THERE WAS RECENTLY a fiasco at a restaurant in Manchester when it responded to bad reviews from a hen party by calling them “chav cheap trash” and “peasants”.
It is never acceptable for restaurateurs or any kind of business to speak to customers so appallingly. The restaurant in question has attracted the wrong sort of publicity and they have damaged their reputation by name calling.
Customers may not always be right, but the manner in which restaurateurs deal with the complaint is the most important part. Maintaining a good reputation online will entice new and existing customers to dine in their restaurant.
It is much easier and possibly more satisfying for customers to make complaints on social media rather than dealing with the issue face to face with the manager of a restaurant.
TripAdvisor, Twitter and Facebook
It is a threat that unhappy customers commonly make. Customers tend to make complaints on sites such as TripAdvisor, Twitter and Facebook more so than compliments.
Businesses and restaurants in particular are facing new challenges and opportunities in light of the explosive use of social media in Ireland over the years. Customers are active and engage on the internet. What customers say about you online matters.
Online recommendations translate into new and returning customers. Complaints or bad reviews on platforms such as Facebook and Trip Advisor can tarnish a restaurants’ reputation and deter potential customers. Complaints and poor ratings cannot be removed from social media. They are there for everyone to see.
Therefore it is ever so important for restaurants to provide a great customer experience in order to limit bad reviews online or possible crises. However, a great customer experience, five star dining and the best of chefs may still attract complaints online.
It is vital to have a good social media and crisis management policy in place if and when the situation arises.
People will talk
Restaurants have no control over what people are saying about them. Whether it is true or not, people could still be using it to talk about you. News travels quickly, hence the importance of dealing with bad feedback online promptly. Restaurants should respond to ALL questions and comments – good and bad!
A restaurant is better off having no social media account at all than having social media platforms with little to no activity on them. It looks unprofessional.
The bottom line is to be prepared for a crisis. Things can unravel very fast online so it is vital that the person or people managing the social media sites are prepared. Who is responsible for dealing with complaints? What is the expected response time? What escalation process is in place? What is the standard response? Who will sign off on response? Fail to prepare – prepare to fail!
Kristina Sheahan works for the Restaurant Association of Ireland. They new legislation forcing restaurants to display calorie counts on their menus. More information can be found on their website here.
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