These days, businesspeople are very concerned about online customer reviews of their businesses. Too often, the reviews that get posted to reviewing sites such as Yelp are negative. With no possibility for the businessperson to tell the other side of the story, customers can say whatever they want. They could even make up parts of the review. Restaurant owners are particularly sensitive to these reviews. I understand why. If a potential customer looks online, finds an interesting restaurant, and decides whether to visit the restaurant or not based on the reviews, those reviews can be pivotal.
A recent review on Zomato, an online restaurant search and discovery service, by a customer of a restaurant in New Zealand was very negative. The customer wrote, “This was the worst dining experience ever. The chicken was salty and supposed to be wrapped in prosciutto but tasted like bacon to me.”
Evidently, the restaurant owner had had enough. After dealing with the customer at the restaurant and then discovering this negative review, the owner decided to tell the restaurant’s side of the story. He posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page: “These customers were rude to our staff and had unreasonable expectations. When asked while they were eating, they said that the meals were fine. After eating the meals in their entirety and having the plates cleared away, they stated, ‘That was the worst meal we’ve eaten in a decade.’ They further complained the meal was too salty for their taste. Customers who don’t like salt should not order menu items listed as brine. As described on the menu, that chicken was not wrapped in prosciutto but in pancetta.”
The Facebook post ended by giving the customer 0 of 5 stars.
Out of frustration, this restaurant owner gave the real story of these customers. Since this post is on the restaurant’s Facebook page and not on the reviewing site Zomato, I suspect most customers who read the Zomato review will not read the restaurant’s review of the customer. However, I do think this signals a change. We businesspeople have been taught to live by the mantra “The customer is always right.” With that in mind, businesspeople have avoided telling their side of the story of a negative review. They haven’t wanted to look defensive. They also have not had a place to post their side.
While reviewing sites do not yet offer a place for businesses to respond, that may be changing. Uber offers both riders and drivers an opportunity to review each other. Uber’s success and businesses’ frustrations may prompt further changes on other reviewing sites. Those using these reviews to make a decision will appreciate it. They want the complete story.
However, the business’s response must be factual, specific, and objective. Such a response from the business is intended to tell the business’s side of the story, not to make a customer look bad. This must not be written in the heat of the moment, and it must be carefully reviewed before posting. Customers are valuable. This is what the mantra of the customer always being right represents. While we all know that some customers are not right, pointing that out ought to be done only when necessary in order to expose bad customer behavior.
The reason to do this is not to defend the business’s actions but to provide additional information to potential customers in making their decisions.
This week's marketing trivia challenge is How have you handled a bad customer review? E-mail me your answer.
A recent review on Zomato, an online restaurant search and discovery service, by a customer of a restaurant in New Zealand was very negative. The customer wrote, “This was the worst dining experience ever. The chicken was salty and supposed to be wrapped in prosciutto but tasted like bacon to me.”
Evidently, the restaurant owner had had enough. After dealing with the customer at the restaurant and then discovering this negative review, the owner decided to tell the restaurant’s side of the story. He posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page: “These customers were rude to our staff and had unreasonable expectations. When asked while they were eating, they said that the meals were fine. After eating the meals in their entirety and having the plates cleared away, they stated, ‘That was the worst meal we’ve eaten in a decade.’ They further complained the meal was too salty for their taste. Customers who don’t like salt should not order menu items listed as brine. As described on the menu, that chicken was not wrapped in prosciutto but in pancetta.”
The Facebook post ended by giving the customer 0 of 5 stars.
Out of frustration, this restaurant owner gave the real story of these customers. Since this post is on the restaurant’s Facebook page and not on the reviewing site Zomato, I suspect most customers who read the Zomato review will not read the restaurant’s review of the customer. However, I do think this signals a change. We businesspeople have been taught to live by the mantra “The customer is always right.” With that in mind, businesspeople have avoided telling their side of the story of a negative review. They haven’t wanted to look defensive. They also have not had a place to post their side.
While reviewing sites do not yet offer a place for businesses to respond, that may be changing. Uber offers both riders and drivers an opportunity to review each other. Uber’s success and businesses’ frustrations may prompt further changes on other reviewing sites. Those using these reviews to make a decision will appreciate it. They want the complete story.
However, the business’s response must be factual, specific, and objective. Such a response from the business is intended to tell the business’s side of the story, not to make a customer look bad. This must not be written in the heat of the moment, and it must be carefully reviewed before posting. Customers are valuable. This is what the mantra of the customer always being right represents. While we all know that some customers are not right, pointing that out ought to be done only when necessary in order to expose bad customer behavior.
The reason to do this is not to defend the business’s actions but to provide additional information to potential customers in making their decisions.
This week's marketing trivia challenge is How have you handled a bad customer review? E-mail me your answer.
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