Guest reviews in hotels: a success factor for more bookings
Guest reviews in hotels: a success factor for more bookings
Ever since search engines and OTAs (online travel agencies) appeared on the scene and travel agencies were largely forgotten, guest reviews have become even more important for hoteliers. The opinions and experiences of guests, which are shared online on Google, Airbnb or Booking, can ultimately determine the success or failure of a hotel.
We therefore want to take a closer look at how positive or negative reviews influence your hotel and why it is so important to respond appropriately to these reviews.
We will also look at how the right strategy can support your online reputation management and reveal our 9 tried-and-tested insider tips for managing your guest reviews in the best possible way.
What is the effect of a positive or negative review of your hotel?
Guest reviews have the ability to influence the reputation and success of your hotel in many ways. Below we take a closer look at the impact positive and negative guest reviews can have on your hotel.
Positive reviews
+ Building trust
+ More bookings and therefore more occupancy and revenue
+ Better ranking
+ Guest loyalty
+ Free advertising
Negative ratings
- Damage to reputation
- Loss of bookings
- Poorer ranking
- Customer loyalty challenges
Why it is important to respond to guest reviews
Regardless of whether they are positive or negative guest reviews: How you respond to them, or more precisely how you deal with them, is crucial if you want to continuously strengthen your online reputation.
That's why you should respond to guest reviews as a hotelier:
- Customer loyalty
Responding to reviews demonstrates that you care about your guests and value their opinions. This can boost customer loyalty and encourage guests to book with you again.
- Image cultivation
Appropriate feedback to constructive criticism also shows potential guests that you care about their satisfaction. The right response to negative reviews thus limits potential damage to your image and allows your hotel to appear in a more positive light.
- Visibility on social media
Especially in social media, you can present your hotel as customer-oriented and open, which in turn is shared by others and significantly increases your reach.
- Opportunities for improvement
Guest reviews often provide valuable feedback. By responding appropriately, you can identify and rectify problems to avoid negative reviews in the future.
- Transparency
Open and respectful responses to guest reviews indicate transparency and authenticity, which strengthens guests' trust in your hotel.
- SEO improvement
Your response to reviews can also help your hotel to rank better in search engines. Search engines see fresh content and interactions as positive signals, which increases your online visibility.
- Building trust
By responding to reviews, you show that you are open to feedback and actively strive to satisfy your guests. This can significantly increase the trust of potential guests.
- Protection against damage to reputation
By responding to negative guest reviews, you can clear up misunderstandings or resolve issues before they get worse and damage your reputation.
- Market research
Reviews can also provide valuable insights into the expectations and preferences of your guests. This information helps you to constantly optimize your offer and your services.
- Prevention of escalation
By recognizing problems promptly and responding to complaints, you can prevent dissatisfied guests from expressing their frustration on social media or other public platforms.
The right strategy for your online reputation management
To keep track of guest reviews and respond to them efficiently, hoteliers have a variety of options at their disposal, from digital tools that they can purchase and use themselves to outsourcing online reputation management to an agency.
Online reputation management software can be useful to help hoteliers keep track of reviews posted online and respond accordingly. This works by correcting false statements or posting positive content online to ensure that more positive content is in focus.
Many are happy to be advised and supported in these matters by specialists who can draw on years of experience, excellent knowledge of the platforms and a large bag of tricks. Rating management is one of TourSol's core competencies, as are content management and social media consulting. We carry out error analyses for you and use our tried and tested strategies and our specially developed software to help you improve your image, acquire guests and increase guest loyalty.
9 proven tips on how to manage guest reviews optimally and use them to your advantage
1. keep an eye on all important rating platforms.
Regularly monitor various platforms such as TripAdvisor, Google Maps, Booking.com and other platforms where guests can leave reviews. Make sure you don't overlook any reviews.
2. actively collect reviews.
Encourage your guests to leave reviews without being too intrusive. This can be done, for example, with friendly reminders on the day of departure or follow-up emails after check-out.
3. respond promptly.
Speed is of the essence. Therefore, make an effort to respond to reviews within 24 to 48 hours. This is a sign of dedicated customer service.
4. individualize your answers.
Avoid general answers. Instead, address the specific points in the evaluation and convey that you have read it carefully.
5. be polite and professional.
No matter how negative a review is, remain polite and professional. Avoid confrontation and apologize if necessary.
6. offer solutions.
If a guest raises a problem in their review, you should offer solutions. Show that you are willing to solve problems and improve the experience.
7. share positive reviews.
Use positive reviews as marketing material. For example, share them on your hotel website, on social media and in your hotel to increase the trust of potential guests.
8. ask for detailed feedback.
When responding to negative reviews, ask the guest for additional details or contact information to further clarify the issue and find a solution.
9. reward the employees.
Encourage your hotel staff to provide first-class service that leads to positive reviews. You could introduce reward systems for your employees to increase their motivation.
The TourSol recommendation
Guest reviews are undoubtedly a decisive factor in the success of your hotel. You could even say they are the key to success. Positive reviews attract guests and increase bookings, while negative reviews can deter potential guests. Therefore, proper review management, including appropriate responses and the use of software solutions, is crucial.
Responding appropriately to reviews, whether positive or negative, not only helps to build customer loyalty, but also helps you to maintain your image, prevent potential conflicts and continuously improve the guest experience.
Choosing the right strategy for your online reputation management can also help you keep track of reviews and respond promptly.
