Complaints, complaints... negative reviews

We work in an industry where any unexpected change is often immediately noticeable to the guest. If on a busy Saturday evening someone suddenly falls ill in the restaurant, while everything is fully booked, you are forced to pull out all the stops. No matter how hard you try, chances are that things will not run as smoothly as if that person had just been there.

In many cases, guests fortunately have the empathy to see how hard the staff are working. But there are certainly also guests who do not, and who immediately express their dissatisfaction via a complaint or a negative review on Google. A lot can be prevented by informing guests well on arrival. After all, a guest comes to a restaurant or hotel with certain expectations. That expectation pattern can only be adjusted if you inform them about it in advance. In our experience, there are three types of guests who leave a review:

1. The constructive guest

This is the guest who sends a personal email with a laudatory tone, but with a critical note. The purpose of this feedback is to keep you on your toes and informed, and this guest often just comes back. It is often a regular or understanding guest, who cares about the hospitality industry. It is best to call this guest personally, to thank them and possibly surprise them on their next visit.

2. The silent complainant

This guest posts a review online with no explanation. For example just: “It wasn't good.” You may have run your legs out from under your body, but you have no idea what went wrong. In this case, it is always a good idea to get in touch. By e-mail usually has little effect: the guest then has to make the effort to respond himself, which rarely happens. Telephone contact often works best. You then get an immediate response and can use the explanation to assess whether the complaint is justified. Most importantly: show understanding. Do not get defensive, however difficult that may be. If followed up properly, this guest is often still willing to return.

3. The unsubtle guest

This is the guest burning down the whole place online, without any empathy. You don't have to treat someone who doesn't act like a guest as such. Still, you can hold a mirror up to him or her and defend your restaurant or hotel. Do this never online: action evokes reaction, resulting in an escalating “from bad to worse”. In many cases, there is nothing left to put right with these guys. So don't waste too much energy on that. A business mail will suffice, so at least you have responded.

Always approach reviews online in a positive way. Where necessary, engage in conversation via email or phone. Sometimes it is also good to leave a review or critical e-mail for a while, and discuss it with the team that was working at the time. Together you can relive the situation, learn from each other, and provide a strong rationale if you do decide to respond towards the guest.  

Jeannine Sok is the owner of Gastology. Through this hospitality philosophy and training method she developed, she helps people optimise hospitality. 

Sven Heijkoop is a hospitality entrepreneur, maître, sommelier and itinerant footman with the Royal Household. He opened a bistro in the centre of Den Bosch in July 2024.