually ask about memberships at the counter during payment, where customers are less inclined to download and register, often to avoid holding up the line.

The Genki Sushi SG app itself has faced challenges, with a 1.5 out of 5 rating on the Apple App Store based on 182 reviews. Users have reported issues such as login problems and occasional crashes. Restaurants need to carefully consider the ongoing maintenance costs and potential overheads of app development and support. Addressing these technical issues and providing responsive customer service can improve the user experience and make the app a more valuable component of the membership program.

Customers are brought to the respective app stores to download Genki’s membership appEnrolment form requesting for the usual information such as birthdate and contact details.

A call to action to download the app on the counter for payment. Most well meaning customers would likely skip the download to avoid holding up the line.

👎🏻 Membership Data Capture Rate

The Genki Sushi membership program is primarily spend-based, which incentivises only the paying customer to download the app. This approach misses the chance to capture data from the entire dining party. For example, during our visit, although our boss paid the bill (Thank you boss), the person who suggested Genki Sushi – a long-time foodie and advocate – did not have their data captured in the membership system. This represents a missed opportunity to engage all potential advocates and repeat customers within the dining group.

👍🏻  Membership Programme Design

Genki’s membership programme is well thought out as it incentivises returns, rewards loyal customers and creates many opportunities for transactions through the use of seasonal / tactical campaigns.

Incentivising Returns with Coupons

New members are immediately rewarded with three coupons, each requiring a separate visit to use. This approach not only rewards first-time customers but also ensures that Genki stays top of mind for subsequent meals.

Rewarding Loyal Customers through a Tiering System

After our meal, we immediately qualified for the Club tier, which requires a minimum spend of $68—a threshold easily met by groups of two or more. This tier grants additional welcome coupons and an effective 5% rebate for every $10 spent, further incentivising repeat visits. Club and Premium members also enjoy the added convenience of online queueing and priority queueing, allowing them to bypass long waits and enhance their dining experience.

For the most loyal customers, the Premium tier offers even greater rewards, including a 10% rebate, achievable after nine visits within a year. These tiered benefits not only reward frequent diners but also encourage continued loyalty and return visits.

Creating dining opportunities with seasonal / tactical campaigns

Apart from giving a reason for customers to return on their birthday, Genki uses a handful of seasonal / tactical campaign to create opportunities for customers to return. For example, their “Member’s Thankful Day” which happens on the 1st Wednesday of every month rewards members with 20% whilst likely driving sales on a slow weekday. Similarly, member flash deals give reasons for members to visit. Genki also incentivises members to try new or seasonal dishes by giving a $1 off coupon for these items.

👍🏻 Membership Benefits Redemption Process

Redeeming membership benefits at Genki Sushi is straightforward. When asked if we were members, we simply scanned the membership barcode from the app, and the staff handled the voucher redemption. 

However, the reliance on an app for this process can be a hurdle for infrequent customers who may have offloaded the app or forgotten their login details (a fairly common occurrence). This could be problematic when attempting to redeem benefits quickly.

Straight forward redemption process by scanning the membership barcode.

👎🏻 Membership Engagement Follow-Up

Currently, Genki Sushi’s membership engagement post-dining is minimal. There is a lack of direct follow-up surveys, push notifications, or indoctrination emails, which misses the opportunity for further engagement and encouraging repeat visits. Despite having painstaking gotten customers to download their application (and their contact details), Genki Sushi does not capitalise on this this to send out timely push notifications to drive engagement. Simply sending push notification can increase app retention by 3-10 times. Emails are also a useful way to communicate directly to customers and cost minimal to send. This lack of ongoing communication and personalised engagement through push notification or emails represents a significant area for improvement to maintain and deepen customer relationships. 

The only saving grace would be Genki Sushi’s active Instagram presence, where they regularly promote member benefits like the “Member’s Thankful Day” and member flash deals. However, incentivising members to follow their social media channels in exchange for membership points could enhance communication and engagement even further.

Genki’s Instagram account actively promotes various membership benefits such as their “Member’s Thankful Day” & “Member’s Flash Deal”“Member’s Flash Deal” post which informs members that they are eligible for this deal. Coupons are issued to member’s apps.

Final Thoughts: Great membership benefit, but high friction for enrolment and lack of direct engagement follow up

What Stood Out

Genki Sushi excels in creating a delightful in-restaurant experience with its innovative ordering systems and exciting delivery methods. The membership incentive design is also commendable, offering clear and valuable rewards which incentivise customers to visit again.

Recommendations

To enhance enrolment rates, Genki Sushi could consider implementing an app-free membership option. In today’s digital landscape, web-based applications are often sufficient and more accessible to consumers.

Additionally, Genki Sushi could implement strategies to capture data from all diners at the table, not just the payer. This could involve rewarding all diners in a party with a welcome drink or snack as long as they sign up. Capturing data from every diner is crucial, particularly from advocates who often suggest the restaurant and influence group decisions. By engaging these advocates through the membership program, Genki Sushi can foster deeper loyalty, ensure that the restaurant stays top of mind, and increase the likelihood of return visits from a broader customer base.Furthermore, enhancing post-dining engagement through direct follow-up communications and personalised offers could help maintain customer interest and encourage repeat visits.