Restaurant customer satisfaction is shown by smiles, measured by stars and directly correlated to success. While customer experience has always been core to hospitality, in recent years a good or poor dining experience has been greatly exacerbated by the rise and importance of online reviews.
While review platforms continue to evolve, the classics Google, TripAdvisor, Zomato and Facebook are still the most dominant. Popularity aside, it does make you wonder how important they actually are?
According to a Harvard Business Review study on restaurant reviews, it is ridiculously important. In this review, the data showed that ‘a one-star increase leads to a 5-9% increase in revenue’.
Now if that’s not a direct correlation between customer satisfaction and restaurant takings, we’re not sure what is.
And although the statistics vary across studies, it’s safe to say the vast majority of customers are reading reviews, as high as 90% before visitation according to one study and many trust them as highly as a personal recommendation.
So how can your front-of-house improve customer satisfaction?
- Happy staff make happy customers. A vibrant, enjoyable work environment is known to attract diners and when staff are smiling, so are they.
- Communication is key. Empowering Front-Of-House and increasing visibility of the kitchen without bothering the chef makes customer service easy, and consistent.
- Minimising error. From confusion to frustration, error is the last thing you want in a kitchen. As for lost dockets, these are a surefire way to earn a poor review from a customer who has waited far too long.
In order to achieve the above, streamlining the kitchen workflow and increasing visibility is key. Swap Kitchen Order’s digital kitchen device the SKO aims to do just that…From better communication to an improved workplace, smiling staff mean smiling customers.
Oh, and Chefs, stress less! Never lose a docket again.
Bring on those smiles, stars and success.
