Indeed, the online reviews represent something that the hoteliers can not control. Some comments are fake with only one goal drop down the image of the company. It is interesting to learn that the hoteliers can contact TripAdvisor to remove it very quickly.
This means of communication is really powerful because it reflects the image of the hotel perceived by the guests. Comments can be saw by millions online visitors and that is why a professional of the hotel industry should pay attention and respond to it.
Throughout author examples it was interesting to see the worst answer give online by some hoteliers (no answers, standard responses, blah blah solution…) and how one London luxury hotel responds smartly. The response was personal, written by the person directly responsible and acknowledges the issue raised and this is exactly was a hotel has to do.
Sources:
http://www.4hoteliers.com/4hots_fshw.php?mwi=4672
It is true that hoteliers have no real control on online reviews. They need to understand this point and that's why the quality of services is even more important than in the past. As online reviews can reflect the true feelings of customers, there are also a lot of fake reviews. Thus, the question that we should ask ourselves, as hoteliers as well as customers, how to define the difference between a real and a fake review. In the same way, instead of delete the bad comments, hoteliers should respond it in a way that customers will feel "more satisfied". In fact, if we just delete a comment, it reflects that the problems or dissatisfactions of the guests are real and justified. Hoteliers need to be very careful on all these online reviews.
RépondreSupprimerGood comments on online reviews...should a hotelier try to control the hotel's image by providing an incentive to customers to comment BEFORE they leave th hotel? How could that work?
RépondreSupprimerGreat image.