Imagine what would happen if a member of your staff blatantly ignored guests at the front desk who wanted to discuss their hotel stay.
What if this employee promptly deleted emails with guest feedback or hung up on anyone who called in a complaint? You would probably fire them.
While they’re much more public, online reviews are simply another method of collecting feedback from hotel guests. So why do so many hotels handle reviews badly?
In my experience, the overwhelming majority of reviews tend to be positive; guests who have negative experiences are much more vocal, however. People between the ages of 36 and 50 — as well as individuals with an annual household income of more than $150,000 — are almost guaranteed to share stories of bad customer service, and guests of all demographics are more likely to tell others about a bad experience than a good one.
Hotel executives cannot control what guests say online, but they should still encourage everyone to review their experiences. Hoteliers should treat these reviews as if the guests were standing at the front desk.
Damage control
A bad review does not mean you have lost that customer forever or that you have done irreparable damage to your reputation.
In fact, 95% of customers are willing to give a hotel a second chance if management responds to their complaint in an appropriate and timely manner.
One of our guests was recently unsatisfied with her spa experience and left a mixed review online. After discovering the issue, one of our staff members was able to resolve the woman’s concerns and win back her favor. The guest was so pleased that she actually posted a new review with a high rating that acknowledged our “excellent customer service.”
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