How's My Driving? Taproom Edition.
I was stuck in traffic on a Saturday afternoon with my family. Directly in front of us was an oversized work van with a sticker reading, “HOW AM I DRIVING?” followed by a 1-800 number and a vehicle identification number. I quickly snapped a picture, figuring it might inspire me to write about something.
My wife was quick to ask what I was doing. I told her.
“Why don’t you just call the number?” she said.
So, I did.
An upbeat woman answered almost immediately. “What would you like to report?” she asked.
Let’s pause there. “Report” has quite the negative connotation, doesn’t it? Report? Has there been a crime? Did someone do something wrong?
Before I could even respond, she followed up with, “What happened?”
No, no, no.
“Ma’am,” I said, “I’m calling to report that the driver in front of me has been doing a great job following the rules of the road.”
She paused. Then she took the vehicle ID and asked where we were. She genuinely seemed shocked that someone would take the time to report positive behavior. And that’s exactly the problem.
We shouldn’t wait until something goes wrong to create feedback loops. Feedback shouldn’t just be about catching the negatives. It should be about celebrating the positives
You probably don’t have a 1-800 number on your bar or your cans, but you should make it easy for guests to share feedback. Here are a few ways:
Leave us a Google review! This is a simple one. Consider a tabletop sign with a QR code to leave a Google review. Consider also include this code and/or a link on printed receipts.
Person to person feedback. How many times (probably earlier) in your life have you been at a chain restaurant and have been approached by a manager who was just checking in to see how your visit was going? I’m not encouraging you to clad your leaders in matching polos and khakis; however, I am encouraging you to have staff occasionally check in and see how a guest’s visit is going.
Use Secret Hopper data. Promotional, yes. Extremely valuable to make you aware of both the good, bad, ugly, and pretty in your taproom, DOUBLE YES. Customized data allows you to receive feedback on what matters most to your business. Both as a tool to better understand and improve problems/opportunities, as well as a way to reward your team for a job well done.
Now think about what happens after you collect that feedback. Are you doing anything with it? Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
How often are you reviewing feedback as a team?
Do you make time to celebrate positive comments with your staff?
Are you taking the time to personally follow up with guests who share input?
Feedback only drives change when it’s shared, discussed, and acted on. Create a simple rhythm where guests feel encouraged to speak up, your team knows their efforts are noticed, and leaders make time to review what’s being said.
The goal isn’t just to correct mistakes. It’s to build a culture that celebrates what’s done right and grows from it.
If you’re looking for ideas on how to motivate and reward your team, check out our previous post and this webinar featuring industry leaders.
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