You don’t need to be a genius to know what this means for your food business - your customers need to be happy with their experience at your venue. The last thing you want is to be caught out and have it plastered all over TripAdvisor.
But what if social media reviews weren’t the only way people could get the word out? What if there was a way that customers could take things a step further and share their experiences in a formal way?
That’s exactly what’s happening in China, where an app has been introduced that allows consumers to make official complaints about food venues at the tap of a phone screen. Imagine how this will influence brand reputation. In this blog we look at how this technology is evolving and how this will shape the future of food safety globally and here, in New Zealand.
Want to know more about how you can use digital for your FCP? Download the eBook for more.
Leading the way
In China the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have launched a new smartphone app that allows food safety issues to be officially reported simply by uploading photos of the problem.
The FDA brought the software in recently to make complaints and reports easier. The app lets people report food safety issues including:
- expired foods
- inedible objects in foods
- smoking in restaurants
- food providers without certificates.
Once someone has installed and signed up for the app, they can file a complaint by simply entering the restaurant name, address, and the issue – anytime, anywhere. This complaint then goes directly to the relevant authorities.
It couldn’t be easier for consumers to voice their concerns of a venue, which only stresses just how important it is for food safety practices to be up to scratch. And though at this point this is just an initiative in China, as more technology pushes into the food safety space it’s only a matter of time before this same type of system hits New Zealand’s shores.
Kiwi food venues already have to deal with instant online reviews - good and bad! What’s happening in China is bound to come this way and is another important reason for kitchens to own the food safety space and treat great food safety culture in their business, as a high priority.
Food safety has a huge influence on brand reputation and can be extremely costly (not just in sales but also on money that has to be forked out when a complaint results in an audit). A digital Food Control Plan is the ideal way to make sure you have everything in place to avoid potential issues. It can help you remain compliant and keep you up to date every day with your food safety tasks.
Act now, get sorted and form the right patterns and systems to make sure you don’t have anything to worry about when an app like the one in China does hit.
