Overview

Online review sites enable hoteliers to have conversations with thousands of potential customers around the world at minimal cost. If done effectively, delegates at the Yorkshire Hotel Show (YHS) 2014 felt hoteliers could really help to increase bookings.

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Business Benefits

Following a debate with the hotel industry on the merits and pitfalls of review sites at YHS 2014, we’ve put together the following suggestions to help hoteliers maximise the opportunity that such review sites offer if used effectively:

Prepare and Plan

1. Respond constructively to reviews you feel may be unfair – don’t just ignore them
2. Try not to get too downhearted because of a small number of negative comments – not everyone enjoys everything the same as everyone else
3. Don’t react immediately to a bad review. Stop, think about it, go and do something else before coming back to reply
4. Reply in the same way that you would if you were explaining it face to face, the guest may have put out the review via ‘faceless’ online media but you don’t have to hide behind it
5. Be proactive – if you’ve updated something in the hotel or made some great changes, go back to reviewers and let them know

Evaluation

If you would like to know more about the debate held at The Yorkshire Hotel Show regarding review sites contact richard.bryan@qaresearch.co.uk

Personal Approach

1. Remembering the preparation: if possible; pick up the telephone and have a discussion about the review with the customer – if an especially bad review, win them back with your care and concern
2. Upload more quality photos of the hotel to give review site users a further insight in to the hotel’s best assets or hidden gems
3. Dedicate time in your week to have conversations with reviewers and manage your approach
4. Use other social media to re-circulate good reviews using images where appropriate
5. Consider reviews from varying customer types and analyse them to spot trends for each e.g. some guests may be novice stayers and will have different expectations from seasoned stayers