Terrible TripAdvisor Ratings? 3 Tips That Helped A Struggling Cafe To Start Improving Their Reputation And Get More Customers
If your business is in trouble because of lacklustre online reviews, then this case study will interest you.
A short time ago I was asked to help a cafe with terrible TripAdvisor ratings.
It was in the bottom 20% of restaurants in its city.
As I scrolled through the customer comments, phrases like ‘don’t bother’… ‘below average’… and ‘waste of time’ jumped out on the screen.
The reviews were pretty horrendous.
In fact, I actually went to another review site to double-check that the cafe wasn’t the victim of Internet trolls.
Nope!
It really did have a woeful reputation online, and this was the reason its sales were plummeting.
Even though I eventually decided not to take them on as a client, I offered them the following advice for free, and thankfully it looks like their business could now be making BIG changes for the better.
These three tips are quick, easy and inexpensive to implement.
They take very little effort …
… but they can almost instantly improve your online reputation, attract more customers and increase your sales faster than ever before.
Here they are…
No. 1 – Tell customers why you exist
The first thing you need to do is to figure out why your business exists. What do you offer that nobody else does?
If you are just one of a crowd, the best you can hope for is a 3-star TripAdvisor rating and okay comments.
However, if you are unique, you will soon build a loyal fan base who rave about your service. This can quickly push you to the top of the rankings.
The easiest way to demonstrate your uniqueness is the name of your business.
Great names call out to your market and draw in passersby who fit your ideal customer profile (e.g. Single Origin Coffeehouse, The Organic Cafe).
Bad names tell the customer nothing (e.g. Sheila’s Cafe).
Of course your business name is not the only thing that influences customer experience.
No. 2 – Does your menu make mouths water?
New customers are more likely to give good reviews if they discover something tasty and interesting that they haven’t tried before.
We’re all novelty seekers!
Your menu should excite people because if food is delicious and unique, it can turn one-time customers into lifelong fans.
Test different variations of your menu regularly. Offer different meals than the ‘usual Australian’ menu.
Keep track of meals that are popular and ditch the ones that people don’t like.
Next…
No. 3 – Greet people with open arms
There’s nothing worse than standing at the ‘wait to be seated’ sign near the door while staff rush around and ignore you.
A frustrating wait like this virtually guarantees that a customer will write a negative review about your business.
It makes them feel unappreciated.
That’s why you should make it staff policy that people are quickly welcomed with enthusiasm as they enter the business.
This simple act of acknowledgement will leave a lasting impression that customers remember when they comment online.
If you would like further tips on this topic, then check out this quick quiz that tells you what other customer experience mistakes are costing you in sales.
The quiz is FREE. It takes just a few minutes.
However, it can tell you the ‘hidden’ problems that cut your profits by as much as 55% – so you only make $45,000 instead of $100,000.
