The importance of good Reputation Management for your hotel

Why should a hotel's Reputation Management matter to all hotel managers?

Today, online reputation management should be one of the main areas of focus for hotels, no matter if it is an independent hotel or a hotel chain. Every hotel manager needs to pay attention to this new area that is increasingly important in their daily business, as it directly affects customer choice, directly impacts their financial results (77% of travelers are more likely to book when hotels respond to reviews*).

In addition to the need for greater control, the manager can and should use tools to facilitate management in this new scenario where customer satisfaction is increasingly important.

How can a hotel's Reputation Management affect revenue?

Negative comments from online channels should be a source of motivation or concern for independent hotel owners or quality managers of large chains! Today everyone who has an opinion on a product or service and can easily share it on social media or channels. Customers often search for hotel reviews on their online channels before clicking the "Book" button. For hospitality professionals, guests who leave hotel reviews and detail their experiences may be a concern because the impact of negative or positive guest reviews on hotel revenue is enormous.

The online reputation reflects the experiences of guests sharing their channel experiences, and these same travelers check review sites and online sales channels (OTAs) not only to find the best rates or deals, but also for a more realistic perspective of the hotel that are booking. Despite the fact that the potential guest analyzes the details that weigh the most in their choice factor.

This plugged in traveler seeks to understand what others are saying about hotels before confirming any booking and in many cases, the opinions of previous guests will definitely influence the choice of hotel. A Harvard University study shows that an extra star on your grade could represent an average sales increase of 9%. That is why a better rating on a channel can surely determine a higher revenue for the hotel.

We have, then, several aspects that should be analyzed by the managers of independent hotels and chains:

? What hotel guests say about various departments or services in a text or photo definitely influences other potential customers, directly affecting hotel revenue.

? The hotel's online reputation is of tremendous value and must be part of marketing planning (84% of travelers said business travelers' polite and respectful response is important to them when they read reviews and, as a result, plan a better trip* )

? Main work in hospitality is a matter of delighting guests, and when that is one of the focuses of hotel management, a good management of online reputation will help this process!

? Today, we live in the era when the customer is king, you can see that many strategies are being developed to take a customer experience approach and a good management of a hotel's online reputation can work wonders if managed strategically by the hotel.

? It is impossible to be in control of all situations all the time! There will be times when unfavorable things will happen, which is why it is important to have a management plan for online reputation at the hotel.

? The good news is that hotel online reputation management is not a huge task if done correctly and with the help of a management tool.

How to make a good hotel online reputation management?

? The hotel should prioritize attention to the guest, creating an enhanced experience even before they make a hotel reservation.

? Hotel staff must be trained to put the guest experience at the center of everything they do. This includes paying close attention to their needs throughout the stay proactively seeking feedback.

? The hotel should pay attention to the specific preferences or demands of the guests and if possible include these preferences in some system, as this information may be very useful in the future, if the guest returns to the hotel.

? Hotels should respond to channel comments personally and directly, avoiding generic responses (79% of travelers said personalized hotel responses make reviews more useful, highlighting the importance of management responses*).

? Happy guests who post testimonials will be promoters of the hotel, ensuring that others know more about the hotel by posting reviews, photos or videos that will reinforce the competition's strengths.

? The hotel should view negative reviews in a positive way, placing these reviews as starting points for constant improvement. A good response to a review tends to alleviate the problem (89% of travelers said that a careful response to a negative review improved a company's impression by showing the effectiveness of owners who respond to all types of reviews*).

? The lack of response can often be deadly and gives the impression that the hotel is not concerned with customer satisfaction. In the answer, the hotel needs to be polite and put itself in customer's shoes by demonstrating how far it can go to solve the problem. Sincerely apologize and inform the customer as soon as the issue is resolved.

? The hotel must offer some kind of benefit, such as a discount, upgrade or special treat on a future stay to compensate for the problem with the guest. This will demonstrate the hotel's professional attitude and concern for the situation helping to restore shaken confidence and perhaps a review of the hotel's negative rating.

? Use software to help with management! Technology has made the process of managing hotel online reputation a much easier task, helping hotels get more reservations and considerably increase revenues. Instead of having a guest complete a feedback form at check-out, you can automate the satisfaction survey collection process.

TripAdvisor establishes that its popularity ranking takes into account the quality, quantity and frequency of reviews received from customers, as well as consistency in performance over time.

Because popularity rankings take into account customer feedback, receiving new, high-quality ratings - reflecting expected levels of service and value for money - is the best way to move up over time. It is important to note that the rating takes into account the performance of an establishment relative to local competitors. When a company rises in the ranking, establishments in nearby positions are directly affected. Changes in ratings may be a result of ratings from a specific property or feedbacks received by other properties in the region.

A solid hotel reputation will have a direct impact on medium and long-term occupancy and revenue levels. With the help of technology, the hotel can leverage online analytics to grow business, increase its ratings and consequently stay ahead of the competition.

Now I have a question for you: How is your planning for online reputation management and customer satisfaction? Think about it!

*?Global study, conducted by TripAdvisor in collaboration with Ipsos MORI, which surveyed over 23,000 users in 12 countries.

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