Speed and temperature top list of customer complaints in Scottish venues

1D6A6E58-B47C-4736-8C62-F7E43C9E3930

A new study by Zonal in partnership with CGA by NIQ has uncovered that the speed of service and the temperature at which food is served are leading causes of dissatisfaction among pub, bar, and restaurant customers in Scotland. The report, from a survey involving over 5,000 British adults, sheds light on the frustrations customers face when dining out.

The results from customers in Scotland reveals that 93% of them are irritated by long waits for food and drinks, closely followed by 91% who are disappointed when hot food is served cold. Other significant complaints include delays in table availability, cited by 87% of respondents, and dishes not being served together, frustrating 86% of cusotmers. Additionally, 85% of expressed dissatisfaction with venues not honouring special deals or loyalty discounts.

The survey also looked into issues that arise before even visiting the venue. A notable 81% of respondents find outdated or missing online menu information problematic. Booking-related issues are also a concern, with 72% of those surveyed annoyed by inflexible online reservation systems. Furthermore, 69% of those who experienced difficulty amending a booking stated that it would likely deter them from visiting or reconsidering future visits.

Tim Chapman, Chief Commercial Officer, Zonal, said, “Consumers are becoming more expectant of the venues they visit and demand an even higher level of service, so it’s vital that operators deliver on this. Venues that don’t tackle these issues head on, run the risk of losing customers and ultimately, damaging their bottom line.

“Technology can act as a helping hand in supporting operators meet the demands of consumers. Online booking systems and digital kitchen management tools, can help to automate services that would otherwise be time consuming or laborious for staff, allowing them to focus on the most important thing – delivering an excellent customer experience.”

Karl Chessell, Director – Hospitality Operators and Food, EMEA, CGA by NIQ added, “The large majority of consumers’ visits to restaurants, pubs and bars are happy and hassle-free. But things inevitably go wrong sometimes, and this GO Technology research shows the damage that poor experiences can do to venues’ sales and reputation. From researching a visit to paying the bill, understanding where and how frustrations emerge along the guest journey is the first step towards fixing them, and by getting on the front foot operators will effectively remedy annoyances. No operator is able to get everything right all of the time, but the best ones turn problems into solutions and negatives into positives.”

 

Category: Bar & Pub, News, Restaurant
Tags: CGA by NIQ, Food service, Karl Chessell, Tim Chapman, Zonal