Why hashtags matter to businesses

By Kagure gacheche and agencies

This week, social media was blazing with reports that a customer at the Nairobi-based Art Caffe restaurant had been discriminated against and arrested.

Kenyans took to Twitter to lambaste the upmarket coffee shop, accusing it of racism and poor customer service.

Using the hashtag #ArtCaffe, Kenyans described their brushes with racism at the establishment, ignored requests for service and a management team that was disinterested in following up customer complaints.

Arrested

This latest social media venting began when Twitter user Koki Mutua wrote on Tuesday that her brother had been arrested by diplomatic police at Art Caffe’s Village Market branch.

Early reports had it that he had gone in to buy a dozen croissants, but was allegedly turned away by the manager for being black.

Within hours, the incident was being discussed and dissected by thousands. 

Art Caffe finally broke its silence the following day, denying that any arrest had occurred.

The coffee shop maintained that the customer had asked for approximately 50 per cent of its croissant stock for the day and was served. However, the branch manager approached the customer to advice him in future to make such large orders in advance.

“The suggestion was not well received, leading to a minor disagreement in which voices were raised. The client was asked to step out and calm down as he was interfering with other customers who were having their breakfast. He left and came back into the restaurant after a few minutes where he had a fruitful discussion with the management team before leaving with his croissants as per order,” the statement said.

Bad publicity

But of course bad publicity spreads much faster than good does. The statement has gone largely unnoticed, while complaints about the restaurant continue unabated.

The impact of social media in shaping opinions is well known, and hashtags, which categorise trending topics, have become a prominent feature of online discussions.

As in Art Caffe’s case, they can be used to propagate negative sentiments, which is what is most pervasive in the Kenyan online community. But businesses are yet to capitalise on the advantages they can bring.

According to a survey conducted by US-based advertising firm Radium One, 51 per cent of respondents said they would share promotional hashtags if it meant they would get discounts or a chance to win a prize. This provides companies with the chance to grow their brands and customer base.

Further, hashtags allow business owners to track what is being said about their companies, providing information they can capitalise on.

They also allow businesses to target specific consumer groups. Hashtags around electronics, baby clothes, mortgages, mechanics and everything in between would allow companies to reach the social media users most likely to benefit from their products.

Hashtags are still relatively new and their potential has yet to be exploited, presenting companies with endless possibilities. And with a company like American Express announcing plans to allow customers to make purchases using hashtags, their potential is clearly vast.