Facebook reviews – dreaded criticism or welcomed praise. What turn will it take? I’m not opposed to using Facebook reviews if you’re confident as a business that you’re continuously striving to deliver a superior product or supreme service and that you’re willing to enter in an open communication with your customers. If you’re not, do us all a favour, avoid your next rage fit and turn them off.

It’s Facebook, a biased momentum posted in the heat or enthusiasm of the moment. Think carefully how you want to go about.

Two years ago, my family regularly visited a restaurant not far from our home. Food was lovely, service OK, wine card excellent. We spent many a family evening there, left handsome amounts on the table, rarely hesitated to recommend to others and I liked the page on Facebook. One night, we waited over an hour without drinks, water, nibbles or even a welcome greeting. With a hungry four-year-old. We left and granted, in the heat of the moment, I withdrew my like and wrote my first ever mildly negative review. Months passed, no (Facebook) response.

On a particularly busy Saturday night 1,5 years later, I had forgotten all about my review. I called, made a reservation under my name and thought nothing more of it.

As we went in, I got ambushed. Foul looks, nasty words uttered between clenched teeth in French in the supposedly Dutch-speaking restaurant as “the woman who posted the negative review.” 1,5 years of social frustration poured out and it was clear within minutes that a two-way communication was not possible. We left. They’re not the only restaurant, I’m not the only customer. There’s nothing more to it.

I just keep wondering why a restaurant would turn to social media to open their customer interaction, but then feel blatantly offended when faced with criticism? If you can’t handle the social heat, better stay in your kitchen. Or turn off your Facebook reviews. Despite me being a heavy supporter of local businesses, I no longer recommend them and I just booked a table to a business group of 20 in another (local) venue. They did not just lose the one customer, they lost my network.

Imagine this rant was posted by an unhappy customer in an international B2B environment. Would this digital squabble reflect your genuine commitment to improve customer satisfaction through unbiased two-way conversation?

If you always want to be right, you’ll most often be doing something wrong.

My review is still up. In the unaltered original format. My communication doesn't work that way.