Is Responding to TripAdvisor Reviews Really Hotel Reputation Management?
Albert BarraSeptember 1, 2018 · 6 min read
Reputation is everything in hospitality, and never has something so important been more fragile than it is today, when everyone has Internet-connected devices and can share their experiences in real time. The entire industry is aware of this, and all hotels, when responding to reviews on TripAdvisor, already claim that they Manage their Reputation.
But is responding to reviews on TripAdvisor really Managing a hotel's Reputation?
I believe we confuse responding to guest reviews with what reputation management truly entails. It is the difference between genuine hotel management, with a proactive attitude, and merely reacting to adversity in order to placate a guest, which, in my opinion, is not only mediocre but also falls short.
Responding to a review may calm the concerns of other potential guests reading it, but the guest who wrote it is a lost guest, a dissatisfied guest, and one who, despite our response, will continue to speak poorly of our customer service.
Will Rogers was ahead of his time when he said: "It takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, but you can lose it in a minute."
Today, with just one click, an angry or dissatisfied guest can expose us to the limit, drowning out all the wonderful things past guests may have posted in our favour and inflicting irreparable damage on the brand. Of course, a hotel may handle the complaint quickly and elegantly, but the review remains. The best way for a hotel to protect its reputation is also the best way to deliver excellent guest experiences: empowering the team through training and technology.
The modern traveller is not foolish. Empowered by the vast amount of information available to them online and emboldened by reviews openly shared by others, consumers are making deliberate, well-considered purchases without consulting "experts". In fact, 48% of people said they would trust ratings on TripAdvisor as much as they trust a newspaper, magazine or professional. Nearly 95% of travellers regularly research travel reviews to make booking decisions.
According to a TrustYou study, a traveller is four times more likely to choose a higher-rated hotel than one with the same price. Furthermore, a one-point increase in a reputation score gives a hotel the freedom to raise its room rates by up to 11.2%, but we have read this thousands of times already.
While it may seem obvious, negative reviews have a significant adverse effect on hotel bookings. More than half of travellers say they would rule out a hotel or even cancel a reservation because of a bad review. Negative reviews, at their core, can be attributed to one of two things: unmet expectations or poor service.
On TripAdvisor, half of bad reviews are the result of poor service. Disappointing, to say the least, when service outcomes are something the brand can easily control or improve. While favourable reviews clearly bring tangible and measurable rewards, we cannot help wondering why so many hotels lose business because of service shortcomings.
So, what exactly are the barriers to hotel success? Where and why do we fall short when it comes to creating a superior guest experience? The answer is not as complicated as we think.
In an industry famous for being slow to adopt new technologies and management models, many hotels still rely on outdated forms of communication to handle guest requests. This means that service requests are often passed along verbally or via a handwritten note to delegate responsibilities and expectations. As we all know, humans are not perfect, and this old-fashioned form of communication opens the door to misunderstandings, or for a request to get lost in the confusion of shift changes.
Departmental silos are another barrier to interdepartmental communication. Housekeeping may have one method for handling guest requests, while Front Desk or Concierge may use something completely different. The lack of a centralised request system not only fosters confusion, but often results in a lack of accountability.
While it is easy to place all the blame on internal communication, employee attitude is another factor preventing some hotels from delivering excellent customer service. Employees often feel it is not their responsibility to step in and save a situation with a guest, or simply lack the training to understand exactly how to handle conflict.
On top of all that, millennials, with their smartphones, are rapidly becoming one of the most important and influential consumer demographics in hospitality. Millennials expect to use their phones to satisfy every whim, and this includes making requests at their hotels. With this emerging demographic spending most of its time in public areas, it is not to be expected that they will use their phones only inside the room. Hotels must meet guests where they are, and that "where" is becoming increasingly mobile.
Hotels must adapt to a changing market environment or risk losing business. Put bluntly, a comprehensive approach that includes training and technology is no longer optional: it is sink or swim in an already crowded ocean.
Hotels that empower employees to make decisions beyond their Job Description through proper training are already taking steps to combat service failures. A major piece of the puzzle lies in the simple task of defining service and brand standards. If an employee is unsure of what is expected of them, how can they be expected to rise to the occasion?
Ultimately, it means trusting staff to represent your brand and its values. However, do not allow those standards to become so rigid that they prevent flexibility in roles. An upset guest combined with an employee who does not feel they can help is a recipe for disaster, or a terrible review. Give all staff members a certain degree of decision-making authority to appease an upset guest without having to call a supervisor. Those precious moments can ultimately save the guest relationship and possibly your reputation.
Beyond customer service training, hotel management can reduce the margin for error by implementing technology solutions that minimise communication failures. This means automating what can be automated to eliminate barriers that may arise in a traditional request environment. A process that ensures teams receive requests correctly and fulfil them in a timely manner can make an immediate difference. For example, requests can be handled on the spot from anywhere on the property, leaving staff time to focus on creating special moments for guests.
How important are these service investments? When 58% of travellers indicate they would go so far as to cancel a reservation because of a bad review, the answer is very clear. Customer service improvements must be viewed on par with property improvements. Hotels must include training and technology in their annual budget just like any other line item.
An environment that rewards employees for effective decision-making creates a solid foundation for a strong and successful brand. Mistakes will happen, but the way staff are empowered—or not—to respond to those mistakes can produce terrible or wonderful outcomes. Providing staff with the tools they need to create superior experiences for guests means they will find personal fulfilment in guest satisfaction. A team that takes pride in its work lies at the heart of every successful hotel and, ultimately, every five-star review.
Will Rogers was ahead of his time when he said: "It takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, but you can lose it in a minute."
Today, with just one click, an angry or dissatisfied guest can expose us to the limit, drowning out all the wonderful things past guests may have posted in our favour and inflicting irreparable damage on the brand. Of course, a hotel may handle the complaint quickly and elegantly, but the review remains. The best way for a hotel to protect its reputation is also the best way to deliver excellent guest experiences: empowering the team through training and technology.
The modern traveller is not foolish. Empowered by the vast amount of information available to them online and emboldened by reviews openly shared by others, consumers are making deliberate, well-considered purchases without consulting "experts". In fact, 48% of people said they would trust ratings on TripAdvisor as much as they trust a newspaper, magazine or professional. Nearly 95% of travellers regularly research travel reviews to make booking decisions.
According to a TrustYou study, a traveller is four times more likely to choose a higher-rated hotel than one with the same price. Furthermore, a one-point increase in a reputation score gives a hotel the freedom to raise its room rates by up to 11.2%, but we have read this thousands of times already.
While it may seem obvious, negative reviews have a significant adverse effect on hotel bookings. More than half of travellers say they would rule out a hotel or even cancel a reservation because of a bad review. Negative reviews, at their core, can be attributed to one of two things: unmet expectations or poor service.
On TripAdvisor, half of bad reviews are the result of poor service. Disappointing, to say the least, when service outcomes are something the brand can easily control or improve. While favourable reviews clearly bring tangible and measurable rewards, we cannot help wondering why so many hotels lose business because of service shortcomings.
So, what exactly are the barriers to hotel success? Where and why do we fall short when it comes to creating a superior guest experience? The answer is not as complicated as we think.
In an industry famous for being slow to adopt new technologies and management models, many hotels still rely on outdated forms of communication to handle guest requests. This means that service requests are often passed along verbally or via a handwritten note to delegate responsibilities and expectations. As we all know, humans are not perfect, and this old-fashioned form of communication opens the door to misunderstandings, or for a request to get lost in the confusion of shift changes.
Departmental silos are another barrier to interdepartmental communication. Housekeeping may have one method for handling guest requests, while Front Desk or Concierge may use something completely different. The lack of a centralised request system not only fosters confusion, but often results in a lack of accountability.
While it is easy to place all the blame on internal communication, employee attitude is another factor preventing some hotels from delivering excellent customer service. Employees often feel it is not their responsibility to step in and save a situation with a guest, or simply lack the training to understand exactly how to handle conflict.
On top of all that, millennials, with their smartphones, are rapidly becoming one of the most important and influential consumer demographics in hospitality. Millennials expect to use their phones to satisfy every whim, and this includes making requests at their hotels. With this emerging demographic spending most of its time in public areas, it is not to be expected that they will use their phones only inside the room. Hotels must meet guests where they are, and that "where" is becoming increasingly mobile.
Hotels must adapt to a changing market environment or risk losing business. Put bluntly, a comprehensive approach that includes training and technology is no longer optional: it is sink or swim in an already crowded ocean.
Hotels that empower employees to make decisions beyond their Job Description through proper training are already taking steps to combat service failures. A major piece of the puzzle lies in the simple task of defining service and brand standards. If an employee is unsure of what is expected of them, how can they be expected to rise to the occasion?
Ultimately, it means trusting staff to represent your brand and its values. However, do not allow those standards to become so rigid that they prevent flexibility in roles. An upset guest combined with an employee who does not feel they can help is a recipe for disaster, or a terrible review. Give all staff members a certain degree of decision-making authority to appease an upset guest without having to call a supervisor. Those precious moments can ultimately save the guest relationship and possibly your reputation.
Beyond customer service training, hotel management can reduce the margin for error by implementing technology solutions that minimise communication failures. This means automating what can be automated to eliminate barriers that may arise in a traditional request environment. A process that ensures teams receive requests correctly and fulfil them in a timely manner can make an immediate difference. For example, requests can be handled on the spot from anywhere on the property, leaving staff time to focus on creating special moments for guests.
How important are these service investments? When 58% of travellers indicate they would go so far as to cancel a reservation because of a bad review, the answer is very clear. Customer service improvements must be viewed on par with property improvements. Hotels must include training and technology in their annual budget just like any other line item.
An environment that rewards employees for effective decision-making creates a solid foundation for a strong and successful brand. Mistakes will happen, but the way staff are empowered—or not—to respond to those mistakes can produce terrible or wonderful outcomes. Providing staff with the tools they need to create superior experiences for guests means they will find personal fulfilment in guest satisfaction. A team that takes pride in its work lies at the heart of every successful hotel and, ultimately, every five-star review.