To date, there has been no response from the restaurant and approximately four business weeks have passed. Now to clarify, I did not request any response. There is no real obligation for the establishment to recognize such feedback from a customer and yet think about what kind of message that may inadvertently send...
The restaurant works hard and spends $$$ to create a solid first impression with friendly staff and tasty food. Time is spent on training and good quality products - the foundation to develop relationships with customers, encourage repeat business and generate positive word-of-mouth advertising.
Keeping in mind that service delivery is a complex system and that all aspects of the customer's experience is connected, what went wrong here at the end? Is the very last impression a business wants to leave with its customers is that it is too busy to recognize their feedback? This may not be the case but from the customer's perspective, the ball has been dropped - they've taken the time to connect with you and...nothing.
With today's enslaught of social media and crowdsource marketing techniques, customers, often passionate about their experiences, are looking to connect with their newest "fav" place and "become a fan" of sorts. Customers expect dialogue and responsiveness as part of their new relationship with you.
Businesses work so hard to create the experience at the front end...one of the easiest things they can do (and cheapest) is ensure they follow up and respond to customers. Watch your customer loyalty go through the roof when you do!!
Emails don't have to be long and time consuming. Even a simple short paragraph such as, "Thank you so much for your email. We are delighted that you enjoyed your dining experience with us and we look forward to seeing you again soon. Attached is a menu with our upcoming specials".
Service Essentials workshops ihow to make customers feel welcome and improve communication to help drive your business.