What Is Your Company's Position on Facebook?

As I am working on two research projects on social media, I pay special attention to companies' activities on Facebook. This ABCNews video shows how Starbucks, as an example, uses Facebook to communicate with its customers. Starbucks has more than 14.6 million Facebook fans (or people who "Like" the company) as of Oct 5, 2010. It is not difficult to imagine how much valuable marketing and market information Starbucks may get by actively engaging with its customers on Facebook. Interestingly, I also found a large number of big companies that do not have any Facebook page. What are these companies thinking? May I ask, what is your company's position on Facebook?

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Yammer: A Social Networking Site Exclusively for the Workplace

Effective internal communications among employees are related to some desirable organizational outcomes, such as robust morale, a clear vision, low turnover, and high employee engagement. The question is what platform can serve the purpose. This ABC News video introduces “ Yammer ,” an exclusive internal communication tool for companies. A user must use a valid company e-mail address to sign up for an account. Once an account is validated, the user will be led to the company page that is pretty much like a Facebook page. The difference is that only the users whose e-mail addresses share the same domain can see the wall and communicate with each other. I have no question about whether Yammer could be a useful internal communication tool for companies, but I just wonder: how many social networking sites do people need for communication? Why people have to “create” so many platforms or channels for “effective communications”? To many people, Facebook is only for “friends,” whe

Will restaurants of the future still need a dining room?

It does not seem the coronavirus is leaving us soon, although we have seen good progress in developing the vaccine . In recent weeks, many places reported a surge of new infected COVID-19 cases . Some even resumed lockdowns and the mask-mandate order, forcing restaurants to shut down indoor dining services again. As a short-term remedy, restaurants immediately shifted their offering to curbside pickup and delivery services. Meanwhile, restaurants are testing new concepts to embrace the contactless self-service trend for the future. Here are some examples, Chipotle opened its first digital-only restaurant The new prototype, known as the Chipotle Digital Kitchen , debut in Highland Falls, NY, earlier this month. Different from the traditional Chipotle restaurant, the Chipotle Digital Kitchen features: A lobby designated for pickup services through off-premise orders. A see-through kitchen, allowing customers to see, smell, and hear what is going on b

The 2020 hospitality and tourism trends that will likely stay in 2021 and beyond

The COVID-19 pandemic had made an unprecedented impact on the global economy in 2020. The good news is the long-waited COVID-19 vaccines will soon become available . Let’s hope that the coronavirus will disappear soon as we enter the New Year. Looking back before we look forward At year-end 2019, I predicted a few 2020 trends in hospitality, retail, and tourism businesses. For example, I recommended that we should pay special attention to the following areas: A shifting focus on food delivery, sustainable food, and quick-casual restaurants. Using AI and facial recognition in service operations. The threats from Google, Amazon, and Airbnb as a (potential, new) giant tourism enterprise in the market. Investors’ growing interest in boutique retail stores and hotels. Customer loyalty issues as more travel companies adopted the dynamic pricing strategy even in their frequent traveler programs. Safety issues during travel. Certainly, the global pandemic was not

Linchi Kwok, Ph.D.

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