Buyers Remorse; Why Your Restaurant Customers Never Come Back, And The 7 Ways To Fix It Fast!
Even if you offer your customers great food and awesome service, some of them will never come back ever again. And it’s not your fault.
Your customers may be experiencing Buyers Remorse, which is a form of ‘cognitive dissonance.’ This is when a customer feels mental discomfort caused by conflicting beliefs and attitudes.
For example, your customer may have been watching their diet, but they couldn’t resist to order that delicious rich, cheesecake for dessert.
The customer enjoys the treat, but at the same time, they feel guilty for their lack of self-control.
Even though you have done nothing wrong, your customer may associate your restaurant with that negative experience they felt, and avoid dining at that restaurant ever again.
Similarly, Buyer’s Remorse can affect a customer who is served the meal they ordered, but then they see another waiter delivering a more ‘enticing’ meal to another customer. Your customer thinks, ‘I wish I ordered what they are having’. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Again, it’s not your restaurant’s fault, but your customer may experience ‘Buyer’s Remorse”. This could result in your customer giving your restaurant a bad review.
Another common reason why customers may feel regret or anxiety, is after ordering a relatively significant spend.
For example, a couple may be celebrating their anniversary in your restaurant and decide to indulge themselves with the most expensive French Champagne on the wine menu.
The morning after, the couple wake up, regretting their splurge that blew their budget.
If it were shoes or handbags that they had bought, they could always return them the next day, but you can’t return food or drinks that was consumed. This again leaves them with negative feelings associated with your restaurant.
Another trigger that can cause negative emotions, is when you have a large variety of meal choices on your menu. When your customer has too many choices, this can cause ‘choice overwhelm’ with your customers. This is also known as the ‘paradox of choice’.
You need to find the right amount of variety options for your menu. Just like ‘Goldie Locks’, not too many menu items, not too little choice – but just right. Ask your customers, and they will give you valuable feedback.
Here are the 7 Solutions To Reduce Buyers Remorse For Your Restaurant
1.The good news is that the more your customer is familiar with your restaurant, the less likely they will experience Buyer’s Remorse. So build your database to remain Top Of Mind (TOM) and drive your customers to keep coming back again and again.
2.Build a strong brand on social media based on the 3 P’s (Product, People and Promotion)
3.Ensure the images of your meals on social media are exactly what the customer will receive in your restaurant.
4.Use the Net Promoter Score to survey your customers and identify the negative triggers that may lead them to a negative experience in your restaurant.
5.Use a Rewards or VIP Program to make your best customers feel special.
6.Closure – Once your customers have placed their orders, close their menus, and take them away. This will help your customers to avoid looking at other options they wish they may had ordered.
7.Avoid using FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) with your customers.
For example don’t pressure your customers to quickly order the special of the day before they are all gone (when you know you will have too many left over).
Never upsell products to customers unless you know they will appreciate it.¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬