Internal reviews a thing of the past?

We have all filled in a customer survey at a bar, restaurant or hotel. Sometimes due to good service, many times due to bad service and often just to appease the host. Before the emergence in 2000 of the behemoth review website TripAdvisor, it was rare for businesses to ‘air out their dirty laundry,’ and allow customers access to negative reviews.   In 2014 things are very different. The success of hospitality businesses is now massively affected by the ratings customers give on websites such as TripAdvisor and comments made via social media sites. It cannot be said that online, anonymous public reviews are always the hospitality industry’s friend (more like a mother-in-law) however it does provide an effective way for customers to make informed decisions.   In a move that could soon become the norm for restaurants, Spanish Tapas chain ‘La Tasca,’ has removed its internal reviews system from its website and is the first restaurant ever to link its feedback system directly into the TripAdvisor website. This is an interesting move that creates a new level, of customer service transparency and credibility to La Tasca’s image. All reviews whether good or bad, are replied to and dealt with.

‘We are incredibly passionate about improving our guests’ experience and this move ensures we have no hiding place in our quest for service excellence.’ - CEO Simon Wilkinson

It remains to be seen how effective La Tasca’s willingness to embrace user-generated content is, but it is another prime example of how successful businesses are constantly trying to find new ways to engage effectively with customers.