"Word of Mouth" Advertising.. do you give stores good/bad Reviews?

If I see friends or family members right after a positive or negative experience, then I'll tell them about the experience. However, it doesn't really matter in the long run. Most people won't stop visiting a store or visit a new one just because one person tells them a story about it, unless we're talking about restaurants because people love food recommendations. Word of mouth surely helps some businesses, but it doesn't hurt others as much as we'd like to think after a negative experience.

 

It sounds like you and I are very similar in that regard...I do think sometimes we're more likely to dwell on, and thus ultimately share, the "bad" experiences, even when the good far outweighs it. I think for stores and customer service that can be a good thing, though, because if I share a bad experience it's in part because I don't want someone else to get scammed or have that same negative experience...so something good is coming out of it, at least. On the other hand, I do share good experiences as well if they're particularly good.

 

I generally don't give people my word-of-mouth-advertisement about a bad place unless they specifically ask me for an opinion on it. If they are talking about a place that I know is wonderful, I will definitely tell them what great things I think of the place. But I try to not tell people the bad things because what people like in general is SO subjective; just because I didn't like it, it doesn't mean they won't like it.

 

I am just like you. I never forget places where I received bad service. Usually, I give these places the benefit of a doubt, as we can all have a bad day. But if I repeatedly have problems with a certain shop, I will tell others not to bother going there as it is a waste of time. On the other hand, I will praise and strongly recommend places where I feel that my needs are being attended to.

 

I would say that I give both equally good and bad reviews of stores and restaurants for the most part. Though it's usually through word of mouth instead of posting anything online. On only a few rare occasions have I posted negative or positive reviews online about anything.

There are many times when my coworkers would be sharing ideas of where we should all go out to lunch or dinner, or where we should host some work-related party of some sort, in which case I and others will recommend places we really liked. It's not all negative reviews and negative word of mouth. For example, there is a local family owned Mexican restaurant from my home town which recently started franchising to other areas where many of my coworkers live. I've been recommending it to all of them, because I know how great their food is and I know they would enjoy it too. I've never once had a bad order every single time I went there, and I've been there many times, plus all their food right down to the tortillas themselves are home made.

One of the more recent negative reviews that comes to mind that I gave was at a local Greek Fried Chicken joint. It too was a local business, so I figured I would stop by their drive thru for some lunch while I was out running errands. I was really shocked when I got up to the menu window and saw that their "combo meal" lunches were like $9-$11! That's like nearly twice as much as most other fast food joints. I gave them the benefit of the doubt though and ordered a 2 piece meal to see what all the fuss was about. Not only did I wait like 15+ minutes for my order, what I got was a plain old chicken thigh, a drumstick, a couple slices of plain old sandwich bread and a little cup of coleslaw. Needless to say I never went there again, and they went out of business not long thereafter.

 

Whenever I visit a store or restaurant, no matter what sort of experience I have, I understand that a couple of isolated incidents could have changed my entire viewpoint of the place. For instance, a server having a bad day could make me think that the service at a restaurant was bad, or a managerial visit (which would make the employees work harder to impress their boss) could make me think highly of a store that could otherwise be pitiable. So, whenever I have a good or bad experience, I pass the word on accordingly. I do inform my near and dear ones that so-and-so has happened, but I always prefix that with the fact that it could have been that the service was the way it was just on that day, and that their experience there could be completely different from mine.

 

Unless I get really great service in a store, I won't tell others about it. To have me send customers your way, I must be sure that they'll have a similar experience. That guarantees me that in future, they, too, can recommend only the best to me.

I never give any stores negative feedback nor talk about them at all. I think it's better for someone to find out for themselves that they shouldn't buy their stuff from certain stores.

 

I don't like to spread negativity, so I usually don't mention bad experiences unless I am already having a conversation about that place. I think word or mouth advertising can be the best and most effective form because people trust the people they know more than a TV ad. The only problem is that you can't guarantee that your happy customers will tell others about you and their experience.

 

I only give a negative response if someone asks me and mentions it rather than offer it ans then still say that was a personal experience. It does make a difference so when I discuss things with friends it comes up naturally in conversation what is good and what to avoid. It also depends on that person, whether they are fussy or have a certain standard. For example I like dollar tree, but my friend won't go in even though the service is good ( she's too snobby) and would rather go and stand in line at Target.

 

To me, word of mouth is more powerful than paid advertising. I am much more likely to buy a product that a friend bought and liked than one with a catchy jingle or funny commercial.

Because I worked in restaurants for many years, I read between the lines when it comes to friends' bad experiences. I won't stop going to a restaurant because of one bad experience, either. There are just so many human factors in a restaurant that robotic consistency is impossible. If you're not adventurous at all about eating, please eat at home, lol.

 

I do the same thing. If I am treated badly, I will tell the people I know not to go to the store. I don't want them to have to go through the same thing I went through. I also don't have a problem recommending a store that provides great service. I would love to give the store extra customers if they treat people right. I don't like being negative about businesses, but I will if I have to.

 

I am an honest person. I expect to be treated fairly when I am in a store or restaurant and if I am not I make sure I speak up. My fist reaction is always to speak with a manger. I hope that they will be able to handle and resolve any issue I may be having at their establishment. If not, then I do go the extra mile and take it to a corporate level. Whether it means me calling or emailing I normally don't let it go. I truly feel that if I am choosing to do business with you I deserve respect in the process.

No matter the outcome I always pass on the results and how the business handled my complaint. If I am happy, then I will most likely return. If not, I make sure I tell everyone I know about how poorly I was treated.

I would want someone else to do the same for me.
Danyel

 

I only do reviews or word of mouth advertising if my experience with the business is really bad or amazingly good. I don't remember or notice adequate service because it doesn't stand out.