NB: This is a guest post by Brian Payea, head of industry relations at TripAdvisor.
Review sites and other social media have become essential tools for many travelers who are increasingly using them to share their customer experiences online.
While the average rating on TripAdvisor is positive (just under four on a scale from one to five), as with other sites, opinions can range from glowing reviews to less-than-favorable accounts.
Should hoteliers and other business owners respond to these comments: the good, the bad and the ugly?
The unequivocal answer is yes, and your brand’s engagement can make all the difference in how your customers perceive your business.
According to marketing firm Cone’s 2009 Cone Consumer New Media Study, 89%of the new media users surveyed believe businesses should use new media to interact with consumers, and 74% said that they have a more positive image of those that have a presence in new media.
The takeaway is that the vast majority of your customers will expect you to have a presence online, and they will have a better overall impression of your business if you demonstrate that you are listening and taking their comments to heart.
This interaction not only helps you maintain a positive reputation, but it also cultivates long-term brand loyalists and shows potential customers that you are actively involved.
How can you make the best impact with online engagement? Many review sites like TripAdvisor allow the management of businesses to respond to reviews.
The following are a few tips that have worked well for many of our partners:
1. Respond quickly.
A timely response is expected and appreciated. It shows you are attentive and receptive to feedback, and it leaves a lasting impression. Also, the more quickly you respond, the greater the number of people who read your comments.
2. Keep the tone professional, whatever the concern.
Whether the review is critical or glowing, your reply should always be polite and professional, just as you would handle any other customer service reply.
It can be tempting to respond harshly to criticism, but it is best not to lose sight of the fact that your audience is hundreds, if not thousands of potential customers, as well as the individual reviewer.
The vast majority of people recognize that not all customers raise reasonable concerns, and not everything will always be perfect.
They will give you a lot of credit for offering a courteous and thoughtful explanation, especially when the criticism is unwarranted. This is your chance to set the record straight.
3. Avoid jargon.
Don’t be tempted into using online jargon. The use of ALL CAPS, HTML tags or excessive typographic symbols, can appear abrasive or result in miscommunication.
4. Highlight positive changes and updates.
Use the opportunity to communicate new improvements you’ve made to your business. If you’ve addressed a situation that has generated comments from customers, it’s important to state that you’ve taken their feedback seriously and made positive changes.
5. Be careful of individual privacy.
Your responses should never contain the personal information of any person, including names, addresses, phone numbers or other information that may be used to identify an individual.
6. Be original.
Customers don’t respond well to stock answers. They appreciate an individually tailored response, because they will realize that you are addressing their particular situation.
It is tempting to post material from other sources that support your point of view, but customers prefer direct and unique comments from you. It’s especially important to avoid posting correspondence from another guest.
7. Show gratitude.
Gratitude builds goodwill. Management responses are great opportunities to tell guests and customers that you are thankful for their positive comments, as well as their constructive feedback.
Don’t hesitate to let people know you appreciate them. It goes a long way.
Wrap-up
Following these steps can help you maintain a positive reputation online. Remember that, while you may be responding to one reviewer, thousands of others may read your comments and form opinions about you and your brand.
Make sure they know you run a respectful, attentive and thoughtful business.
Your customers will appreciate your interest.
NB: This is a guest post by Brian Payea, head of industry relations at TripAdvisor.