Customer reviews are a key factor in the purchasing decision of many consumers. The number and nature of the comments left by your customers, the way you respond, your overall rating increase your reputation and can make the difference between your establishment and your competitors.
To get reviews for your restaurant, you must first give customers the opportunity to do so by being present on online platforms such as TripAdvisor, the most frequented and best known of all, and to implement certain strategies to take care of your e-reputation. Use this reviewer as an important ally to develop your business and increase your visitor numbers!
Develop the e-reputation of your restaurant
To prepare their romantic weekend in Paris, Claire and Romain set out to find the best pizzeria in the city. They naturally go to the number 1 review site in the world: TripAdvisor. The list of pizzerias, even if they only keep those close to their accommodation, is long. So they need to filter more and what could be more meaningful than a ranking where the restaurants with the highest customer ratings come out on top?
Like Claire and Romain, 2 out of 3 French people consult restaurant reviews before going to a restaurant. It's not Innovorder that says it, but a Partoo study. In this same study, 3 out of 5 respondents said they did not want to go to restaurants with a rating lower than 3.5/5. Today, reviews are omnipresent in all sectors of activity, especially in the restaurant industry. They play a crucial role in the decision to buy goods and services, hence the importance of not neglecting one's presence on the web and the quality of one's e-reputation.
TripAdvisor in a few words
TripAdvisor, this name is bound to ring a bell. Nothing more normal, because it is the largest travel site in the world. It lists more than 125 million reviews and is visited by 260 million unique users per month. 3.1 million restaurants, accommodations and attractions are listed.
In view of these staggering figures, you will easily understand why this site is an authority in the field and why it is considered a reference in terms of information reliability.
We have selected 3 good reasons to register and optimize the use of this platform that acts as an intermediary between customers and restaurant owners:
- The opportunity to increase your visibility by being present and well referenced on the site where the majority of customers turn to decide where they will eat. This is your chance to increase your traffic and your sales!
- Attracting local, national and international customers, but also tourist guides looking for the rare pearl.
- The tool is free and will not burden your marketing and communication budget. The platform obviously offers paying options, but it is up to you to decide whether or not to subscribe to them.
How do you get reviews for your restaurant?
Now that the introductions are done, let's get to the heart of the matter: registering and managing your presence on TripAdvisor.
Step 1: Register on TripAdvisor to increase your visibility
You are not yet registered on TripAdvisor and are now convinced of the interest of this platform for your establishment? Then take action!
When you create your account, you have two options.
In the first case, someone has already written a review of your establishment without creating a profile. All you have to do is claim to be the owner of the restaurant in question and provide some information.
In the second case, you just have to create a file listing your brand. As previously announced, the registration is totally free. You will be asked for your contact details, opening hours, some photos, etc. The more fields you fill in, the better you will be referenced.
Once your profile is online, you can :
- Conduct a competitive intelligence survey by comparing your restaurant with other establishments in the same category or geographical area
- have access to your customers' ratings and reviews
- respond to comments.
In order to be listed, you must meet the following requirements:
- serve food prepared on site
- be open to the public at regular times
- be open for at least 12 consecutive weeks during the year
- have a permanent fixed address.
Already registered? Let's go directly to step 2.
👇 Quick aside for the more reluctant.
Some establishments may be reluctant to register on this or that platform for fear of losing control of their reputation. A mistake in the order can happen, a dish served a little too cold too and you don't want the opinion of a dissatisfied customer to ruin your ranking and your reputation.
No restaurant, no hotel, nothing and no one can win all the votes. There are bound to be dissatisfied customers, but as long as they do not represent the majority, continue to believe in the persuasive power of these platforms on your target audience who will trust the opinion of the masses.
Step 2: Build your e-reputation
Among your customers, you will find those who intend to leave you a review, but forget, those for whom it is not yet a reflex and those who need a little "carrot" before typing.
First profile, the stunned. Encourage them to express their opinion during the meal by placing the QR code linked to your TripAdvisor account on the menu. The wait between the main course and dessert is the ideal time to do this. Customers have already tasted and enjoyed your food, they are immersed in the atmosphere of the restaurant and the waiter will have had time to bond with them. Plus, it will keep them busy while they wait.
Second profile, those for whom giving a note is not a habit. A simple note during checkout will do the trick. "If you enjoyed your time with us, please let us know on TripAdvisor.
Third profile, those who need a little help. Send them an email or a text message to invite them to write a review in exchange for a discount. Offer them a 10% discount for a review and a 15% discount for a review with a photo because we know that in the kitchen, visuals count a lot.
👉 Going further: 7 tips for collecting good customer reviews for your restaurant
Step 3: Respond to positive and negative reviews
One of the best ways to keep track of your e-reputation is to take the time to respond to both positive and negative reviews. The people who use these comparison sites are sensitive to this.
If it is positive, a simple thank you and an invitation to return will suffice. You will then give the image of a professional establishment that cares about the customer experience.
If the review is negative, make sure you remain objective. Don't let any hard feelings show, base them on the facts, apologize if the criticism is justified and constructive, and take it into account so that you don't get any more such comments. This response can actually work in your favor if you do it right. By reading your feedback, people understand that the negative review is not necessarily true or that the mistake, if there was one, will not happen again. Your position sends a strong message. It proves your open-mindedness, your ability to listen and your will to improve.
Providing a personalized response to your customers is also useful to create a bond with them and build loyalty. They feel that their opinion counts and will therefore tend to come back.
👉 Going further: restaurant subscriptions: the future of dining?
Step 4: Promote positive feedback
Controlling your e-reputation also means promoting the positive reviews that your customers have taken the time to leave you. Don't hesitate to use them as quotes on your website, to integrate them in your newsletters or to share them on social networks, thus transforming your customers into real spokespersons. Be honest, between the restaurant owner who invites you to come and have lunch in his establishment because he thinks the food is excellent and an average person who assures you that he had a good time and that he enjoyed himself, who would you believe?
Don't fall into the trap of writing glowing reviews of your establishment yourself or of denigrating your competitors by leaving false negative comments. TripAdvisor will quickly realize this and penalize you.
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Step 5: Improve your ranking on the platform
Your referencing on the platform depends on 3 parameters.
- The number of customer reviews received. The more reviews you have, the higher you will appear in the ranking.
- From the average of the reviews out of 5. The closer your rating is to 5, the better.
- The frequency of reviews. TripAdvisor does a better job of referring establishments with recent reviews.
It is important to take these 3 parameters into account, because the higher you are in the TripAdvisor ranking, the more chances you will have to convince people to go to your restaurant.
One of the ways to stay ahead of your competitors is to take into account every single criticism , especially if they are recurrent. These comments, whether positive or negative, will allow you to know what works and therefore what to keep as is and what you need to improve on.
This will allow you, the restaurant manager, to realize certain things that you would not normally perceive. Reviews are the eyes you don't have in the restaurant, they are the perspective you sometimes lack during rush periods. We think for example of dishes served too cold, of the impossibility to reserve online, of too frequent stock-outs.
The quality of service, products, ambiance, cuisine, the TripAdvisor rating is an overall rating that can be used to identify potential improvements.
👉 Going further: the 40 funniest restaurant reviews
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Do you want to offer a flawless customer experience? Contact an Innovorder consultant and find out how to create the smoothest possible customer journey.
