Not all hotel reputation management strategies are built for the ground up. An effective ORM strategy is sometimes implemented to rectify any negative issues online (i.e. bad reviews). Moreso, it is in the best interest of the company to obtain a strong reputation online no matter what. Hotel Reputation Management is More Important Than Ever
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Online Reputation Management (ORM), is vital for any business nowadays, especially in the tourism industry. More importantly, you must deter all signs that point to a bad reputation. Here in Florida tourism is one of the largest industries.
Nobody wants to vacation at a resort that has awful reviews online this creates a bad look for your business. People travel to enjoy themselves, not to worry about if their resort will be up to par. On average, Americans spend anywhere from $1,145 to $4,580 per person on their getaways.
As a business owner or manager of a hotel/resort, it is imperative that you make everyone happy. After all, that is your job, Florida does hospitality well.
Why Does a Bad Reputation Matter for Hotels and Resorts?
When dealing with hotel reputation management, negative reviews can stem from many sources, word-of-mouth or just on Google. These have a tremendous impact on your success to obtain clients online. One negative review may be the reason you are losing dozens of clients to the resort right across the street. Hotels must do everyone in their power and do beyond their job titles to ensure hospitality. Once your hotel gains a poor reputation it can be close to impossible to reestablish your presence within the industry. There are 4 key components that contribute to the success of each destination spot.
READ MORE: WHAT IS YOUR ONLINE REPUTATION SCORE?
Reviews
It has been reported that 65% of internet users will trust reviews just as much as they trust their friends’ opinions. Hotel reputation management plays a large part in the buying behaviors of each prospective guest. The best reaction you can do is stay calm but be proactive. Make attempts to respond to negative reviews with some incentives to ensure their stay is as they expected. Moreso, encourage your guests to leave reviews or feedback, people love to talk about their vacations. Positive Reviews equals more revenue, plain and simple it creates a presence for you on Google.
Age
In Florida, as well as many other destination spots you will notice there is quite a diverse age range. Be aware of which age groups your hotel is targeting, make sure all amenities are catered specifically for them. Once you have created a personal style or your own brand-identity, guests will line up to stay with you. More bookings equal more revenue.
Location
Hotel reputation management is crucial here, location is everything. This is the first thought that any tourist ponders before booking a trip. Where should they stay? How far from the ocean should they be? Are there good restaurants? Whatever their desires are, make sure your concierge informs all guest. Creating a page on your site that features the local stops and shops is never a bad idea. This way the guest knows exactly what they are in for and they can make their decision confidently. (Read More on the Top Questions Tourist Have)
On another note, social media is home to many platforms that guests use each and every day. By updating your Twitter or Instagram with constant photos and posts could help increase your residual clientele. After all, you are on the coast, people love pictures of the beach and this is a great way to entice new guests.
Do some research from the eyes of your guests. Visit all reviews websites and make sure you are in the Top 5. People are more prone to choosing only the top destination spots in the area they are visiting. Make sure they know why you are the best.
Value
After selecting a location, the next major thought is “how much is this going to cost me”. Florida welcomes ~116.5 million guests every year and is home to more hotels and resorts than you can count. If you have successfully established yourself locally and online (i.e. Social Media and Reviews) you will have no problem generating value for your guests to enjoy.
Make sure you are constantly checking and comparing your costs to that of your competitors. The more guests that see your cost accurately reflects the value you offer, it will be a no-brainer for them to chose you.
Take the time to access your online reputation, the better you look online the more people will talk. The more talking generates more brand value and in turn, drives your revenue through the roof.
Need assistance or struggling with a negative review or article for your resort? Contact NetReputation at 844-461-3632
Hotel Reputation Management: Dealing With Reviews
When it comes to hotel reputation management, these destinations can face a lot of negativity. Responding to negativity and bad reviews as a business owner can be tough. One negative remark online can destroy the value of a company overnight. Sites like TripAdvisor and Google Locals do a great job at making sure defamatory reviews are kept away.
For starter’s, if your resort is struggling with negative reviews it is a smart decision to approach cautiously. Press like this can spread like wildlife so be sure to present the facts and admit responsibility. The saying “the customer is always right” has never been truer for this industry.
READ MORE: MAINTAINING YOUR BRAND DURING A CRISIS
Start by Assessing the Damage
We all hate reading negative posts about ourselves, however, this must be done. By simply reading the good and bad comments, you will start to develop a sense of how the public feels towards you and your resort. Furthermore, you can learn from this negativity to ensure it does not occur again. Search for patterns. Do people complain about the staff? Maybe the food menu was too small. Whichever the reasoning may be, this feedback gives you all the ammunition you need to make sure these situations do not happen again.
Remove Any Abusive Reviews
With our assistance, we will be able to pinpoint each review that is deemed defamatory. Depending on which website it appears on there are many routes you can take to discredit the posting and have it removed. Start by reading the terms of service on sites like Tripadvisor, if you feel a review has violated these terms & conditions call that website directly and speak to them about it. You may also “flag” or report the review from multiple locations. Now if you cannot discredit or prove the review is fictitious you may have a tougher time combating this. For those reviews, you cannot rectify seek on improving your online reputation elsewhere to make up for it.
Interaction is Key
One of the best things you can do in hospitality is making sure the guests feel welcomed. You can do this even after their stay has ended by responding to their reviews, good or bad. This shows your prospective guests that you really care about what they have to say and you value their opinion. Small things like this can make you stand out from the crowd. Whether you simply thank them for their stay or apologize for an issue they face, people will notice.
Average Cost: Reputation Management in the Hotel Industry
Depending on the size of the hotel or resort most reputation management campaigns range from $1,500 – $5,000 per month. The average cost for reputation management is typical $3,500/month for established businesses that are looking to improve their web presence.
When it comes to your hotel reputation management you need to be careful. As the famous quote goes, “it takes 20 years to build a reputation, and 5 minutes to ruin it” you can never be too careful. Here at NetReputation.com, we make it our mission to track negative reviews or defamatory posts and have them removed. If we can’t, we will do everything in our power to suppress your negativity onto the far back pages and out of the public eye.
We offer a 100% FREE ANALYSIS for anyone that calls in so let’s figure out what is holding you back today.
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by Net Reputation