Consumers are more likely to book if they have seen owners respond to online reviews according to research.
The Ipsos MORI research, in partnership with TripAdvisor, reveals that 63% say they would be more likely to book a hotel or restaurant when they see the owner has responded to most reviews.
The figure increases to 77% when property owners leave a personalized response.
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More than two thirds of respondents also say it’s helpful when they can see the context of negative reviews and the response from management.
Fabrizio Orlando, senior manager industry relations for TripAdvisor says: “If an owner responds to a review, whether that review is positive or negative, it makes a real difference to a traveller’s perception of a property, and can have huge effects on increased room bookings and table reservations.”
The research goes on to reveal that 89% of respondents feel a thoughtful response to a negative review improves how they feel about a business and 90% say respectful responses make them feel the owner cares about feedback.
The study was carried out on more than 23,000 TripAdvisor users in 12 markets including China, France, the U.K. and the U.S.