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Guide to surviving negative restaurant comments on the Internet
The owner of a hospitality business needs to handle as much information as possible from their customers.
It is essential for a business to be successful. The people who pass in front of the point of sale, those who enter, those who are regular customers, their social profile … Have you ever thought about everything you don’t know about your customers and your store?
Having all this information is at our fingertips in a more comfortable and simple way than we can imagine. It is possible thanks to planning and the help of techniques and tools such as marketing for restaurants with Marbel Wifi.
It is the perfect type of platform for any local, since it allows you to know and share essential information about the consumer behavior within your establishment: exactly the information you need to understand their needs and improve their care.
Thanks to these indicators, the degree of customer dissatisfaction. Even so, it is always difficult to please all consumers. Negative comments on different online platforms have become the worst nightmares for some restaurants. However, it is necessary to act responsibly whatever the customer’s opinion.
5 steps to follow to manage unfavorable comments
- Investigate the cause
The customer is always right. Or that has always been said. Either way, the client is the one who has in their hands the power of whether your business works or not. Therefore, all the comments we receive must be taken care of carefully. The first thing to do, then, is to share the customer’s appreciation with the team to find the cause of the complaint.
- Solve the problem
After sharing the negative comment with the staff, the next step is jointly specify solutions. It is necessary to plan all the actions that are pertinent to solve the complaint and, depending on the case, reflect it on the company’s communication channels: social networks, the restaurant’s website, physical elements of the premises, menu, blackboards …
- reply politely
It is important to reply within one day after receiving the comment. However, the immediacy in your response it is a sign that the business cares about its customers. Each situation is a world, so there is no specific answer that can serve multiple contexts. Of course, the answer should always be based on the use of honest, simple and respectful language.
- Apologize as an act of good faith
It does not matter who is responsible for the negative comment or if the customer’s opinion does not really match reality. We must bear in mind that each person lives the experience in a restaurant in a different way and is free to express it. Business owners need to be prepared for consumers to publicly express their discontent. In that case, it is advisable to always apologize publicly and promise that the problem will be resolved.
- Propose a second chance
A negative comment about our store is a problem that needs a solution. The most recurrent thing is to invite the diner to return to the restaurant with the guarantee that they will enjoy better service and an experience more in line with their expectations. You can also offer promotions, discounts or free meals. Depending on the case, it is sometimes advisable to manage the claim privately via email.