This morning I was down at Busboys and Poets in Washington, DC off of K and 5th Street to attend an Networks Solutions and Yelp! co-sponsored event that included chefs, restaurateurs and food bloggers and the topic of social media. It was very well attended and successful event that began with the discussion of social media tools. Many in the room were trying to use some of the tools and others just starting. What everyone seemed to share was a sense of power that is contained in these tools especially when it comes to hearing feedback and communicating directly with patrons before and after their visit to a restaurant. Restaurants such as Indique, Equinox, Mio and Lebanese Taverna were in attendance and shared bad experiences with social media but also cited some examples of its power for good and the recognition of great customer service and/or overall experiences. Many are amazed at how these tools are bringing them new customers and taking “Word of Mouth” or “Trusted Recommendation” to a whole new level.
In fact, there were a number of food bloggers and reviewers there and their influence is felt by the restaurateurs and customers alike. Yours truly thanked DC Concierge for her recommendations because some were so good they helped get me a second date. As for the third and there after I was on my own, but I digress…
On-Demand Stream of the “Social Media for Restaurants” session below:
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility, except for “Anonymous”
One of the biggest frustrations of restaurateurs is how the “anonymous” reviewer is at the same level that food critics are who put their names in a byline and stand by their reviews. While that sentiment is not new, the conversation changed course toward the customer service tactic of offering incentives to come back if there is a bad review or experience communicated on those social media channels. Could this give reviewers on sites like Yelp! a power trip to be nasty and get free stuff in return for their influence? I don’t think it is that evil it was a very heated debate which you can catch on the video above.
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