span were rather suspiciously from a
class="cap">T he character calling himself Michael
latest offering from or Mike Burns.
Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares aired
On the Wales portal of the BBC
on Channel 4 last night, followed website Burns had posted "Well i
the somewhat disastrous don't get excited about food too
adventures of ex-boxer Mike and often, and having dined in Rick
his wife Caron Ciminera as they Stein's, and Gordon Ramsay's,I
struggled to run the Fish & think i have found a better
Anchor, a restaurant in Lampeter, restaurant in West Wales". On the
West Wales. Whilst the couple's SugarVine website he also posted
arguing appeared to better the "what a fantastic restaurant for
food they were originally sending couples, and families. it seems
out (a mix of jarred sauces and to have everything, the food has
home cook book trophy dishes) to be the best i have eaten (home
they did let slip on a or abroad) this place will go
fantastically poor bit of black far". Other online reviews echoed
hat optimisation, which I hope what has already been said, but
made all white hat SEOs laugh out with the dire state of the
loud. restaurant, its food, its
If there was one lesson to take reputation and its perception
away from the show, it would be - from both the local community and
Don't fake reviews!
Ramsay itself, would it not be
In order to gauged the feeling right to question who was telling
of the local community for the the truth?
failing restaurant come sports
The restaurateur confessed to
bar, Ramsay conducted a search on posting the reviews, his rational
Google for the Fish & Anchor, to pointing to stimulating custom,
which he was presented with a however with any reactive
range of reviews, two of which strategy it requires a degree of
foresight - and I am not sure he going to counteract the
really thought through the wider adversities of your customer
ramification of posting these service?
"inaccurate" reviews.
The customer is king, a point
Firstly, a warning must be stressed by Ramsay, and one that
expressed. For example, if should ring true for any
someone finds your restaurant or business, after all, without
hotel via a positive (fake) them, where would we be?
review and they have a bad
By rectifying or at least
experience, there is a chance making plans to manage any
that they will post a true review failings within your business,
to assist fellow users and regardless of its size, will be
generally have a rant. The the first step in managing your
initial seeding of this true online reputation, but this is an
review has the potential to lead area I will not going into
to an onslaught of further comprehensive detail for this
reviews from other visitors who post. Instead, I will offer some
might not have otherwise posted. simply pointers as to how to
Don't forget the saying "people harness online reviews for
don't lead... they follow".
good.
But how can you manage your
Sites like Trip Advisor, which
reviews and ultimately what your boasts over 10,000,000 user
customers are saying about you? generated reviews of various
Well first and foremost, address hotels, holidays and restaurants
the problem(s)!
is gaining increasing weighting
You wouldn't put a sticking as an resource for honest and
plaster on a gun shot wound, so unbiased review and via its
why think that a positive review system of community
about the quality of your food or recommendation it really has the
the softest of your sheets is power to drive custom, and in
many instances, divert customer - which might look something like
the key factor being positive, the following example...
and consistent reviews.
"Good afternoon Simon, and
But if you do run a successful thank you very much for your
hotel or restaurant and wish to booking at the Leapfrogg
harness these social spaces, but Restaurant, we hope you had an
wish to do so in a more ethical enjoyable meal.
way than that demonstrated in
We pride ourselves on the
Kitchen Nightmares than why not quality of our food and our
encourage your diners of hotel attentive staff however we're
guests to post a review after always striving to enhance and
their stay.
improve what we do, and as such
When the customer is paying we would appreciate you taking
their bill or even booking their two minutes of your time to write
hotel room why not take their a review for us at Trip Advisor
email address, or even ask them (http://www.tripadvisor.com), a
to submit their business card in free travel guide and research
return for entry into a monthly website that allows users to post
prize draw for a free meal in the review and ratings.
restaurant?
Your comments are important to
In addition to building up a us, and will be used to improve
client database by collecting the Leapfrogg restaurant.
this data - for use in
Thank you very much for your
promotional mailings including time and we look forward to
notifying customers of events, welcoming you again to the
promotional and the launch of a Leapfrogg restaurant in the near
new menu - you can also harness future.
it to stimulate online reviews by
Sincerely,
dropping your customers a short
A Restaurateur
email after their stay / meal, Leapfrogg restaurant
Brighton
Tel: 01273 669 450"
have a 5% success rate, this is align="center">
still 5% of valuable customer
feedback.
A point to which I will type="text/javascript">
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About the Author:
Simon Dance is the link and social media executive at Leapfrogg, a Brighton SEO and Search Marketing agency who specialise in best practise and ethical search marketing solutions. Keep up to date with future post from Simon Dance on the FroggBlog or contact him at Leapfrogg.co.uk © 2008- This article is free for republishing - One link must be active.
Article Tags: online, review, reviews
