Do you remember when a restaurant’s reputation was centered around great food, ambiance, and service? That was before the emergence of Yelp and other online review platforms. Today, it’s all about how others view your restaurant and your response to their viewpoint.
Managing an online reputation has become critical to a restaurant’s success.
According to the National Restaurant Association and David “Rev” Ciancio, an industry marketing expert, “Managing your restaurant’s reputation is as important as delivering a great dining experience.”
Here, we’ll explore the best practices when ensuring an online presence that draws in guests. Then, making them lifelong customers and friends is up to you.
Bad Reviews Gone Viral
The VIP List, a TikTok duo with 23.6M likes and 459.2K followers, primarily focuses on restaurant reviews. Unfortunately, and probably because negative reviews often gain more notoriety than positive ones, this team is particularly critical and opinionated.
Some of their negative reviews have been viewed over 700,000 times. Do they know the damage they leave in their wake? More importantly, do they care?
Probably not.
So, in addition to responding, what can you do when an unkind and unclassy negative review is splashed across an online platform front and center, gaining traction by the minute?
Bury it. Unfortunately, there is no online shovel that these types of reviews deserve. There is, however, a mass of good reviews that can obliterate it. Of course, using fake positive reviews is unethical and easily spotted. The key is encouraging satisfied customers to share their opinions.
If they include a photo, it’s even better. If they seem happy to share their experience, suggest that they discuss what they enjoyed. The more specific, the better chance the review has of making it to the top of the heap.
Of course, there’s also the route that Alice Cheung, the owner of the Oriental Express, took in 2021. While not recommended, her responses to negative reviews made headlines and the rounds on social media. Here are some examples from Bored Panda, “Let me guess, too much food, too tasty, delivered too quickly” and “We are good, but mind reading the stupid is not one of our skills.” Ouch. Or, how about, “Please get in touch so we can arrange for you to come in and show us how to cook chicken wings properly.”
While many readers found these responses hilarious, they can also quickly backfire.
Requesting Reviews
An essential ingredient to getting positive postings is making it easy for your customers to share their feedback. You can share links to your review platforms on small displays, receipts, menus, and websites. Ask satisfied guests directly or send a follow-up text message or email.
You can also print out business cards and give them to your guests when you give them back their credit cards. This card asks them to please leave a review on specific platforms with the associated links if they’re so inclined.
Being honest and letting customers know how essential these reviews are to reaching more guests ensures a higher response rate.
Responding to Reviews
When responding to reviews, be authentic and appreciative. Don’t take a cookie-cutter approach, and make sure your brand’s voice is recognizable. In the case of bad reviews, the recommended response, if warranted, is apologizing, thanking them for their input, acknowledging their concerns, and demonstrating how you’ll improve the situation that prompted their complaint or critique. Then, move the conversation offline and invite them back.
According to ReviewTrackers, almost 45% of consumers are more likely to visit an establishment if negative online reviews receive a response.
Using AI to Help Manage Your Reputation
According to PYMNTS’ research, nearly 50% of restaurant-goers chose a restaurant after reading positive online reviews. Where are they looking for these reviews? Google is the number one platform, followed by Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Interestingly, the ones designed for restaurant reviews, such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Zomato, come in last.
If staying updated on all your social media platforms and responding to every review leaves you a little queasy, you can contact third-party firms specializing in this type of marketing.
While Ciancio started by monitoring and responding to every review about his restaurant, Handcraft Burgers & Brew, he now works with a restaurant management firm. He produces various templates and still responds directly to any reviews that are 1, 2, or 3 stars.
AI learns over time, optimizing these responses the more it sees. It also notifies you when you receive an online review. No matter what you’re approaching, make sure each response is genuine and doesn’t look like an automated reply.
Are you ready to tackle your online reputation? If you haven’t addressed it yet, now’s the time.
