Diners who broadcast their views on social media while in a restaurant or cafe should prepare for more than just the odd furtive glance from across the counter.
Revel Systems has launched a new Yelp point of sale dash board on iPad, which instantly alerts restaurant staff to reviews and comments of patrons.
When a customer "checks in" to a venue with a social app like Foursquare and Facebook or leaves a review on Yelp, an icon will pop up on the Revel iPad POS merchant screen allowing visibility into a customer's previous reviews.
Through push notifications, the Yelp Dashboard will alert a restaurant or retail establishment of any new reviews by a customer in real time.
The idea is to give managers the opportunity to effectively and "proactively" communicate with customers on a one-on-one basis in a bid to instantly improve the customer experience.
Revel systems Australia general manager, Josh Franklin, said online reputation was everything in this new digital era.
"It’s become increasingly important to be aware of customer feedback and interactions via social media as they happen," he said.
“The Yelp Dashboard will allow Revel customers to develop greater customer service and loyalty based on real-time feedback provided by Yelp, Foursquare and Facebook directly from their iPad point of sale system.”
He said it would allow business owners to react instantly.
"If a customer posts a review on Yelp about delayed service while sitting in a café, such as their coffee taking too long, the Yelp Dashboard will enable business owners to address the issue right there and then through Revel," he said.
"This means they can react instantly and allow for integration between online conversations and the in-person dining experience on the spot."
According to a company statement, the instant access to customer reviews via the dashboard allows businesses to make better decisions and market appropriately.
"For example, if reviewers are raving about a restaurant's fries or a retail store’s jeans, a business can use those reviews to highlight that dish or product," the statement said.
"The Yelp Dashboard will enable more informed and therefore better customer service that, over time, will help business owners maintain a better quality of reviews which will bring in more customers for future sales."
