As a hotelier, few things are as disheartening as seeing customers leave poor reviews for your business. The more negative reviews you receive, the harder it can be for your business to be potential customers’ first choice. You might not be able to avoid all negative reviews, but you might improve your chances of more positive ones by taking the following actions:
Upgrade Your Beds
Many people visit hotels to enjoy a restful night before a day of tourist activities in a new town or city. If your beds aren’t comfortable, that restful night’s slumber isn’t guaranteed. You might improve your online reviews by upgrading your beds and bedding. If you click here, you can learn more about quality mattresses and their desirable features. Alongside new mattresses, you might also consider purchasing new bedding sets and pillows to make your rooms appear more luxurious than they already are.
Prioritize Customer Service
Many poor reviews across multiple industries relate to customer service. If customers don’t have their needs taken care of, they may be more inclined to share their negative experiences online. Improve customer service, and they may reward you with positive stories about their experiences. If you don’t typically prioritize customer service, now might be the right time to start. There are many ways you can improve customer service, such as:
- Taking advantage of training opportunities
- Sending customer surveys
- Offering multiple communication options
- Asking for feedback so you know the areas to improve
- Creating a customer service policy
- Going above and beyond to make your customers’ stays memorable
Address Review Pain Points
As heartbreaking as it can be to see multiple negative reviews being posted about your business, you can use them as a learning opportunity. Browse through your reviews and write down what people do and don’t like about your hotel.
Addressing negative points early might prevent them from being a problem in the future. You might even like to respond to those reviewers, thanking them for the negative review and explaining how you’ve addressed the issues to benefit future customers.
Go the Extra Mile
At a minimum, customers expect a clean hotel room with a comfortable bed for a restful night’s sleep. However, that doesn’t have to be all you provide. Go above and beyond, and customers might be more likely to book your hotel again.
For example, you might treat a honeymooning couple to complimentary drinks or upgrade them to a luxury suite. You might also leave a sweet treat and late checkout options for couples celebrating anniversaries. Small gestures might make more of a difference than you think.
Watch Your Competition
The hospitality industry can be fiercely competitive, with hoteliers fighting for market share in the same town or city. You might notice more positive reviews and fewer negative ones by offering more than your competition. The weaker they are in one area, the stronger you can be to stand out from the crowd.
As disheartening as negative reviews can be, they can also be a learning opportunity. Focus on these important areas above, and it might only be a matter of time before your hotel starts receiving the positive reviews you know it deserves.
