Taking feedback from customers is necessary to know about their opinion of the restaurant. From the quality of the food to the service to the ambiance there are a lot of areas that could need improvement or that satisfied the customer.
But, how many customers fill the feedback cards, and how useful is that information in helping the management to better their services? The answer is non-conclusive.
Nowadays customers prefer to share their opinion about a place or a restaurant on social media rather than on feedback forms. They post their experiences online and the information spreads faster among the audience.
Drawbacks Of Physical Feedback Cards
Feedback cards do not serve the purpose for a number of reasons. Let us see why restaurants should move over from physical feedback cards to digital versions.
1. Time-Consuming
The cards collected from the customers are sent to the department that analyzes the data.
The analysis takes time and there could be a human error which could result in the wrong interpretation of the data.
By the time the analysis reaches the management, the customers would have shared their experience on social media.
2. Not Possible To Act Fast
Getting low feedback scores mean that customers are definitely not happy either with the food, the service, or the quality.
But with physical cards, it is not possible to take fast action and act immediately to pacify the customer.
3. Inconvenient
Physical cards are expensive and inconvenient. Filling a feedback card would mean the customers will have to sit after they have paid the bill and fill the form or sheet. They will need a pencil or a pen and most customers do not like to stay back once they finish their lunch or dinner.
4. No Follow Up
The customers cannot follow up on a complaint as they give away the cards to the staff after filling them. They will have no idea if the management has taken any action or not.
Switching To Digital Feedback Cards
Here is where the digital feedback cards come into the picture. Being a comprehensive online system, digital cards allow the customers to rate and review using their mobile phones. Customers can opt to use an app, SMS method, email, or a simple smiley feedback card to rate their experience.
Customers can upload pictures of food, place, etc. if they need to add proof of their complaint along with the feedback. Using customer feedback software will help the management know exactly where they have to improve or work on making their services better.
The online system will also alert the nearest staff member to approach the customer and solve the issue as soon as possible. At the least, the staff member can assure the customer that they have made note of the problem and are working on it.
Customers can keep track of their complaints and check the status of the issue. Once it is solved, the status will be changed to completed and customers will be alerted.
Direct interaction with the customer is possible and the management does not have to rely on human analysis to assess the reasons for negative feedback.
Using a comprehensive digital feedback system will ensure that the management will know about the customers’ opinions and suggestions immediately and the interactive dashboard will show the status of the feedback received at all times.
