How Do Restaurant Reviews Help Restaurants Grow?
Online restaurant reviews have revolutionized the industry. Customers now have greater autonomy in making decisions regarding where and how they want to spend their money.
Restaurant owners must recognize and acknowledge customer reviews in order to build trust, improve credibility, increase online visibility and acquire new customers.
1. They Help You Build Trust
Online reviews play a vital role in how potential customers make dining decisions, as evidenced by recent studies that indicate restaurants with higher ratings sell out 19 percent more frequently at peak dining times than those with lower ones.
Restaurants must make it simple for their guests to share feedback by including links to Facebook, Google, and Yelp on their websites, sending friendly reminders via text or even asking directly on the check. Beware though - asking directly for reviews may violate review sites' policies or may appear unprofessional.
Engaging actively with reviews about your restaurant by responding promptly can help build trust with existing customers, improve service satisfaction and attract new ones - according to Harvard Business School research, just one star increase can bring about a 9 percent revenue boost!
2. They Can Help You Beat Out Competitors
Reviews are increasingly becoming one of the key determinants for determining a restaurant's search engine ranking. Reviews sites such as Yelp, Google, and Facebook favor establishments with high customer ratings as this form of social proof tends to outshone advertising or sales pitches more effectively.
Your best bet for encouraging customers to leave reviews is politely asking them after their meal has concluded, rather than pushing or pestering. Additionally, include links to review pages on receipts or give cards as customers exit your restaurant.
Enhance your positive reviews on social media to reach more potential diners, just make sure not to post any negative ones that could damage your reputation and deter new customers from coming in. Instead, focus on bringing in business by emphasizing the features and services your restaurant offers that draw diners in and boost its growth.
3. They Can Help You Make Better Decisions
Online reviews enable customers to make more informed choices about the dining experience. By responding promptly and appropriately to both positive and negative comments, restaurants can show they care about the experiences of their patrons while constantly striving to improve service delivery.
Restaurants that use questionnaires to collect feedback from their guests or incorporate it into post-checkout processes can gain invaluable insights into what customers value in terms of menu items, atmosphere and service - helping them identify trends and keep ahead of the competition.
Reviews can also help restaurateurs distinguish themselves from competitors by showing that they offer better services. It is essential, however, that online reviews don't use negative adjectives against competitors as this could damage both reputations. Make sure your online business listing (check our blog post on how to do this ) is claimed so you receive reviews that give your restaurant credibility.
4. They Can Help You Increase Revenue
People looking to try out a new restaurant seek reviews as an outside source of information. Consumers value feedback regarding services more than goods because they perceive services to be riskier investments.
Reviews can aid restaurants by decreasing customer risk perception and giving customers confidence that they'll enjoy both the food and experience at your establishment. They also enable businesses to identify Promoters willing to spread positive word-of-mouth as well as Detractors before they turn into one-star reviews that become public.
Responding to reviews (even negative ones) is key in showing your clients that you care and wish to enhance their experience, while at the same time building stronger relationships with your customer base.
