Case Study
Ace's Ocean Foods
Ace’s has been a family-owned and operated restaurant since 1999. Their extensive menu selection includes a wide range of fresh and cooked seafood, gourmet burgers, delicious pizzas and desserts.
Competition is intense in the dine-in, delivery and takeaway food industries. Passionate restaurant owner Ace Warrak is always looking for a competitive edge, and he found several when he implemented our Free Flow Hub Website App plan in 2020.
Like many restaurants, Ace’s Ocean Foods was hit hard by the COVID-19 restrictions in 2020. Prior to COVID-19, most of his customers ordered in-store. He needed to develop an alternative revenue stream.
Using a third-party delivery service like Uber or Deliveroo is costly and introduces potential quality control issues like time delays and poor customer service.
He wasn’t able to reward his loyal customers.
Ace introduced his customised smartphone app in March, just as COVID-19 hit.
The app delivered results after just four weeks. Delivery and takeaway orders became his main revenue streams during the COVID-19 restrictions.
“We [previously] had other sources do our delivery for us and we were paying substantial fees every week. With the Hub app, the [monthly] fees ... were paid for in two orders.”
The Free Flow Hub app didn’t just solve Ace’s COVID-19 challenge. It also allowed him to build a growing customer database that he can target anytime he wants to freely promote his restaurant.
“By having an app you can promote something like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or whatever it is that you want to do. Send out the message and it rings a bell. It is all at our fingertips. We don’t need to go through a third party.”
The Free Flow Hub app gives Ace total control over crucial aspects of his business, including:
- online orders,
- delivery drivers,
- delivery times, and
- customer promotions using push notifications.
All information can be instantly updated anywhere, anytime you have internet access.
Ace’s sales have continued to grow.
Ace knew he had to think outside the box to solve his challenges. He turned to us and our Free Flow Hub Website App plan for help. Getting started was quick and easy.
First, Ace entered his online menu and got the promotional printing done for his app.
Second, Ace decided to offer a 20% discount for his customers’ first orders to encourage them to download and use the smartphone app.
Third, Ace introduced a loyalty program where his customers earn points to get discounts on subsequent orders (or even free orders).
By working with Free Flow Hub, Ace’s Ocean Foods has developed a new, growing and profitable revenue stream. He rewards his customers and they keep coming back.
“The benefits of having your own app built by Free Flow Hub is that you have full control. 24-7. You don’t need to have any additional fees. ... It’s a no-brainer” Ace said.
