Boston University Dining Services has not been shy over its marketing strategies, implementing interactive social media schemes and engaging students on their overall dining experience.
BU Dining’s Twitter account (@BUDiningService) has made waves in terms of student interaction within dining halls across campus. The account boasts an average response rate of 10 minutes, said Dining Services Marketing Director Scott Rosario, making it an ideal way to gain feedback from students.
The account currently has more than 6,100 followers.
“We looked at what the BU community was doing via social media, we looked at administrators on campus and how they used social media and we knew that Twitter was the best way to engage our students,” Rosario said in an email. “We wanted to have a conversation with them, using Twitter is the way to have a conversation with such a large audience at once.”
Puns and jokes abound, BU Dining’s Twitter converses with students in some unusual ways. Leading up to BU’s famous Lobster Night on Wednesday, for example, BU Dining filled its Twitter feed with timely replies to students’ inquiries.
Twitter user Alyssa Langer tweeted, “@BUDiningService @TheNikkiJenner and I are so excited for lobstahs tonight!” BU Dining replied approximately one minute later, “Oh we forgot to tell you, both of you have to wear a Lobster Costume tonight while eating. We kid, because we love!”
Oh we forgot to tell you, both of you have to wear a Lobster Costume tonight while eating. We kid, because we love! https://t.co/XdYzsNmBrR
— BU Dining Services (@BUDiningService) September 16, 2015
Rosario said social media interaction is a way to continue moving forward with tech-savvy students, allowing BU Dining to “act quicker and listen more” to what students have to say. “With social media or goals in general, you can’t get complacent, we are always evolving and always listening and looking for the next thing,” Rosario said. “We monitor our Twitter channel seven days a week, from morning to night, we are approachable. We use levity when it comes to engagement, we know we’re not trying to make some grand discovery in science, we’re trying to make sure you’re getting a good meal and have a great experience.” The interactions directly influence aspects of the menu such as Vegan and gluten-free options, Rosario said. “Specifically, this past fall many students reported that there was an uneven balance of proteins as part of our Vegan menu,” he explained. “We increased the number of different vegan proteins to include more tempeh, beyond meat, seitan, quinoa, beans, mushrooms and lentils.” In responding to students’ requests, BU Dining appreciates students for their inputs in a sociable manner, Rosario said. Twitter user Brandon Webster asked for varied vegetarian options at the sandwich station Tuesday, tweeting “@BUDiningService I mean avocado would be amazing, but you guys are the experts. Just getting tired of cheese and tomato.” BU Dining’s Twitter replied, tweeting “Totally understandable Brandon, thanks for thinking the input. We’ll work on it.”
Totally understandable Brandon, thanks for thinking about it. We’ll work on it. https://t.co/RR4MtxYsYi
— BU Dining Services (@BUDiningService) September 15, 2015
While Twitter is the primary mode of interaction between students and Dining Services, speaking with a dining services team member or manager is another alternative.
BU spokesman Colin Riley agreed with Rosario on the importance of the dining experience on campus, saying that student feedback has impacted the George Sherman Union’s Union Court options, for example.
“It’s very important to the university to hear from the students on what their experiences are, their likes and dislikes, their options that they’d like to see,” Riley said. “It’s helped us in the dining halls by putting in stations and options including gluten-free pantries and Asian food stations, so it’s very important to have students’ input, particularly since students are only here for four years.”
Riley also agreed that Twitter is an effective way to reach out to students on campus, particularly if the account is well maintained.
“The social media of Dining has been terrific, responsive and helpful to students by engaging them to the particular meals and options that are being offered,” he said. “We like to echo that, and see what is going on with student feedback.”
Several students said they appreciate BU Dining’s digital marketing efforts and online engagement with the community on Twitter.
“I follow them on Twitter and they seem to be pretty receptive to ideas and suggestions,” said Elizabeth Awtry, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “They made a lot of changes over the summer too so it seems like they work pretty hard to make it the best they can.”
Katy Reny, a sophomore in the College of Engineering, said she always has positive experiences interacting with BU Dining.
“BU Dining tweets back to me within a few hours every time I tweet at them,” she said.
College of Communication sophomore Katie Milliken said while she doesn’t have Twitter, BU Dining Services should consider creating a Snapchat account.
“A lot of students would use that,” she said. “Judging from my friends’ use, I think their marketing strategy seems to attract a lot of attention especially with their age-appropriate responses, but it’s just another Twitter. It’d be fun to see if they can innovate their Twitter use and make a competition or something.”
