The Review Game: 5 Simple Strategies to Gather Customer Reviews

The Review Game:

5 Simple Strategies to Gather Customer Reviews

Customer habits have shifted significantly over the past decade, especially since COVID. The days of simply seeing a sign and trying a restaurant are long gone. Nowadays, customers do their research. If they come across a business, they often “Google it” to learn more—looking at menus, photos, and, most importantly, reviews.

 According to Forbes, 80% of potential customers can be discouraged from a business due to negative reviews. This is a substantial statistic. It’s worth noting that customers might choose a competitor simply because their reviews are slightly better or they have more reviews.

 Earlier this year, my wife and I visited Charleston, NC, and as a foodie, I wanted to try as many restaurants as possible. While we had a few places on our list, we also made some spontaneous choices. I noticed that, without even thinking about it, we would check Google for reviews to determine if a restaurant was worth our time. We were eager to enjoy a real dining experience and didn’t want to waste our precious time on mediocre food.

Now that we understand the importance of reviews, how can we encourage them?

 As customers enter your business, they’re learning about your offerings and service. You can ask for reviews directly or get creative. Here are five effective ways to encourage customer reviews:

1. Ask Your Servers: One of the simplest and most cost-effective methods is to have your staff ask customers for reviews. If they enjoyed their meal, a simple “If you had a great experience, we’d appreciate a review” can go a long way.

2. Include a Survey Card with the Bill: Add a QR code or a call to action in the bill fold, prompting customers to leave a review. Some may do this right at the table.

3. Use Review Stickers: Especially for takeout or quick-service, you can place QR code stickers at the point of sale or on the front window as customers leave.

4. Put It on the Bag: Create flyers or stickers with a QR code to attach to takeout bags or doggie bags when customers leave.

5. Automate the Process: Set up an automation that asks customers about their experience and encourages them to leave a review. You can trigger texts or emails after they dine or order takeout.

These are straightforward strategies to generate more reviews for your business. Additionally, here are two bonus tips:

Bonus 1: “Gate It” – This means filtering out negative reviews by directing them to the owner’s inbox instead of Google. You can achieve this through a simple landing page before customers are directed to leave a review.

Bonus 2: Incentivize Reviews – Consider running a contest where customers who leave a review are entered to win a prize, such as a dinner for two or a $100 gift card. While Google prohibits promoting incentives for positive reviews, you can still encourage honest feedback.

Mistakes can happen when serving hundreds of customers. It’s essential to analyze reviews for patterns that may indicate areas needing improvement, rather than viewing them as isolated incidents. Use feedback to enhance your service and create better experiences for future customers, allowing positive reviews to outweigh the negative ones.

Always respond to reviews professionally to demonstrate to potential customers that your business values feedback and is committed to improvement.

If you’d like to learn more about setting up review automation or using AI to manage responses, feel free to reach out, and we can schedule a call.