Fuddruckers to Discuss Social Networking

Alan Watts, SVP of operations for the 250-unit burger chain Fuddruckers and its sister chicken brand Koo Koo Roo, will present the keynote address on day two of the upcoming Point of Service Summit, taking place in New York City, June 11-13.

Watts embraces social networking (the rapidly growing trend of Internet-based, user-generated content, including blogs, MySpace, etc.) as a core form of information gathering, and a part of his overall vision for leveraging technology to foster greater knowledge at his company. "Not only do I have zero trepidation in learning from these social networks, I believe it's going to become more important as we go forward," says Watts.

He'll incorporate social networking into an overall presentation about how to better leverage technology and operational tools to foster collaboration across departments. The keynote address, "Operations, Marketing & IT Synergy," will be delivered on the morning of Friday, June 13 during two-day networking and educational event for operations, marketing and sales executives in the foodservice industry.

The Point of Service Summit, now in its second year, will bring together more than 50 high-level, hard to reach service-oriented restaurant executives in sales, marketing and operations who are charged with differentiating the guest experience at their respective companies. The event focuses on an intimate environment that is conducive to high-level networking and peer-to-peer idea sharing.

This year's theme is "Building a Winning Brand: Leveraging Innovation to Understand Customer Needs & Service Expectations." Speakers will cover such topics as Serving the Off-Premise Guest, Research & Survey Strategies, Secrets to Successful Self Service, Understanding Customer Needs, and more.

The event's opening keynote address (presented on Thursday, June 12) will be presented by Terry Heckler, president of Heckler Associates, the firm that spearheaded the branding of industry giants Panera Bread and Starbucks. Heckler's opening address, "Building a Winning Brand," will discuss how restaurants can differentiate their brands, and foster an image with strength and consistency.

Other industry speakers include: Mike Curtis, VP of marketing, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group; Bob McDevitt, SVP of franchise operations, Golden Corral; William Mitchell, SVP of domestic operations, Papa John's International; and Rohit Verma, associate professor of service operations management for Cornell University's School of Hospitality Management, among others.