Many Hotels dreads the pesky online Hotel reviews.
A positive reputation is one of the most powerful marketing assets a Hotel must convince new customers to contact them. The social proof contained within reviews and star ratings helps consumers shortcut their research and make decisions faster and with greater confidence than ever before.
Many hoteliers still see reviews, especially negative reviews, as a burden and are coming to terms with how to use them to improve their business. Hotels should embrace online reviews as an opportunity for a constructive exchange. Hotels that not only monitor and respond to them, rapidly and honestly but also improve on the root causes of the negative reviews will come out winners in the long run.
What is Online Reputation Management?
The online reputation of your Hotel encompasses everything a customer can find about you on the internet. Everything posted to Social Networks, booking partners, review sites and more is fair game. Together, these sources combine to shape your online reputation the consumer’s perception of your Hotel.
Data from a survey performed by BrigthLocal showed that:
- 84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation
- 7 out of 10 consumers will leave a review for a business if they’re asked to
- 90% of consumers read less than 10 reviews before forming an opinion about a business
- 54% of people will visit the website after reading positive reviews
- 73% of consumers think that reviews older than 3 months are no longer relevant
- 74% of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more
- 58% of consumers say that the star rating of a business is most important
The three stages of Reputation Management
- Building – Forming or developing a good reputation for a new Hotel.
- Maintenance – Keeping the positive and already established image of an existing Hotel to be superior in the public eye.
- Recovery – Amending the Hotel’s reputation when it goes bad through self-promotion and marketing to reverse the negative and achieve a good reputation.
My friend Daniel Edward Craig who is an expert on Online Reputation Management for Hotels says that “Social Media and Reputation Management are traditionally considered a marketing function, but it’s a property-wide concern that touches every aspect of a Hotel, from operations to revenue management”.
How should Hotels respond?
During the service experience, the guest will continuously check whether the experience meets, exceeds, or fails to meet their expectations.
A single bad experience during an otherwise smooth Hotel experience can taint the rest of the experience and leave a negative overall impression. An unfriendly bellboy, misplaced luggage, a dirty room, something is spilled, or a long wait for a room-service meal can all be a reason for disappointment.
The individual guest’s perception of how well the service was delivered, often is based on both physical and service aspects. Although the perception is very individual, the negative comments often are the result of how the overall guest experience was perceived.
Whether they were delighted or disappointed, today’s guests will want to share their experience. They might do this through word-of-mouth, Social networks, or in many cases through online review sites.
A proper response to concerns posted in reviews can lead to two things;
1. It can minimize the damage to your reputation by making prospective guest think more highly of you.
2. It can repair your relationship with the unhappy reviewer.
This infographic from my friends at The Dunloe illustrate the funnel that will turn all types of reviews into new opportunities.
Learn how to nurture your influencers and the Community.
If you need assistance then contact us and learn how a Hotel Social Media Consultant can help.
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT AND FACEBOOK ADVERTISING FOR HOTELS
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Our Social Media Management team has refined these processes to help Hotels. Contact us today to learn more.
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As guest behavior and pattern continues to evolve, expectations will continue to rise. Navigating these changes can be challenging. Learn more about how we can help your Hotel.
Credits
Mary Smith work on the digital marketing for The Dunloe.
About the author
Are Morch is the founder and owner of Are Morch – Hotel Marketing Coach. Get more from Are on Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Instagram| Podcast
