The Importance of Restaurant Communications

INTRODUCTION

David’s Jamaican, a restaurant in Monona, Wis., was planning to move to a new location. However, it didn’t announce the move to customers, and when the restaurant temporarily closed, many people thought it had suddenly closed for good.

On top of that, when the restaurant did finally reemerge in the new location, it didn’t bother to announce that it had reopened.

All the confusion, worry and speculation could have been avoided had the restaurant communicated its plans. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you plan to move your restaurant. Continue reading “The Importance of Restaurant Communications”

What Restaurants Should do in a Social Media Crisis, Part I

INTRODUCTION

RestaurantA study by SDL shows that four out of five customers would walk away from a brand and never give it another chance after experiencing a major issue. Consumers don’t just want great food, they want to believe a restaurant shares their values, treats workers fairly and conducts business ethically.

In April, Gib’s, a cocktail bar in Madison, Wis., came under a social media firestorm after an email exchange between a manager and former employee went public. When the former employee asked for a W-2 form to be emailed to her, the manager sent her a file named “dumb bitch.pdf.” The employee then emailed the owner about her treatment, and the owner sent her a profanity-laced, derogatory email. To make matters worse, a month after this incident, the owner reinstated the manager without giving the current staff a heads-up, causing some of them to quit.

Here is how to handle a social media crisis and rebuild your restaurant’s reputation. Continue reading “What Restaurants Should do in a Social Media Crisis, Part I”

How Restaurants Should Respond to Negative Comments Online

INTRODUCTION

According to Zendesk, 45 percent of customers share negative reviews on social media, and 63% of consumers read negative reviews on social media. It doesn’t help when it’s discovered that 20 percent of reviews on Yelp are fake.

Still, it’s imperative that you don’t let negative reviews sit unaddressed. One rationale is the “broken windows theory.” When consumers see no response to negative reviews, they assume you don’t care enough, and you’ll probably attract more negative (and fake negative) reviews, which will cost you revenue.

Here’s how restaurants should respond to negative comments online. Continue reading “How Restaurants Should Respond to Negative Comments Online”