#NoBullshitCX #20yearsFuturelab
“Read reviews like tales.”
I told you my restaurant horror story in the last week’s column: I was recommended a place but didn’t get a good experience. “But Stefan”, told me someone who read the article, “did you not check the reviews before you went?”. As if that would help!
Have you noticed how difficult it has become to truly understand the situation based on the reviews? You cannot trust the number. You cannot trust the comments that are too happy because they are likely fake. But you also cannot trust the negatives because who really knows what happened? I have seen enough “pasta is undercooked” reviews to my favourite places in Italy to know not to trust them.
Besides, negative reviews are being weaponised now. We have seen several terrifying cases of harassment by feedback. For example, a group of customers who were refused service for being drunk and rowdy at a family establishment went to review war and tanked the rating by leaving low scores or stating that the place was closed. I have also been on the other side, having left a bad review for a horrible experience, and then being harassed by owners demanding that I take my comment down.
Looks like the only way to get any sense of reality is to read the reviews like a tale, trying to understand the timeline and the characters, and stick with those whose story arcs look like mine.
hat are your feedback horror stories?
