Comments on: Restaurants and Surveys

By: Jared Bothwell

Jared Bothwell — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 23:05:49 +0000

I think SMS is ideal for a net promoter score – you’d need a pretty motivated respondent to punch out open ended responses.

By: CommentBox

CommentBox — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:06:35 +0000

CommentBox (http://www.comment-box.co.uk/), a UK-based company, also felt that traditional comment feedback cards for restaurants was not the best way to get feedback from customers. That’s why we set up an SMS option. Restaurant guests text their comments direct to the manager whilst still in the restaurant. They stay anonymous unless requested otherwise, and the managers get instant feedback about any little issues that bug the customer. It also means the manager doesn’t have to rely on customers remembering to leave feedback on their website when they get home.
Each comment can be tagged, so trends can be found to spot where improvements can be made.

By: Jared Bothwell

Jared Bothwell — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:25:06 +0000

Thanks Ian, good point. I do wonder how Bluetooth technology will play out in market research.

It is a nice idea because it would make it easy for the survey taker. Yet, I suspect that many people would have trouble with the technology until it became often used.

By: Ian

Ian — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:10:45 +0000

Mobile research is developing some interesting options – i.e you can publish the URL on a receipt or push it via Bluetooth to bluetooth enabled phones.
It allows the research data to be as fresh as the food (hopefully).

By: Jared Bothwell

Jared Bothwell — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:11:45 +0000

Totally agree in giving your customers a channel to provide feedback and your point highlights this. Because if you do not give your customers an opportunity to give their feedback they will find their own way (as you did).

By: Sheldon (Marketing Consultant, Tauranga)

Sheldon (Marketing Consultant, Tauranga) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:02:23 +0000

We’ll I’d like to be asked. Otherwise I lash out like this: http://www.marketingfirst.co.nz/blog/2009/07/how-many-things-can-a-restaurant-do-wrong-and-still-stay-in-business/

By: Jared Bothwell

Jared Bothwell — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:45:55 +0000

I agree Sheldon, although I don’t think that collecting feedback is really the job for the waitress/waiter. Even if you hated the meal it is far easier just to give a frosty “Yes, fine thanks” and never go back again. Criticism is not always well received.

By: Sheldon (Marketing Consultant, NZ)

Sheldon (Marketing Consultant, NZ) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:22:48 +0000

I hate it when I visit an restaurant, and I have some ideas for improvements but then at the end of the evening the waitress just asks “how was everything?”. I’m not going to say “actually, not so great, here’s a list of 5 improvements you could make”. I think the waitress should approach me with a pad and pen poised and ask “I need your help, what can we improve on?”. That would do it.

I like your idea about the code number on the receipt, that’s cool too.