REVIEW RAGE

I was at a well known hair salon today in one of the suburbs of Mumbai.They are a trusted brand (have been visiting them over a decade) and I happened to visit their newly opened store, offering exciting deal to loyal customers.

The service was good not outstanding but I was satisfied as I didnt expect.I thanked the salon guy and when I was waiting for payment he came and aggressively made me scan a review code which took me to google reviews and insisted on writing a review for him then and there.I said I shall do in a while and left .

If he had not adopted this method I would have definitely considered giving a genuine review but this method was total no no.

A similar incident happened a few weeks back when we were at restaurant owned by a celebrity chef. Post meal the server made us write a good review for him on restaurants review platform immediately. He was even insisting that we shall give reviews with all mobile numbers we were carrying. Then when I checked, his name was almost in all reviews posted by earlier customers.

Reviews and feedbacks are essential. They help in promoting business as also help them in improving on shortcomings.A little appreciation can go a long way as it raises the motivation.I myself, voluntarily review especially small budding entrepreneurs, home chefs,cloud kitchens as also established brands.

But the way the people working at such big established brand outlets seem to be running behind reviews reflect the pressure circumstances under which they are operating. The fear of ratings,and losing in mad competition, losing jobs make them aggressive, and sometimes they wont mind even angering or irritating valued customers.

One day early morning a grocery delivery guy wished me so well and arranged all the grocery in a proper manner in bag and left with no hotchpotch.I instantly gave good rating on their app.Later that day I met a delivery guy so frustrated and just literally throwing packets in lobby for sorting stuff.Wonder what rating I would give for such kind of delivery. Isnt this natural process of critical analysis.

I have always believed and been taught that our work should speak for itself.Apna Karma karo.

If we offer good services customers would definitely recommend and return.Take a feedback for improvement and not rating for artifical progress.This philosophy and mindset needs to be part of induction process training so that even employees do best on their part and dont run after ratings and reviews.Let the HR or marketing team handle this part as feedback process.

I genuinely feel this rage of reviews and ratings or to say craze can help to an extent but ultimately its what and how you deliver and keep upto the promise made to customers that shall help in growing the business .