When spinning a Web site, first impressions are crucial

Nation's Restaurant News, March 3, 1997 by Paul King

On Valentine's Day, Compass Group USA became the latest foodservice contract company to debut on the World Wide Web.

The Charlotte, N.C.-based company joined dozens of competitors and foodservice-related organizations that see the Internet as the communications vehicle of the future. Companies and organizations alike are using their Web sites to promote their products and members, advertise career opportunities, and disseminate company or association news.

Using the Web browser provided by our company, I have compiled a virtual screenful of "bookmarks" that enable me to access pertinent sites quickly. My "must-see" list includes such contractors as The Compass Group, Marriott, The Wood Co. and Aramark; such professional associations as the National Association of College & University Food Services, the American Dietetic Association, the Society for Food-Service Management and the American School Food Service Association, and such publications as Dietetics Online.

Not only can I access the home page of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but I also receive instant news releases from the USDA. Just by making a simple request, I have arranged to have information e-mailed to me as soon as the releases are posted on the USDA's Web site.

With a few simple clicks of my mouse, I can access through the NACUFS Web site the home pages of every one of its members whose institutions have a Web site. If I am diligent, I can use my unrestricted access to uncover news before it be comes "public" and gain information that can help me plan trend stories that benefit NRN's readers.

As I "surfed" the Internet the other day, I was struck by the diversity in the Web sites I visited -- from plain design to glitzy, from bare-bones content to information-rich. And I began to wonder how foodservice Web sites are perceived by their visitors.

The adage "first impressions are lasting ones is perhaps more true in the foodservice industry than in any other business. What people see and experience when they walk into a restaurant for the first time often dictates whether they ever return.

How much will that mind-set carry over into a company's or association's Web site? As companies and institutions seek greater exposure by advertising on the Net, how much impact will the appearance and currency of their sites influence people's perception of their organizations?

I have been to Web sites that are updated daily and I have seen other sites that have not been altered in months. Some college foodservice sites provide only basic information on dining locations, menus and hours of operation, while others offer weekly event news, nutrition information and links to other interesting or offbeat Web sites.

The design and content of a company's, institution's or association's Web site largely is dictated by the skill and resources of the entity, i.e., is the site designed in-house or by a professional designer? And how much money is the organization willing to spend on the site?

As an interested observer of the whole Web-site-generation phenomenon, I have a couple of suggestions for the operators of foodservice Web sites.

Primary among them is to make your web site a "living" document. If you want to keep people interested in your site -- and, by association, your company, department or organization -- you should be giving them a reason to keep coming back.

That can be done in several ways, such as offering timely foodservice news, a periodically updated list of upcoming events or a weekly feature on food or nutrition. The Wood Co., for example, offers visitors "What's Cooking," a monthly column that discusses the uses of different types of foods.

The "lure" doesn't even have to be food-related. For example. the University of Notre Dame Dining Services includes in its Web site continual photo updates of construction at the university's football stadium. Deerfield Academy contains among its links David Letterman's daily Top 10 lists.

The goal is to keep people coming back so that when you do add items of significance, they will be seen.

Almost as important is to deliver what you promise. If you say you are going to update a section periodically, do so. I recently visited one association's Web site that stated its information would be updated weekly. However, the section has not been altered in three months. What perception does an association member come away with in that situation? Does the viewer wonder whether the association will deliver on other objectives?

The bottom line is that a Web site should be treated like a dining room, cafeteria servery, catering venue or retail operation. It is a public place that can influence current or potential customers.

The first impression of a Web site should be a positive one, and subsequent visits should be every bit as valuable to the visitor.