Panel 3:
Partnering with Technology - The Marketing Value

This panel consisted of experts who have valuable experience both in the restaurant and the internet industries. They offered practical solutions for adding marketing value to a restaurant through the internet, and using technology to impact customer service with database management programs. Moderator - Lea Bergen, Culinary Director, WEBVAN

Panelists:

Robb Ellis,
Web Designer

Michael Mindel,
Vice President of Marketing, Il Fornaio

Chuck Templeton,
CEO & President, OpenTable.com

Mark Wooldridge,
Director of Operations, E&O Development Company

This panel provided a level-headed counterpoint to all the hype about the internet, and outlined many marketing possibilities of new media. Each of the panelists stressed the importance of embracing new technology to improve business, and encouraged restaurateurs to be realistic about the power of the internet.

Web designer Robb Ellis advised restaurateurs how to view technology as a tool with which to act out their vision. He used the analogy of technology as a new language to reach a new audience, in which the method of communication is different, but the message is fundamentally the same. He reminded the audience that when branching out into a new environment they must remain true to their vision. He also warned of the dangers of working in a new language: not everything translates. Methods of sharing one's message may not function as well on the internet as they do in print, so be sure to work with experienced professionals as much as possible.
|
Meesha Halm, Food and Wine columnist for the Industry Standard, an internet magazine, described some of the ways the internet can help a business:

1. You can create your own site, or work with a company that will build a microsite for you as a package with advertising, construction and maintenance of the site.

2. Work with existing sites that currently partner with restaurants, such as OpenTable.com.

3. Some websites provide back-end technology so that you can take online orders for takeout or specialty products, and some sites will even develop products for you

4. Submit your information to the internet press.

She also stressed the nature of the internet as an emerging media. Restaurants can provide visibility to internet partners as well, and this can be leveraged to help them form a truly mutually beneficial partnership with web entities.
Mark Wooldridge recommended dividing marketing strategies into three categories to focus new tools where they can help the best.

1. Awareness strategies - Letting them know you exist

2. Trial strategies - Getting them in your door the first time

3. Retention strategies - Making the experience a good one, getting them to come back.

He also suggested some ways that technology can help a business, including the value of databasing and table management software in running a restaurant as smoothly as possible. But, as an additional word of caution for those looking into new technology, Wooldridge reminded the audience of a fundamental rule of all business, "Get your retention strategy in place before you start on awareness or trial strategies. It can only damage your reputation to attract too much attention before you are ready."

Il Fornaio has a well established presence on the web, and Vice President of Marketing Michael Mindel shared some of the secrets of their success. The website for Il Fornaio restaurants provides patrons with press releases, menus, recipes, and even the opportunity to buy products on-line. These utilities are valuable to people as lifestyles have shifted and changed significantly over the past few years. The average lunch "hour," he noted, is now only 29 minutes. People have more money and less time than ever before. Despite his organization's success, however, Mindel stressed that the internet is just a tool, and the customer relationship remains far more important. As he put it, customer relations and one's overall vision are what really matter, "if you don't have those you might as well 'flush technology'."

Chuck Templeton is CEO & President of OpenTable.com, a web-based company which allows users to check table availability and make reservations at restaurants through the internet. He stressed that internet users are an affluent and growing demographic group for restaurants to target. OpenTable.com also has the ability to entirely replace traditional methods of taking reservations.

Chuck discussed some ways for those who already have a website to make sure that it is used to it's full potential. His practical advice included making sure to keep a website's content dynamic, collecting customer information to augment databasing, reaching new customers, and communicating with established patrons in new ways such as sending internet greeting cards or offers.

Another timely topic covered by the panel was emerging internet companies which provide web-based services to restaurants via the internet. Food service suppliers can now simplify the buying process and auctions and reverse auctions can allow businesses to buy directly from producers at substantial savings.

During the Question and Answer session members of the audience voiced concerns about making sure that they get the most for their money in web presence. Panelists made helpful suggestions, including making sure that any web-based company you consider working with is willing to provide information on traffic to your site. It is also critical to know that your own website is advertised in areas of the internet that attract your target audience, such as food-related portals.

This technology panel provided valuable tips to restaurateurs who are branching out into unfamiliar marketing territory, and suggestions for better utilizing the tools they currently employ.

Panel 1 -
Defining a Concept, Developing a Brand

Panel 2 -
Building a Team