Taking steps to establish a good online reputation can be a real game changer for your restaurant. Ultimately, collecting as many glowing reviews as possible to drown out any negative comments floating around is the name of the game. Many restaurants, however, find it challenging to collect and share guest reviews.
Why? The problem is two-sided. Many studies show that even when a diner wants to leave a review, they forget and need to be reminded. On the flip side, restaurant operators are too busy to send reminders and typically don’t have the proper tools to manage diner reviews.
Here are four tips to help you gather more reviews and maximize success:
Step 1: Make it Quick and Easy for a Customer to Leave a Review
Approximately 75% of diners are willing to provide a review, but only if it’s quick and easy for them. Your restaurant should implement a simple process for customers to leave a review to see better success.
Step 2: Ask for a Review at the Peak of Excitement
To significantly increase your chances of getting a review, you should ask the guest immediately. Not only is the dining experience fresh in their mind, they are still bubbling with excitement and utter delight.
Step 3: Ask More than Once and Follow-Up
While 75% of diners say they are willing to provide a review, only one-third eventually do. If you only ask once, that number drops to less than 10%. In general, most customers need to be asked three to four times to leave a review. Needless to say, follow-up is the key.
Step 4: Automate the Reviews Process
The process of collecting reviews becomes simple and streamlined with the right tools and software integrations. In fact, using software to follow up with your customers can increase your odds of scoring a review by 400%!
For example, the NiceJob reputation marketing automation software integrates with Libro’s reservation software. Each time a new reservation is secured via the Libro platform, NiceJob imports the diner’s contact information automatically and in real time. Upon closing a reservation in Libro, NiceJob triggers a campaign to the diner asking for a review.
Remember, the more invitations you send to leave a review will result in more reviews. By leveraging technology to acquire reviews and build up your online reputation, you can stay focused on operations, customer service, and delivering a five-star dining experience.