I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with several chain restaurant operators recently. IFMA (International Foodservice Manufacturers Association) puts on an annual event called COEX (Chain Operators EXchange Forum).
COEX is a great way to meet and network with lots of industry personnel. Whether or not you successfully pitch a product, the chance to start a dialog and have a conversation with someone (not just a company), is worth the price of admission.
Of course there are the Keynote speakers, the white paper discussions, the industry panel discussions and an awards ceremony, but the real value of COEX (for me) was getting to talk with other manufacturers and operators about the industry.
The foodservice industry faces several large, looming obstacles. Ever increasing requirements under “Food Safety” have several manufacturers scrambling to hire new personnel just to handle the required paperwork.
On the operator side of the industry, new menu disclosure requirements, including caloric content and sodium levels, threaten to disrupt a chef’s creative ability in the kitchen. Instead of creating dishes based on overall taste, or flavor integration, chef’s stand to be limited to certain calorie ranges and sodium content. To me, this is just plain silly…anyone who’s ever cooked knows that salt (whether for good or bad) just makes stuff taste BETTER.
Another hot topic of discussion was the use of social media in our industry. If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know that I could talk for HOURS about why the foodservice manufacturing industry should embrace social media more than it has to date.
Operators, for the most part, have figured out social media. Better said, operators have figured out that “investing” in a social media marketing campaign is a relatively inexpensive way to reach and connect with your customers. More than once, I heard one operator ask another about Groupon…was it a worthwhile campaign. Not being an operator, or someone who has used Groupon to try and “sell” anything, I can’t personally attest to the effectiveness of a Groupon campaign. What I can say is, after hearing some of the stories being told, I would never utilize them as part of my overall social media marketing strategy.
Over the course of a few days, I got to talk to some great restaurant operators. As my travels allow, I will be dining in their establishments. Why? Because thru the art of communication, I now feel connected to them on a personal level. It has nothing to do with a supplier/purchaser relationship. We talked; we shared stories; we started a “relationship.”
This industry, like most businesses, is about relationships. And relationships can only be formed if you take the time to talk to someone. In a recent post, Seth Godin talked about attending the TED conference and not remembering a single presentation. The reason why? He didn’t attend any. His most memorable moments were the one-on-one conversations with people. (Want to read his entire post, click here)
For me, COEX (like other industry trade events) is about the conversations that take place during the beverage breaks, at lunch, or even during the cocktail hour. These chats can foster new relationships and strengthen existing ones. They allow you to connect with other individuals without the 140-character limit of Twitter or text messages.
Unlike Seth, I am not suggesting you skip the speeches, seminars or break out sessions. The speakers and panelists are sharing some important information, and even if you only glean a few salient points, this “insider” information could help your organization save (or earn) money…usually far more money than the cost of the event.
The foodservice industry is not the social media industry.
There are several foodservice “experts” who can legitimately claim the title of expert. The information they share during their presentations may not change the face of my business, but I have learned from their insight.
For example, Jon Luther (Dunkin Brands), at an IFMA President’s Conference, shared personal insight on rebuilding a brand…taking Dunkin’ Donuts from “It’s time to make the donuts” to “America runs on Dunkin’”. We don’t have the budget he had, but we face a lot of the same issues. I took away some great ideas from his speech, but more importantly it gave me an opportunity to approach him and talk to him one-on-one afterwards.
Do I hold any aspirations that Mr. Luther remembers me? No. But not only do I remember him, I learned from his experience and knowledge. I can’t say I started a “relationship” with him, but I am inclined to frequent his stores more often.
I guess my point is, regardless of your industry, take advantage of the industry conferences and use the networking time to do just that…network.
BONUS QUESTION:
What 1976 movie featured Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Robert Duvall, and Ned Beatty? Hint: The blog title is taken from one of the movie's useless quotes. This should be a gimme, but if not…click here for the answer.
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