Trend 4: Loyalty reward schemes
Discount voucher websites have been hugely popular over the last couple of years, springing up after the crash to coax diners back into restaurants.
“Brunches have been extremely popular,” says Dan Stuart, managing director for LivingSocial Middle East. “The number one F&B deal of 2011 for LivingSocial Middle East was the Pullman Mall of the Emirates Dubai Brunch, which grossed US $147,000 and sold 1,788 vouchers in 48 hours. F&B deals represented 15% of our Daily Deals this past quarter.”
But executive chef at Dubai’s Qamardeen Hotel, Bernd Geiger, thinks using these deals is not good for your business in the long-run. He believes they tail-off in the higher-end restaurants, and that customer loyalty schemes can outmatch their appeal.
“There are discount sites like Cobone and LivingSocial popping up everywhere like mushrooms,” Geiger says.
“We used one here to open the new Esca Caffé as a sales tool for awareness. But after you’ve brought your venue to people’s attention, you have to fight back with quality.
“If you make these deals permanent, I think you will destroy your business. They don’t create the right kind of business. If someone is loyal you have to give them something. You have to decide what they want and give them a loyalty scheme.”
Article continues on next page...
| Advertisement |
Search our database of more than 2,700 industry companies
