Even if your hotel isn’t sending out guest satisfaction reviews, third-party channels will always be available. It’s unsurprising that negative reviews have been increasing with lower occupancy and staff levels.
With your hotel’s brand at stake, the unfortunate reality is that there is no way to eliminate pandemic-era reviews. While some platforms are making efforts to alter their calculations based on COVID-19, others have yet to act.
Your response is what you do have control over. Here are some tips to manage your hotel’s reputation.
Respond to all reviews
Respond to all reviews, positive and negative, across all platforms. This isn’t just so you can mitigate tension from an angry guest, but also so you can put your property in the best light. Hotel leaders fear negative online reviews because they may drive away existing and potential guests. Luckily, there are ways you can turn them to your advantage in some situations. Always base your response on facts and remember that most customers will be able to tell the difference between a legitimate complaint and an emotionally fueled tangent.
Be empathetic
A response isn’t enough. Guests need reassurance that their complaint was heard and that your hotel is following guidelines to ensure the well-being of all guests. Whoever is responding to the reviews needs to have a customer service attitude and the authority to resolve complaints. This means that certain reviews may need to receive a response from a senior staff member. Apologize when you can, even if it’s something out of the control of the hotelier.
Take it offline when necessary
If the complaint is big enough, it’s best to take the conversation offline. You should include your number, name and email so that the reviewer can contact you directly about their issue. It’s easier to resolve complaints over the phone. Having a back-and-forth through a review platform typically leads nowhere, leaving both parties heated.
Have FAQs posted online
Having brief responses to anticipated questions can save you from a future headache. This is also useful for responding to different reviews. Some of the questions people may have right now are:
- What amenities are currently being offered?
- What precautionary measures is your property taking to protect guests?
- What are your pool hours?
- Are masks required in the lobby?
- Are you refunding cancellations?
- Is there any way to check-in virtually?
- Is breakfast still included?
Report terms violations
If someone is writing something that is untrue and violates the platform’s terms of service, you can try to report it. If you are successful, you have one less negative review to worry about. If it doesn’t get taken down, still submit a response. If you think that the guest may have accidentally reviewed the wrong establishment, let them know.
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