One of the dreadful things for people running a restaurant business is getting poor reviews. While it is an unfortunate occurrence, it is bound to happen at one point in time. Reviews can make or break your restaurant. It depends on how you handle it. The first step is not to panic or overreact. The steps that you should follow are:
- Investigate the claims: If the customer is saying they were mistreated or they got poor services, you should do some investigation. It could be an indication that things are not right in the restaurant and you need to make some changes.
- Respond objectively: Resist the urge to respond emotionally
when you get a bad review. Instead, thank the customer for the review, explain what happened, and where necessary, offer an apology. - Refund or offer complementary services: If the customer is complaining about something like being overcharged or that they got poor services, you should offer a refund if their complaints are valid.
- Make changes: If the review has highlighted things that need to be changed in the restaurant, make changes immediately. For instance, if they complained about noise or poor lighting, make the changes and mention them in your response. Use reviews as a learning experience.