Tripadvisor...

[21TonyK]

So, should we/I be beating myself up over a crap (and completely unjustified) poor review?

Do you guys use it? Does anyone think it actually means anything? I will now spend a sleepless night really p*ssed off at what I consider a pathetic attempt at a review, our head chef will be in a foul mood all next week and even the KP will moan about it.

Do you know Tripadvisor only allow businesses 200 characters (including spaces) to explain their reasons for having a review removed yet the longest review is 9166 words!

We work bloody hard to keep our reputation, TA does seem like a one way forum. If a business responds they just come across as whingeing.

Any comments?

[hedgefinder]

unless a business has a large number of negative reviews I certainly wouldnt be at all bothered by it. Trip advisor and such sites tend to bring out the little man syndrome in many....

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

We use it a lot, and a we regard a well reasoned response to a negative review a positive.

[Heartworm]

I use it, but everywhere is going to get negative reviews, and people are more likely to give a review if it's a negative experience. There has to be a lot of negative reviews before it would be an issue to me.

[escargot]

Just respond with "you're fking barred". Honestly, it'll be fine

[21TonyK]

escargot said:

Just respond with "you're fking barred". Honestly, it'll be fine

/talking amongst friends here...

I WISH!!! it would be so nice to do that to some people. Forgetting restaurants and everything else we all meet people we don't want to see again and if you imgine working with the "general public", opening your front doors to anyone who cares to walk in. Then have then comment publicly (usually from a point of ignorance) on something you have spent years or even your whole life formulating and planning only to see their ignorant opinion affect your livelihood.

/back to "professional mode"

Good evening Sir, how are you tonight...

[BliarOut]

Ignore the very best, ignore the very worst and the truth will usually be found somewhere in the middle

I don't let the odd bad review put me off in the same way I don't let the odd rave review persuade me to go either. You can usually spot the serial complainers if the rest of the reviews are positive

[Deva Link]

I do look at it, but often the reviews are so random, with complete polar opposites, you can't draw any conclusions from them. The raving bad ones often look hysterical and the raving good ones look planted.

I'd only be put off a place if review after review was poor.

[obob]

Deva Link said:

I do look at it, but often the reviews are so random, with complete polar opposites, you can't draw any conclusions from them. The raving bad ones often look hysterical and the raving good ones look planted.

I'd only be put off a place if review after review was poor.

Same here, I tend not to read the actual text if the reviews much just go on the rating. If you're 27th out of 300 restaurants that's good, 227th and I'll look elsewhere.

[KP328]

Don't worry about it.

If you have a good reputation regarding your establishment one or two bad reviews will not matter, you always get one or two people that will complain about anything and everything, it's just these days they have a computer at their disposal.

[JABB]

You really do have to read into the reviews to make a decision. One or two won't give you an honest reflection.
I know someone who has won "awards" from TA for glowing reviews, and he constantly brags about them. I know he has made up a high percentage.
You also get a feel for the reviews the more you read. Understand the type of person who reviewed it. Was he short / small? Did he have issues which were not addressed? Was there something not quite right he has exaggerated?
As mentioned, a brief follow up, answering his concerns and restoring your image with future readers. It also helps if you do regally add comments, as it shows you do care about the reviews and you are human, not so much machine

[steveo3002]

i use tripadviosr alot , one harse review wouldnt make me avoid a place , often someone having a hissy fit or the competition trying to pull you down

put up a well worded response

[sidicks]

steveo3002 said:

put up a well worded response

This is key.

"We strive to provide a high level of service and quality food, had we been aware of the issue we would have acted accordingly etc etc !

[21TonyK]

JABB said:

You really do have to read into the reviews to make a decision. One or two won't give you an honest reflection.
I know someone who has won "awards" from TA for glowing reviews, and he constantly brags about them. I know he has made up a high percentage.
You also get a feel for the reviews the more you read. Understand the type of person who reviewed it. Was he short / small? Did he have issues which were not addressed? Was there something not quite right he has exaggerated?
As mentioned, a brief follow up, answering his concerns and restoring your image with future readers. It also helps if you do regally add comments, as it shows you do care about the reviews and you are human, not so much machine

This is half the problem for us. We have circa 50 reviews which is nothing but regularly sees us as No.1, almost all the other places in town have fabricated reviews, they're almost adverts. all of ours are genuine. So when we get a crap one it really hurts.

My response is nearly an A4 side long so far (which isn;t good!)

[21TonyK]

JABB said:

You really do have to read into the reviews to make a decision. One or two won't give you an honest reflection.
I know someone who has won "awards" from TA for glowing reviews, and he constantly brags about them. I know he has made up a high percentage.
You also get a feel for the reviews the more you read. Understand the type of person who reviewed it. Was he short / small? Did he have issues which were not addressed? Was there something not quite right he has exaggerated?
As mentioned, a brief follow up, answering his concerns and restoring your image with future readers. It also helps if you do regally add comments, as it shows you do care about the reviews and you are human, not so much machine

This is half the problem for us. We have circa 50 reviews which is nothing but regularly sees us as No.1, almost all the other places in town have fabricated reviews, they're almost adverts. all of ours are genuine. So when we get a crap one it really hurts.

My response is nearly an A4 side long so far (which isn;t good!)

[Kneetrembler]

steveo3002 said:

i use tripadviosr alot , one harse review wouldnt make me avoid a place , often someone having a hissy fit or the competition trying to pull you down

put up a well worded response

+1

[Deva Link]

21TonyK said:

My response is nearly an A4 side long

Be careful with that - waffling on is as bad as arguing.

I've looked at the comment and it comes across as an uneducated person who can't spell trying to be a bit of a snob.

[21TonyK]

Deva Link said:

Be careful with that - waffling on is as bad as arguing.

I've looked at the comment and it comes across as an uneducated person who can't spell trying to be a bit of a snob.

Not put a response yet??? Who you looking at :-)

Ah, gotcha. You've read the review. Here's my draft response.

=========================================================================

Many thanks for taking the time to write your review. As I am sure you and other readers are aware Tripadvisor is a very difficult medium for businesses like our to use as any response we make to a less than perfect review is often interpreted as trying to justify failures or shortcomings on our part.

Firstly, we have asked that your review is removed as we believe it is inaccurate and unjustified. However Tripadvisor only allows businesses “200 characters” to explain this and it is often very difficult to do so. On this occasion Tripadvisor have not acted on our behalf so we feel we have no alternative but to respond to your comments in an open forum.

Your review title, “Poor Service, Rude staff, English food with French name!”. I cannot find anything in your review that indicates any of our staff were ‘rude’ and with regard to being rushed, you did call at 9pm requesting a table stating you were only “minutes away”. On arrival you requested appetisers before you ordered starters and main courses and before your drinks could be prepared. Forgive our front of house manager for expediting your order on the assumption that you were hungry. We consider this to be positive, reacting to the individual needs of our customers.

With regard to our food… 4 chefs, two classically French trained with 50+ years experience. A menu with dishes titled in French containing a wide array of French classics from artisan breads, soups and starters through to main courses and desserts. Choosing to ignore classic French steaks such as Onglet and Bavette d’Angou or the Suprême aux Champignon (and the other 20+ uniquely French dishes and the Chefs Specials for that night) you ordered two sirloin steaks, two pizzas and a plain grilled chicken breast with an extra order of “chips”. Feel free to have another look at our menus online if you wish.

http://www.lafourchettebrasserie.com/La%20Fourchet...

French Coffee is an interesting subject. In France I would expect a straight black coffee, nothing else. Maybe cold milk on the side for café au lait or cream for café crème. Coffee with whipped cream on is not something we are regularly asked for, your waitress tried to explain this and did check with the kitchen if they could prepare some cream (which they would have done) but at this point we had the impression you were no longer interested so did not broach the subject and brought you an itemised bill as requested.

Finally, we are more than confident that we offer superb value for money and excellent quality both in terms of food, drink and service. Three courses with drinks for £31 per person in a restaurant as opposed to a café or takeaway isn’t bad in our opinion.

================================================================================================

Edited by 21TonyK on Saturday 28th July 23:30

[dazco]

I use Tripadvisor and take no notice of the odd bad review, but arguing with the punter doesn't look good either.

I am sure you will handle it as well as anyone here could possibly do. But do not lose any sleep over it.

[Deva Link]

21TonyK said:

Ah, gotcha. You've read the review. Here's my draft response.

=====================================

I'm sure you feel beter havng got that off your chest, but as a regular customer of restaurants and hotels I would implore you not to post that up - it's just sounds like you're arguing.

Ideally, you want customers to raise their concerns there and then but your comments make read like if anybody dared to do that they'd get a massive argument.

Asking TripAdvisor to take it down because it's a bit poor comes across as OTT too, you can only do that, I think, if the review is factually incorrect.

Edited by Deva Link on Sunday 29th July 11:43