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Abstract
Purpose
This research is designed to study the importance of online reviews to the catering industry; in particular, Chinese Restaurants, and how the industry manages them for the benefit of their trade.
Methodology
The qualitative action research was undertaken via semi-structured interviews in order to collect qualitative data using convenient sampling to achieve its aim. Four Chinese participants were interviewed. Confirmation is hereby given that the information collected is most appropriate for this type of research.
Findings
This research has established that online reviews have a significant impact on the catering industry, more particularly, on Chinese restaurants. Online Reviews can influence the way in which the Managers of the restaurants implement marketing strategies for the benefit of their businesses. Online reviews not only affect customers’ behaviours, but can also be used as a management tool to monitor staffs’ performance. Moreover, negative word of mouth can present opportunities for businesses to improve processes that may be identified as counterproductive.
Limitation
This research’s samples are Chinese Managers willing to participate in the action research.
Those who refused to take part suggested that their restaurants performed very well despite the accumulation of customers’ complaints. The sample has not therefore been as representative as the researcher would have liked it to be.
Keywords
Word of mouth (WOM)
Electronic Word of Mouth (e-WOM)
Online Reviews
Social Media
Tourism Industry
Restaurant
Catering
Acknowledgement
The author would not be able to complete this dissertation without the guidance of her supervisor and the cooperation of the participants.
She is deeply grateful to Dr Floribert Ganzumba, the research supervisor who has provided her with efficient and comprehensive guidance and the four participants whose names cannot be given due to obvious reasons.
Purpose
This research is designed to study the importance of online reviews to the catering industry; in particular, Chinese Restaurants, and how the industry manages them for the benefit of their trade.
Methodology
The qualitative action research was undertaken via semi-structured interviews in order to collect qualitative data using convenient sampling to achieve its aim. Four Chinese participants were interviewed. Confirmation is hereby given that the information collected is most appropriate for this type of research.
Findings
This research has established that online reviews have a significant impact on the catering industry, more particularly, on Chinese restaurants. Online Reviews can influence the way in which the Managers of the restaurants implement marketing strategies for the benefit of their businesses. Online reviews not only affect customers’ behaviours, but can also be used as a management tool to monitor staffs’ performance. Moreover, negative word of mouth can present opportunities for businesses to improve processes that may be identified as counterproductive.
Limitation
This research’s samples are Chinese Managers willing to participate in the action research.
Those who refused to take part suggested that their restaurants performed very well despite the accumulation of customers’ complaints. The sample has not therefore been as representative as the researcher would have liked it to be.
Keywords
Word of mouth (WOM)
Electronic Word of Mouth (e-WOM)
Online Reviews
Social Media
Tourism Industry
Restaurant
Catering
Acknowledgement
The author would not be able to complete this dissertation without the guidance of her supervisor and the cooperation of the participants.
She is deeply grateful to Dr Floribert Ganzumba, the research supervisor who has provided her with efficient and comprehensive guidance and the four participants whose names cannot be given due to obvious reasons.