Cary Chessick left his job as a lawyer to bring Restaurant.com back from the verge of bankruptcy. Thanks to some quick thinking and a willingness to change, the business is now thriving.
His innovative strategies include:
- Openness to change. The company has constantly assessed customer needs, both restaurants and consumers. As the original business model proved to be unsuccessful, Chessick listened to his customers and adapted accordingly. He revised the business model, noting restaurants did not want to pay for Web sites upfront but needed quantifiable results.
- Strategic alliances. Restaurant.com has worked with Sysco Corp., the largest food service marketer and distributor in North America, from its inception. Sysco pitched Restaurant.com to its customers as a value-added service to promote restaurants online. This allows the company to get its foot in the door with thousands of restaurant owners, a group that is hard to gain access to.
- Corporate bulk sales. The company is teaming with big corporations such as Verizon Wireless for the corporation to buy bulk dining certificates to give to their customers as product promotions. Additionally, corporations can use dining certificates as sales incentives, customer acquisition offerings and client gifts.
Chessick’s mission is to create an environment where people can do their best and be rewarded for a job well done. He offers an employee of the week program in which staff members are honored for their stellar work.
How to reach: Restaurant.com, (847) 620-1730 or www.restaurant.com
