No one likes to get a bad review online. The sinking feeling when you see a one or two out of five rating and the harsh criticisms of unhappy guests erodes at the heart of a good hotelier, and at the reputation of your business.
NB: This is an article from GuestRevu
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Many hoteliers have come up with ways to attempt to prevent negative reviews from reaching the public, some of which are distinctly unsavoury. Some hotels have attempted to stifle poor reviews simply by not sending their usual review request email to guests who had a bad stay. Others have gone so far as to try to sue or fine guests for bad reviews.
Of course, everyone wishes that all their guests only ever have positive experiences, but you should never attempt to block, censor or circumvent negative reviews by duplicitous means or force. Between brand damage, operational oversight and possible legal consequences, the harm that can be done simply isn’t worth it.
How can you improve your offerings if you never hear any negative feedback from real travellers? And, even if you hide the negative reviews online, you’re not going to stop unhappy guests from telling their friends and family about their experience in person. It will still damage your reputation, but it will leave you in the dark with no way to improve your hotel or service delivery.
If you are still not convinced, here are 7 reasons why you should accept criticism gracefully, and some steps for managing your online reputation the right way.
1. It doesn’t work
First and foremost, trying to silence people in the information age doesn’t work. There are simply too many ways for people to share their opinions and experiences – there are hundreds of review sites, online travel agents (OTAs) and social media platforms where people can write whatever they like, there are news outlets always looking for a story, and there is still good old fashioned over the garden wall word of mouth.
2. You could set yourself up to fail
Blocking negative reviews may secure initial bookings, but if you present an image you cannot deliver, it creates unrealistic expectations that lead to guest disappointment and more bad reviews. As the Gaps Model of Service Delivery explains, it’s not simply the quality of the experience you provide guests, but the difference between what guests are expecting and what they receive that leads to dissatisfaction.
For many of your guests, travel is a big investment of both time and money. By manipulating your reviews, you mislead your potential guests, denying them the opportunity to get a complete picture of what a visit to your hotel might be like, and preventing them from making an informed decision – not a good start to a relationship.
