The Restaurants Talk Back

However,such exchanges are a common occurrence in the social media space. “Social networking sites these days are very important to build loyalty towards a restaurant,” says Vibha Nayak,a social media strategist at HGS Interactive that handles social media communication for Sanchos and its sister concern,The Tasty Tangles. “It adds a personal touch as well. Customers feel as if they are talking to a real person,not just a brand or restaurant,” she says.

At a time when networking sites such as Twitter,Facebook,Four Square and others are an integral part of communication,restaurants tap into the power of online communication to expand their client base. Gostana,a burger and salad cafe in Bandra,often answers queries about their home delivery service on Twitter. Smoke House Deli’s Facebook page has photos of mouthwatering dishes and drinks available at its outlets in Mumbai,Delhi and Chandigarh. The Wedding Cafe and Lounge (TWCL) takes the interaction on their Facebook page beyond its menu. Apart from promotions and events,it starts conversations about movies,music and other matters of general interest. The newly opened Cafe Zoe in Mathuradas Mills started its brand-building exercise on social networking sites much before its formal launch. It started updating its Facebook page long before it was ready to roll.

“The digital medium is very important to engage people in conversations and promote events,” says Vaneeta Purohit. She is a wedding planner and manager of special events for TWCL,which,apart from being a lounge and cafe,also has a range of wedding and banquet services,along with co-brand,Vivah. “People look at TWCL and think that everything we do is related to weddings. But with Facebook and Twitter,we get a chance to promote other services such as our ‘Wednesday Studio Nights’ with designers and models,as well as cultural events,” she says.

Restaurants also believe in keeping their diners pleased. A tweet bashing a certain dish or a negative comment about the services on networking sites might spell bad publicity for restaurants.”Research has shown that people are often influenced by word-of-mouth referrals or online comments,” says Sartaj Bedi,general manager at Out of the Blue in Khar and Powai.

However,social media isn’t only about getting feedback for services or keeping customers interested. “For small and medium enterprises,it’s a way of advertising too,” says Mankaran Johar,brand manager for Aurus in Juhu. The restaurant and lounge has found online platforms to be very helpful in promoting their ‘Sunday Sundown’ parties.

“When you advertise in print or television,you tend to reach a wider audience that isn’t necessarily part of your customer base. The people who ‘Like’ us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter are already part of our customer base so it keeps our communication focused,” says Johar.