Rational’s online transformation
helps the company broaden its support network.
Eye level customer relationships
at industry trade fairs and nationwide cooking demonstrations are big parts of the
Rational brand reputation. By rapidly adopting online processes for the
company’s communications, including navigating around the pandemic
restrictions, Rational has transformed its engagement model. This has been
achieved by combining both physical and digital relationships, giving customers
even more accessibility to the manufacturer.
“It quickly became clear that we could turn this sudden and unexpected
challenge to our traditional mindset into opportunities to find new ways to engage
with customers,” says Adam Knights, Rational’s marketing director.
This begun with the product launch of the iCombi Pro and iVario Pro
cooking systems. Just weeks away from a
planned live spectacle, lockdown restrictions forced Rational to launch the products
to a wide-reaching audience using digital platforms. The positive response to
the successful digital launch galvanised the marketing team, giving them the
confidence to explore the power of online further.
Alongside a series of newly created videos introducing their cooking
systems, Rational developed a series of interactive online webinars aimed at
providing chefs from different sectors of the industry with specific and
relevant information to their needs.
Adam continues, “Naturally we couldn’t replicate the smell, taste, and
experience of our live demonstrations, so we looked at what alternative
benefits we could bring to this new Rational experience. One of the most
valuable things for our customers is their time.”
With Rational holding events online, as opposed to on site, a
greater number of people from the same workplace could attend without hindering
their daily operation. Meanwhile their time
commitment was reduced, since they didn’t have to travel, and as they were being
presented with sector specific information, customers knew that the time spent
would be relevant and valuable.
“Our goal was to be informative and supportive, whilst retaining
efficiencies for the customer,” says Adam. “By going digital we were able to stream
the new Rational experiences directly into their place of work or home, via
their PCs, phones, or tablets. As a result, the number of digital event
attendees this year to date has exceeded the total number that attended live
events for the entirety of 2019.”
Continuing the company’s
digital journey, Rational launched Expert Chef seminars. The first seminar in
the series saw one of the UK’s most influential Indian chefs, Rehan Uddin of
the Asian Restaurant Owners Network (ARON), showing how Rational’s cooking
systems can replicate traditional Indian cooking techniques as well as allowing
chefs the freedom to experiment with different methods. Following a
particularly turbulent year for the foodservice and hospitality industry, Rational
also launched regular seminars with expert panels discussing hot industry topics.
“As well as the expert panel
knowledge, we get the live feedback and questions from attendees which helps
bring these perspectives right up to date,” says Adam. “Being able to bring the
industry together like this not only helps us to understand our customers’
needs but also, we hope, helps to inspire and encourage them,” says Adam.
Having attended an online event, customers who would like to know more
about Rational cooking systems have the opportunity to participate in a live
demonstration, held in a local venue.
This allows them to experience the Rational cooking systems first-hand,
supported by a Rational professional chef.
Adam believes the potential
for digital events is enormous. “The new Rational experiences help us keep our
finger on the pulse of what’s really happening in the industry. Rational has
always been a chef’s company, so anything that helps us recognise the
challenges and pressures chefs are facing is invaluable. The more we
understand, the more we can help.”
To find out information about
future events and to watch videos of past ones please visit www.rational-online.com
RATIONAL is the leading
provider in hot food preparation equipment and, with the iCombi Pro and the iVario
multifunctional cooking system, the company delivers 95% of all conventional
cooking applications. Rational’s
ConnectedCooking allows operators to monitor, manage and update their Rational
appliances remotely, from a PC, tablet or smartphone. iKitchen
is the combination of the iCombi Pro, iVario Pro and ConnectedCooking –
iKitchen delivers the best kitchen management and the best cooking
solutions. For information and
brochures, or to find out about free Rational Live online demonstrations, call
+44 (0)1582 480388, freephone 0800 389 2944 or visit www.rational-online.com
Press Contact:
Vanessa
Millard, RATIONAL UK Limited
Tel: 01582 480388
Mob: 07879 552017
E-mail: v.millard@rational-online.com
Web:
www.rational-online.com
facebook.com/RATIONAL.GBR
twitter.com/RATIONAL_AG
youtube.com/User/RATIONALAG
S
Editor's
notes:
About RATIONAL
The RATIONAL Group is the world market and
technology leader in the field of hot food preparation for professional
kitchens. Founded in 1973, the company employs more than 1,100 people in
Germany and a total of around 2,000 worldwide. Since the IPO in 2000, RATIONAL
has been listed on the Prime Standard of the German Stock Exchange and is
included in the SDAX.
The primary objective of the company is to
always offer its customers maximum benefits. Internally RATIONAL is committed
to the principle of sustainability, expressed in its policies on environmental
protection, leadership and social responsibility. Year after year, numerous
international awards testify to the exceptional quality of RATIONAL’s work.