Top Tips for Dealing with Negative Reviews on Trip Advisor
TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, assisting customers when gathering travel information, reviews and opinions of travel related content. While the average review on Trip Advisor is positive, as with other sites, opinions can range from all out there glowing reviews to... Well how can I put it?... A slightly less-than-favorable account. So....if Trip Advisor is causing your business more problems than profit... What can you do about it??
1. Respond - Quickly.
Don’t shy away from bad reviews. Instead, investigate the concern and turn it into a learning experience.
Respond to the reviewer directly (privately as well as publicly - this is particularly important to encourage the guest to return and re-experience your property). The timing of such a response is also important and most definitely the sooner the better. This demonstrates that you are attentive and receptive to feedback, and will leave a lasting impression. Also, the more quickly you leave a response, the larger the number of potential customers who will read your comments. Register with Trip Advisor so that you can monitor your reviews by receiving notifications every time a guest leaves a comment and therefore you can time your response appropriately.
2. Always be Polite and Professional.
Whether the guest comment is terrible or glowing, the tone of your reply should always be courteous and professional, just as you would handle any other customer service reply. It can be very tempting to respond unkindly to criticism, but remember the fact that your audience is hundreds, if not thousands of potential customers, therefore it is a ‘must’ that you keep your cool. The vast majority of people recognize that everything will not always be perfect. A lot of credit will be given for offering a well-mannered and thoughtful explanation, especially when the complaint is unwarranted. This is your chance to set the record straight.
3. Ask for Feedback
Ask every one of your clients for their feedback on Trip Advisor – put the request on their bill, ask them personally or follow up with an email thanking them for their stay. More positive reviews diminish the negative ones. Businesses with a lot of negative reviews should possibly consider looking at the reality of their guest experience and seriously consider getting some outside advice and training to help turn the situation around.
4. The way you write your reply....
The use of ALL CAPS, HTML tags or excessive typographic symbols, can appear rude and aggressive. Therefore do not be tempted into using any online jargon – keep your reply clear at all times.
5. Use it as a Marketing Opportunity.....
Use this as a marketing opportunity to tell the world about any new improvements you’ve made to your hotel or guesthouse. If you’ve dealt with something that has generated comments from your clients, it is important to state that you’ve taken all feedback seriously and made positive changes as a result.
6. Be Original.
Address each particular situation with an individually tailored response. Customers don’t respond well to rehearsed or pre-written answers and will appreciate an original honest response as an indication that you genuinely care about the client’s opinion and experience.
7. Show Your Appreciation.
Gratitude develops goodwill. Management replies are excellent opportunities to tell guests and customers that you are thankful for their positive comments, as well as their constructive feedback. Don’t hesitate to tell people that you appreciate them. It most definitely goes a long way.
In Conclusion......Follow these steps to help maintain a positive reputation online for your business. Remember, whilst you may only be responding to one reviewer, thousands of other potential client’s may read your comments and form opinions about you and your brand. Take care to give the opinion that you run a respectful, attentive and thoughtful business. Your client’s will appreciate your interest.