Back We live in a world where being a good restaurant that offers delicious food might not be enough for you to gain customers and scale up. Due to the digital revolution the world has gone through in the past couple of years, what is relevant in the digital space alone is applicable in reality as well. Customers select restaurants heavily based on their online ratings, especially on trusted websites like Zomato. So if you do not have a presence in these spaces, then it’s high time you do. Get yourself listed with Zomato and see how drastically it changes your restaurant game!
How exactly does Zomato work?
We know that Zomato is one of the most relevant food aggregators available online. But how exactly do things happen here? It’s quite simple actually. Once a customer logs into Zomato by creating their very own account, Zomato shows them a list of restaurants with dine-in and takeout options available. Customers then look for dishes that have a good rating and decent quality. The ratings given for the dishes by other customers serve as a guide for this.
Once the customer decides on which food item to order, they add it to their cart and proceed to checkout. They then receive a notification from the app that their order has been accepted by the restaurant. Live updates on the status of the food will be provided to the customers so thee know where exactly their food is at the moment. Once the order is delivered to the customer, the application asks them to review the total experience including the delivery experience, taste of food, and quality. That’s pretty much it.
Why do reviews matter?
If you are in the restaurant business, then the single most important thing driving your business may be the reviews and ratings your restaurant and food receive online. Even though word-of-mouth publicity still works, if you are looking forward to gaining a larger number of customers quickly, then ratings are the way to go. When deciding on which restaurant to go to, almost all customers rely heavily on the ratings and reviews the restaurant has received. It gives them an almost unbiased and clear idea of what they are in for. Even an increase in half a star rating can do wonders for your business. It drives a lot of customers to your restaurant not just for online orders, but for the dine-in experience as well.
How to Increase your Reviews and Ratings on Zomato?
Zomato usually has two different types of ratings available, which are the delivery ratings and the restaurant ratings. The former is based on how quickly the food was delivered, how well the delivery agent behaved, and if they were following the safety protocols. The more important kind of rating which is relevant to the restaurant owners is the restaurant ratings. Customers can eat at the restaurant anywhere from 1 to 5 stars. The way the food is packaged, the quantity of food available, and obviously the taste of food are the major factors that a customer weighs in before giving the rating. It is important to note here that Zomato uses the weighted average method to calculate the ratings of customers.
1. Customer experience is the ultimate savior
At the end of the day, it is the customer who does the rating. This is why restaurants have to focus on customers in order to increase their reviews and ratings. If the customers decide to dine in, make sure to give them the ultimate experience by putting your best foot forward. You have a better chance to impress the customers this way. If the customers have ordered a takeaway, see small but effective ways to stand out from the rest of the competitors and provide some special elements in their food. This will surely get you good ratings on Zomato because a happy customer is always excellent for business.
2. Never leave social media out of the mix
In today’s time, no discussion can be complete without adding the social media element to it. Now that you have been officially listed on Zomato, customers can easily view your restaurant provided you have made it easy for the customers to locate the same. To make it easier for them, leave the link to your Zomato listing anywhere on social media which makes it easy to find. This will lead to more customers in your restaurant. Put your efforts into being active on various social media platforms and promoting your restaurant there, focusing on the links. You can also post pictures of your bestsellers with attractive descriptions so that customers have an idea of what to expect when they visit your restaurant. Make sure to hire professional photographers when you do this, as taking pictures from your mobile phone might not give a polished and professional finish.
3. Focus on the listing
While you get listed on Zomato, you will have to fill up a form that asks you a couple of questions. Be as detailed as you can over here, as this is what separates your restaurant from the rest of the competition. The pictures that you have taken of your restaurant can be added here as well. Otherwise, all the images that are available of your restaurant might be the ones that customers have clicked, which may not be a good thing. Next, showcase your best dishes and give a brief explanation of the same as well. Then double-check the address and contact details that you have entered for the restaurant. Finally, try getting a safety badge which is given out by Zomato for restaurants that follow strict safety protocols. That ought to do the trick.
4. Microbloggers to the rescue
Remember the weighted average topic that I mentioned in the beginning? It’s time to discuss that in detail. Zomato has a foodie level system where each customer is awarded a rank from anywhere between level 1 and level 13 (you become a Connoisseur here). The level of the customer on Zomato will have an impact on the rating as Zomato follows the weighted average method. This means that the higher level the customer is, the more impact their reviews have. Microbloggers might have a medium to a high level on Zomato, so you can send some of your top dishes for them to review and ask them to post their rating on Zomato. This is by far one of the most effective ways to quickly increase your ratings.
5. The old-fashioned method
As customers visit your restaurant, make sure to leave a review and rating behind before they leave. This is a small step but most restaurants are reluctant to ask customers for a review. You have the customers right before you, so asking them to spare a few minutes to give a quick review of your restaurant may not be such a bad idea. Ask your staff to make it a priority to do this activity, and you will be impressed by how impactful this small step is.
6. Last but not the least, Food Quality
This is an obvious point, but cannot be left out of the list. Even if you follow everything listed out, if you do not provide tasty and quality food to the customers, then it might not give you lasting results. At the end of the day what really matters is a comprehensive dining experience and some tasty food. If you are able to provide the customers with these two elements, your restaurant is sure to get more reviews and soon be on the list of the top restaurants ranking on Zomato!
Conclusion
Nothing comes easily and this is true for the restaurant business as well. It is better to slowly increase your stings with authentic steps like the ones mentioned above rather than use gimmicky ways to get better ratings in a short span of time. If you want lasting results, then you must be willing to put in the extra time and effort for the same.