The Reputation app will replace Star’s mystery visitor programme and is being rolled out to help operators manage reviews, improve their online presence and strengthen customer service.
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Star said reviews of its Just Add Talent (JAT) pubs had improved significantly since adopting the app two years ago.
Star said pubs with the strongest reputation scores generated, on average, 24% more revenue than those with the lowest scores.
Digital support
The tool allows operators to monitor a pub’s social media presence and benchmark performance against the wider industry.
It also highlights areas of concern, provides guidance on how to improve and allows reviews from platforms including Google, Facebook and TripAdvisor to be viewed in real time.
Publicans can also respond to reviews through the app, with AI-generated responses available for operators to adapt.
Star Pubs head of retail Cathy Olver said: “In an increasingly digital world, having a superb online presence isn’t a nice to have, it’s essential. Good service should be reflected online with consistency across the board and an ability to be fleet of foot when dealing with reviews.
“As a result of feedback from our JAT operators and business development managers who’ve seen the impact of the Reputation app on pubs’ reviews and bottom lines, we’re giving it to our L&T operators earlier than planned so that they can take advantage over the festive season.”
Replacing mystery visits
Reputation is the latest addition to Star’s social media support for licensees, which also includes The Social Collective, a training platform for publicans and their teams.
Star Pubs business development manager Nick Kharbanda said the app offered a “marked step up” from mystery shopping.
He added: “Great service starts with providing excellent hospitality in the pub and online, checking in with customers and fixing any issues in a timely manner.
“The key is to get customers to leave reviews while they’re at the pub. Staff should be incentivised to encourage reviews. This helps drive good service and leads to better online ratings and more people coming through the door.”
Kharbanda said the app’s analysis of online data across platforms was “invaluable” because it showed what in-pub and online service looked like at any given time.
He added: “As well as offering greater insight, it also saves licensees time as reviews can be accessed and responded to in one place and remotely.”
