Customer Service and Online Reviews: What I've Learned Across Seven Businesses

I deal with the public in all seven of my businesses, from car rental to restaurants to property. Here's what I've learned about reviews and customer service.

Why do reviews matter so much?

They're a trust signal. Good reviews set apart a company that has been around a while and takes customer service seriously from one that doesn't.

It depends on the business, but most of the time I favour Google reviews.

How do we get reviews?

We just ask for them. Our staff get bonuses for good service, and when they feel they've given good service, they're empowered to ask for a review. We never pressure customers, and we never give customers anything in return. We simply ask at the right time.

At Pattaya Rent a Car, that's when the car comes back. At Hemingways, asking as someone pays the bill doesn't feel right, so every table has a stand with a QR code, or an NFC tag customers can tap with their phone, to leave a review directly.

How do we handle a bad review?

We reply professionally, but that isn't the first step. First we find out what went wrong. Depending on how specific the review is, we check the CCTV and ask the staff and the manager what happened.

Then we respond to the review. Often we can work out who the customer is, so we also contact them privately to get more context and see what we can do to make sure their next visit is better.

What about unfair reviews?

We've had plenty over the years. Fake ones, not so many, but unfair ones, absolutely.

At Pattaya Rent a Car we've had one-star reviews because our staff didn't speak the customer's language, which wasn't English or Thai. We've had them because we had no cars available, which is like giving a hotel one star for being fully booked. Recently, a customer was quoted a price online, came to the office, chose a different and more expensive car, then gave us one star because he thought we'd put the price up.

How do you reply without sounding defensive?

Remember who you're really talking to. When you reply to a Google review, you're not just replying to that person. You're replying to everyone else who reads it. I always keep that in mind, and I think it's key when you own a business.

Who writes the replies?

• Standard five-star reviews: to be honest, AI drafts the reply.
• Three stars: my staff handle it.
• One or two stars: I reply myself as the owner, especially if it's scathing.

What does good customer service look like?

I don't think it's any different here than anywhere else, but for me it comes down to response time. I drummed this into the team at Pattaya Rent a Car when I worked there for a number of years. People expect a rapid reply now. Answering an email two or three days later just isn't good enough. You have to try to reply almost instantly.

We've always used LINE, WhatsApp, Messenger and email. Even when staff had to read the message, check which cars were available and then reply, it was sometimes done within a few minutes, so fast that people thought it was automated. It wasn't. Now AI helps with some replies, and some bookings are even confirmed automatically, with no human involved at all.

Reviews are only part of it. Here's how I market the businesses.

My advice if you want better reviews

Response times. And, to borrow Jeff Bezos's philosophy, be almost obsessed with customer service.

For more on running the businesses, read how I run seven businesses and managing Thai staff. If you need a car, try Pattaya Rent a Car.