In today’s world, there is nothing more than reviews and feedback that helps foster customer decisions, making them the ultimate game-changer that can either make or break your business. When it comes to talking about the power of reviews and ratings, the only lesson that you need to follow is make positive feedbacks your greatest ally and turn your negative reviews into a pool of improvement, called Hotel Reputation Management.
Within the avenues of choosing a hotel, each and every guest will surely take a look at your reviews and customer feedback, before making the bookings. Additionally, if the number of negative reviews exceed positive ones, there are high chances that your hotel becomes blacklisted from their list. If you still don’t believe us, just take a look at these numbers which clearly reveals that 81% guests frequently or regularly read reviews before making their hotel reservations.
After taking a look at this alarming number, it’s obvious to be flummoxed, but we’re here to tell you that Hotel Reputation Management is your gateway to managing your hotel’s online reputation by maximising positive reviews and mitigating negative ratings.
Apprehending Hotel Reputation Management
Hotel Reputation Management basically refers to the tools, strategies and applications used to both monitor and manage the reputation of the hotel on all online platforms, including OTAs.
Being imperative to the hotel’s appeal, value, and revenue, hoteliers utilise online reputation management (ORM) which enables them to effectively reply to reviews, enhancing the hotel’s credibility, whilst showcasing hotel’s ability to value its guests’ opinions.
Enhancing the property, and service, hotel review management empower hotels to attract more guests, increase occupancy, and bolster profitability.
Importance of Hotel Reputation Management
Irrespective of whether the hotel is a contemporary player or a new establishment, both of them are leveraging a series of innovative ways to sell their names and manage their presence online.
In such a hospitality business environment, it’s very likely that the slow and steady won’t be the winner, rather success and growth will follow the one that moves faster.
Thus, in order to be the fastest moving hotel establishment, it’s paramount to harness reputation management.
With a top-notch ORM game, hotels don’t just enjoy enhanced visibility in the marketplace, but also stand a chance to have a stronger brand altogether.
When it comes to developing a stronger brand, online reputation management walks on the side of fostering promoters or brand loyalists, who are guests that are likely to recommend your hotels to others, thereby increasing your positive recommendations and elevating your hotel’s online presence to greater heights.
Benefits of Leveraging Hotel Online Reputation Management
The benefits of Hotel ORM are as follows:
- Hotel ORM plays a significant role in creating a greater brand impact, which makes the hotel more appealing to guests and thereby increases their revenue.
2. Prioritising the power of loyal customers and an army of promoters, ORM enables hotels to nurture meaningful relationships with both repeat and new guests.
3. Time and again, underscoring the importance of positive brand image in the eyes of guests, hotel reputation management cultivates robust brand image.
4. Within the tapestry of fierce competition, online review management goes a long way in bringing more guests, which allows hotels to remain competitive.
5. It’s quite understood that a hotel popular amongst guests is likely to attract the most qualified talent, as per which Hotel ORM refines the quality of services offered by hotels.
Now, coming down to the central focus of this blog, here’s a list of effective strategies for Hotel reputation management,
Capitalise on Online Reviews
Online reviews are the ultimate guide which offer guests the assurance they need about the hotel’s services, property, and amenities.
Since everyone today believes in saving time and money, and investing only in relevant experiences, it’s important that your hotel showcases its unique experience via the power of reviews.
Thus, by establishing presence on online reviews platforms like Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor, hotels can reach a wider customer base, and access greater revenue and occupancy.
Offer both During and Post-Stay Feedback
Like every other business, hotels too thrive on constructive feedback, which entails both during and post-stay feedback.
Hotel reputation managements will always be incomplete if both types of feedback are not involved, as the former collects valuable opinions, and the latter converts negative reviews into positive.
By acting on the pain-points enlisted within the during-stay feedback in real-time, hotels can offer a pleasant experience immediately, automatically turning the potential negative review into a good one.
Don’t Shy Away From Negative Reviews
As the name, Best Hotel reputation management already suggests, it becomes more evident than ever to always address both negative and positive reviews.
If your hotel only shows gratitude for positive reviews and leaves the negative ones unattended, it will only add to your hotel’s image of taking a greater hit than before.
Rather by assuring the negative reviewer of immediate resolution and connecting with them to know more about their issues, hotels can communicate the expression of regret and their commitment to do better in the future.
Make Social Media your BFF
In an era where social media breaks all boundaries, connecting the entire world together, it is mandatory for hotels as well to have a social media presence to connect with their guests regularly.
Enabling hotels to communicate their story, essence and values, while also replying to comments and queries, there is no tool greater than social media to deeply connect with the audience.
Start this journey by posting quality content, whether it’s reels, videos, or posts, and who knows you might just be able to connect with guests who may become your hotel’s loyalists in the future.
Utilise Digital Marketing Tactics to the Fullest
The most important rule of growth within the hospitality industry is adapting to the ever-evolving changes with utmost consistency.
In tandem, Hotel ORM demands both, making it prudent for hotels to incorporate digital marketing within its midst to gain maximum online traction.
Since digital marketing is an extremely vast field, hotels can either use content marketing to post engaging and resonant content on both the website and social media channels.
On the other, they can also leverage email marketing or digital advertising based on what suits their objectives the best.
After reading this blog, we hope you have a clear understanding about why Hotel Reputation Management is extremely essential for hotels. Not only does it empower hotels to survive but also helps them thrive in this ever-so-competitive marketplace.
For any service-driven businesses which are established on the ethos of catering to guests and their experiences, it is valuable that they share about their journey.
Thus, creating a reputation that attracts guests rather than pushing them away, is the holy grail of such businesses.
This is your cue to immediately think of the image you would like to create for your hotel And if you are struggling with hotel reputation management, feel free to reach out to us, as we’re always there to help you out.
FAQs
1. What is the meaning of Hotel Reputation Management?
Hotel Reputation Management basically refers to the tools, strategies and applications used to both monitor and manage the reputation of the hotel on all online platforms, including OTAs.
2. What makes a hotel’s reputation?
A hotel’s reputation is made up by the valuable opinions shared by the guests about their experience, they can either be in the forms of reviews, ratings, or even feedback.
3. Why is management of reputation in the hotel industry important?
In the ever-so-competitive hospitality environment managing the hotel’s reputation is important, as no guest, especially in this relevant-experience drive era, wants to make their decision before assessing the hotel’s online reviews.
4. How is Hotel Reputation Management beneficial?
With Hotel Reputation Management, hotels can create a greater brand impact, attract more guests, increase revenue, nurture relations, build hotel’s market image, stay competitive and much more.
5. What is the value of Hotel Reputation Management ?
The value of hotel reputation management goes beyond monetary attachments, bringing forth stability, growth and success in the hotel’s life cycle.