Cold food, booking problems drive negative reviews during Christmas season: Feed It Back
Meanwhile, people skills and service were said to drive positive reviews over the festive period.
Operational issues are driving negative reviews across the restaurant and bar segments during the Christmas season, according to online review specialist Feed It Back.
A significant customer frustration, the report noted, dealt with booking issues as attested by 67% of negative reviews.
“With an influx of customers, the Christmas period presents an operational challenge for businesses, with a greater volume of sales placing strain on the team. While it seems obvious to say, and often easier said than done, focusing on the time it takes to get food to table is crucial,” Feed It Back CEO Carlo Platia said in a statement.
Meanwhile, people skills and service were said to drive positive reviews over the festive period, with the words ‘staff’, ‘service’, ‘friendly’ and ‘atmosphere’ garnering positive sentiment.
The online review firm highlighted that only 22% of customers have received management responses from their reviews on Google.
“Considering that the Google platform commands a 63% share of all social reviews, this presents a great opportunity for the industry to acknowledge reviews, reinforce positive endorsement and attempt to rescue customers from negative reviews,” Feed It Back suggested.
Asked for their main reason for choosing a site for their Christmas celebration, 38% of respondents say it was because they enjoyed a previous visit; followed by a recommendation from friend or family (15%); the Christmas menu (13%) and location (10%).
