Mobile App - Mobile Ordering - Configuration


Overview

Mobile Ordering empowers your members to quickly and conveniently order food from your Club’s Mobile App, for pick-up or delivery (optional) at Club locations. Because mobile ordering directly integrates with your Clubessential Office system, orders entered into the Mobile Ordering application appear in the Mobile POS system, and fire the related tickets to the kitchen/bar printer(s) seamlessly. Setup and configuring Mobile Ordering is done in the Clubessential Office Management System. Additionally, because the app fully integrates with the Office system, Member Profile information auto-populates notification contact info for Member’s ease of use.

Required Permissions

  • Administrator


Enable Area for Mobile Ordering

Club Admins have full access to configure the mobile ordering experience for their members within the Clubessential Office software (CMA) via the Areas setup.

  1. To configure Mobile Ordering for an area, go to Settings then select Areas.

    1. During Implementation, your trainer will have created a new Area for you, specifically used to configure the menus shown in the Mobile Ordering tool. Depending on the locations at the Club that will be accepting mobile orders, an example new Area might be Pool Snack Bar (Mobile Ordering) if the Club is accepting orders in their Pool Snack Bar. The purpose of creating a new Area for each location accepting Mobile Orders is to enable the Club to obtain sales demographics, based on all orders coming from the Mobile Ordering tool.  Select the Area created during your Implementation process to configure your menus.

  2. The Mobile Ordering setting must be enabled in POS Options. This step will have been checked during Implementation. To verify this setting is configured, go to POS options, and enable (check) the Mobile Ordering setting.

Configure Mobile Ordering Area Settings

Once enabled, go to the Mobile Ordering tab, and configure the settings.

  1. Name - Provide the Mobile Menu Ordering Location with a Name.  This may be the same or different name as the Area, and is the name Members will see for the Area on the Mobile Ordering application.

  2. Pick Up Interval - This field determines how many times show in the available Pickup time for the order.  If set at 5 minutes, available times will be 9:30, 9:35, 9:40, etc. If set at 15 minutes, available times will be 9:30, 9:45, 10:00, etc.

    • Orders per Interval - Checking this box will allow for the number of orders per interval to be limited to allow for an even flow of tickets to the kitchen, ensuring all orders taken can be completed. Marking zero (0) orders per interval will leave the amount unlimited.

  3. Server Employee - This will be the Employee responsible for the Mobile Orders.  Choose an available employee from the list.

    • Best practice is to create an account solely for this purpose.

  4. Admin Notification Email - Define an admin email address to receive an automatic email each time a new Mobile Order is placed.

  5. Allow Carry Out - Check this box to allow pickup from this location.  If this box is not checked, the option to select Pickup will not be provided to Members when placing their order.

  6. Allow Delivery to Club Location - Allows for delivery to predefined locations as set in CMA. When this feature is enabled, you will get an additional window (Club Locations) that pops up that allows you to input and designate specific locations where members are able to select delivery to. These options would then appear on the mobile ordering menu at checkout if the member selects that they want it delivered. The member would then have to select wherever they want that delivered. Please see Member Access - Mobile Ordering on the App for more detail.

  7. Allow Gratuity on Checkout - Allows members to add gratuity when checking out in Mobile Ordering.

  8. Allow Message on Checkout - Allows members to add a general message to a Mobile Order on the checkout screen.

  9. Allow Cover on Checkout - Allows members to add a cover count to their Mobile Order and enter how many individuals their order will serve.

Add a Menu

Once basic settings have been established, create Menu(s) for this Area by clicking the New button.

  1. A Menu configuration screen will appear. Complete the screen as follows:

    • Name - Enter the name of the Menu (ie - Pool Shack) as you would like it to appear on the Mobile Ordering screen.

    • Minutes before pickup to send - This setting determines how soon before an order is to be picked up, that it will fire to the kitchen.  For instance, if an order is placed at 11:20am, to be picked up at Noon, and this setting is set to 15 minutes, the order will auto-fire to the kitchen at 11:45am, 15 minutes before the time it is to be picked up.

    • Is Kiosk Menu - Enables this menu to be visible in Kiosk Mode.

      • Checking this setting will remove this menu visibility from the mobile app and this menu will only be available on Mobile Ordering kiosk devices.

    • Is Future Order Menu - Allows members to select a future date when placing their order via Mobile Ordering (often used for catering). When this box is checked, both Minutes before pickup to send must be indicated as well as Future order hours to prep which indicates the number of hours in advance an order must be placed prior to pickup. This allows Clubs to prevent members from placing a large catering order without giving the Club enough preparation time. Future Ordering Menu's now allow users to limit the number of days in advance that an order can be placed for any given menu.

    • Confirmation Email Ticket Template - If set to none, will default to the settings of the Settle Ticket associated with the Area.  Option to choose a different template if desired. Template will feed the confirmation email sent to the Member, if Member chooses email notifications when ordering.

    • Background Image - Select an image from a list of available options to display on the homepage of Mobile Ordering.

  2. On the Schedule tab you will enable the day and time settings for each day of the week. Complete the screen as follows:

    • Enabled - Checking this box opens the menu for that specific day.

    • Visible All Day - Checking this box allows members to see this menu all day. This will disable the Start and End Time for that specific day. Visibility Start and End Times -  If this menu is not visible all day, enter the appropriate start time and end times this menu will be available. Menu will not be available outside of the window specified here.

    • Accepting All Day - Checking this box allows members to place a Mobile Order under this menu all day for that specific day. 

    • Accepting Start and End Times -  If this menu is not accepting orders all day, enter the appropriate start time and end times this menu will accept orders. Menu will not be available outside of the window specified here. The End Time will appear on the Menu selection screen.

    • When the Is Future Order Menu option is enabledUsers now have the ability to select one of 3 options for both Visibility Type and Accepting Type within the Edit Mobile Menu grid: So the options are: None, Timed, and All Day. 

    • This will now allow Clubs to make a menu visible for a given day and allow orders for a future date to be placed, but at the same time, not accept orders for that day. 

  3. Next on the Menu tab, establish the categories, such as Appetizers, Salads, Entrees, that will house the Menu Items .  To establish a Category/Grouping, type a name for the Category and press Enter.

    • Then, search for an Item (from the list of existing Items), to add to the category.  Click on the Search icon to launch the Item selector.

    • Start typing the name of the Item in the Search box to find the item.  To simplify the search, limit the results to F&B items by clicking the F&B filter.  Additionally, remove columns that may not be useful to you by right-clicking on the column, and choose Remove this Column.

    • Or, to add useful columns, right-click in the grid, and then select Choose Columns to launch the column selection box.  Double-click or drag and drop any additional field to display in the columns (Item Category, Active, etc).

    • Double-click on the Item desired to add to the Menu under this category.  Once selected, Item will be populated in the grid.

    • Best practice for adding Items would be to select existing Item categories, filter based on Active Items, and then click Select All to add all Items at once if appropriate.

    • Rename the Item for Mobile Ordering display (if desired) and add a description (required) to show on the Mobile Ordering screen.

    • When all Categories and Items have been added as desired, click Save and Close.

Edit Modifiers

  1. If an Item exists on the Mobile Menu, and you wish to override (perhaps to limit) the modifiers that appear on the Mobile Menu, go to Manage Items, select the Item with the Modifiers to edit, select Modifiers, and click the Override Mobile Ordering Modifier Groups option.  

  2. Construct a new Modifier Group to show in the Mobile Ordering tool, by clicking the Lookup button, and selecting desired Modifier Groups to show. Once complete, the Modifier Groups showing on the right will be for Mobile Ordering only. If desired, overrides can be defined with NO modifiers as well. All other dining options will display the Modifier Groups on the left (default).

  3. Another way to edit the Modifier Groups attached to an Item is to go to Manage Item Modifier Groups.  Select the Modifier Group to edit.  Highlight the Modifier to hide, and uncheck Show in Mobile Ordering option.  Option will no longer display for selection in the Mobile Ordering application.

Edit an Existing Menu

  1. To edit an existing Menu, select the Menu to edit, and click the Edit icon.

  2. If an Item on a menu needs to be deleted, click on the Arrow next to the Item, and then click the Delete key on your keyboard.

  3. Similarly, to delete an entire Category on the Menu, click on the arrow next to the Category, and then click Delete on your keyboard.

  4. Confirm deletion.

  5. To enable or disable the ability for customers to add special instructions, use the check box for allow special instructions for Mobile Ordering

  6. When complete, click Save and Close.

Delete an Existing Menu

  1. To delete an existing Menu, select the Menu to edit, and click the Delete icon.

  2. Menu will no longer be available for selection on Mobile Ordering.

  3. On the Excluded Member Types tab you will select any member type that should not have the ability to see this menu.

Finalize Configuration

When all settings have been configured for the area, click Save and Close to finalize configuration.  

Device Settings - Ticket Printing (Mobile Ordering)

Users have the ability to change Printer settings for Mobile Ordering in CMA, POS Menu, then Devices (as seen below), to allow tickets to print twice. This setting allows Users a clean copy of the Member’s Mobile Order ticket to help ensure accuracy.

Additional Resources

Mobile Ordering - As a Member

Mobile Ordering - Club Access Via Mobile POS

 


Best Practices

  1. When creating Menus, add items that typically take approximately the same amount of time to prepare for smoother operation.

  2. Ensure Member information is up to date within the back Office software to allow for a smooth and accurate order process for the member.

  3. Clearly define all item descriptions, menu areas/locations, hours of operation, and settings.

  4. Host an mobile ordering kick-off event to encourage Members to place their first order.

  5. Track usage to validate your ROI.

  6. Assign a ‘dummy’ or placeholder Employee Account to the mobile ordering system, that way no one employee is responsible for all orders.

  7. If you created a new Area for the Mobile Ordering Area, Ticket Templates MUST be set on the Area in order to sync Mobile Ordering to the POS. If the Ticket Templates are not assigned in the area, the Mobile Ordering Area will fail to sync.

FAQs

  1. We are not equipped to provide delivery services at our Club.  How can I prevent Members from choosing the delivery option?

    1. Ensure the setting marked Allow Delivery to Member location is not checked in the Area’s mobile ordering setup screen.

  2. How can I ensure Members are not able to select a time for pickup for the first 30 minutes after an area opens?

    1. Ensure the Minutes after start time before first pickup field is set to 30 in the Area’s mobile ordering Setup screen.  If Area opens at 11:00am, and this setting is 30, first available pickup time would be 11:30am.

  3. How can I ensure tickets fire to the kitchen appropriately (based on pickup time)?

    1. Ensure the Minutes before pickup to send field is set to the appropriate time period desired in the Menu setup screen.  If order is set for pick-up at 11:30am, and menu takes 15 minutes to prepare, set Minutes before pickup to send field to 15 to ensure ticket prints to kitchen at 11:15am for appropriate prep time.

  4. Can my mobile ordering menu differ from my regular menus for the area?

    1. Yes, mobile ordering menus may be customized to include different items and/or fewer items than the Area’s normal menu.  Additionally, Items on the Menu may have custom names (overriding the default Item Name).

  5. How long does it take for changes I make to setup/configuration (menus, etc) to show up in Mobile Ordering?

    1. The time it takes for changes in Office to show up in the cloud (whether in mobile POS or mobile ordering) depends upon the Sync Frequency setting in Office. If you run CMA and click System -> System Settings -> Web Site -> Office Cloud, above the endpoint listing you'll see a text box that says Sync Frequency. This is how often, in minutes, changes in Office are pushed to the cloud.  Additional delay due to caching expiration could add an additional minute to the sync time designated in the previous setting. Therefore, if in Office Sync Frequency is set to 5, changes in Office to mobile menu configuration will show up in the cloud in, at most, six minutes.

  6. What if I am in a different time zone than my Club, but want to place an order for later that day?

    1. The menu start/end times and the pickup times you are allowed to choose are all based upon the timezone of the club, not your current local timezone.  If you go to order food from your phone and you're standing in an Eastern time zone, but the club's CMA instance is set to the Pacific time zone, then the times you are allowed to pick from will be using a Pacific time zone.

  7. If my Club's iPad itself times out would orders stop sending to the kitchen? 

    1. Orders are sent to the server whenever the member orders food on their phone. No iPads/devices need to be signed in to mobile POS for those orders to be sent.