Best practices for responding to online guest reviews

Best practices for responding to online guest reviews

‍

We all know positive guest reviews feed a great reputation. That reputation is what makes people want to book with you.

Just look at the stats — 77% of travellers will usually or always reference TripAdvisor reviews before selecting a hotel.

Generating reviews initially is one thing — we have a few tips on that here. Responding thoughtfully to your guests’ comments is equally vital to get feedback and establish rapport.

Whether the review is good or bad, the way you respond should be carefully considered. You don’t want to escalate a heated situation or make happy guests feel you’ve forgotten about them.

Your response has a direct influence on your brand image. Even no response is a bad thing. You should address your replies strategically and use best practices to avoid leaving your reputation in ruins.

Consider these tips before you write your next reply.

‍

Should you respond to every review?

‍

Responding to every comment is not always necessary. If you’re lucky enough to be overloaded with reviews, writing a personalised message to each guest is just not practical. It takes time to write a reply, so you need to think about which ones take priority.

Of course if someone leaves a negative comment you should absolutely step in. Likewise, if someone takes the time to rave about your hotel, your fabulous rooms and staff, be there to write a great response.

But if a guest simply says: “Nice hotel” or “We had a great stay”, there’s no harm in saying a quick thank you, or leaving it blank.

You need to be efficient with your responses or you could eat up your entire day with reputation management. Don’t get bogged down with the little details.

But most importantly, always be quick to post a response. Leaving reviews to linger gives the impression you don’t care enough to listen to your current guests.

So why would anyone else book if you lack those simple customer service points?

‍

Responding to positive reviews

‍

Be sincere and thank the reviewer

our guest took the time to write a glowing review, the least you can do is reply with a heartfelt thank you. Be sincere with your response and show them how much you appreciate their feedback.

This will go a long way to make your guest feel special and show others they’ll be valued in the same way.

Example

“Wow, thanks so much for taking the time to share your kind comments. That’ll put a smile on my face for the rest of the day! It was a pleasure to have you. The staff and I are so happy we could make your stay so wonderful.

‍

Show your personality

‍

You are a brand and you do need to show professionalism, but there’s a real person behind every comment. Your guest doesn’t want to see a generic, robotic response, it will just feel fake and forced. A personal response shows they’re appreciated and worth your time.

You’re a person too with emotions and character, that’s what really builds connections between businesses and customers.

Show flair in your responses and make it conversational.

Example

“I’m so thrilled you enjoyed our restaurant’s molten lava cake. Isn’t it to die for! You know, since we put it on the menu I’ve gained half a stone. My staff have to drag me out of the kitchen every time I walk in or there won’t be any left for the guests!”

‍

Reinforce the positives

‍

If a guest highlights something they particularly enjoyed about your hotel, be sure to repeat and emphasise this in your response.

Not only will the positive review itself build your hotel’s reputation, reinforcing a specific benefit will peak greater interest and excitement.

Example

“We are overjoyed that our staff made your stay so memorable. I’ve just showed our bar woman Nicola your review, and she was tearing up when she read your kind words about her. Customer service is everything to us, and it’s made my day to hear you had such a pleasant stay.”

‍

Ask them to tell their friends and invite them back

‍

If your guest had a fabulous stay, don’t miss the opportunity to generate further business. Ask them to like you on Facebook or sign up to your newsletter for special offers. Let them know they’re always welcome back and you’d love them to bring friends and family along too.

Example

“We’d love to have you back anytime, and please tell your friends about us. You can always keep up to date with special offers and events over on our Facebook page, or sign up to our newsletter. We’d love to see you again!”

‍

Responding to negative reviews

‍

Empathise with the reviewer

‍

If your guest had a bad experience, there’s no use going on the defensive. This can further anger an already ticked off guest and destroy new potential business.

What they want is an apology and perhaps a resolution. Show the guest you own up to any faults and understand their frustrations.

Being honest and transparent will go a long way. You will build bridges and show future travellers you care about your guest’s opinion.

Example

“We are deeply sorry to hear you have suffered a bad back after sleeping on our beds. I know how important getting a good night’s sleep is to our guests. I personally checked the bed after your visit and couldn’t find anything obvious that would cause you such pain. But we are truly sorry to hear about this. I hope you feel much better soon.”

‍

Tell the guest you will share their feedback with your team

‍

Mentioning you’ll share the feedback with your staff can ease the guest’s dissatisfaction. That’s because they feel you’re doing something to act on their problem.

It shows you care enough to make it a team issue you intend to resolve.

Example

“I am very sorry you felt a staff member was rude to you at check in. I will be speaking to my staff this afternoon to ensure this doesn’t happen again. We put our staff through extensive customer service training so we’re very saddened to hear this. Please accept our sincere apologies — we’re taking steps to ensure we maintain our high standards of customer service in the future.”

‍

Highlight the changes you will implement

‍

Guests like to feel their voice is being heard. If you say you’re making changes because of their feedback, this can give guests a sense of self satisfaction. This will certainly earn you a few brownie points and ease the disappointment.

Not only that, future guests will see the changes you’ll implement to make your hotel better. Making your property a more attractive option.

Example

“We appreciate your feedback about our current spa facilities. I’m sorry to hear you feel the décor is outdated and in need of a makeover. We are currently assessing the situation and have plans to refurbish the space in 2018. We hope you’ll come back and join us to see the new look.”

‍

Invite them to call you to rectify the situation

‍

It’s not always easy or wise to provide a comprehensive response online. Inviting the guest to contact you directly via email or phone shows you’re taking the time to address their concerns properly.

This way you can provide a resolution quicker and avoid any miscommunication through text.

Example

“I’m truly sorry to hear you found large stains on your bed sheets. Your honest feedback is crucial to us and we really appreciate you taking the time to comment. I’d love to put this right and discuss your concerns over the phone. Please call when you have a moment and I will personally take steps to resolve the situation.”

Offering an appropriate response to reviews is key if you want to manage your reputation effectively. We now know many travellers turn to reviews for the truth about your hotel. If you’re not there to respond properly, you won’t give guests the right impression or show them they matter.

We hope you’ll find these best practices useful for forming your new response strategy.