Hotel reviews can tell you a lot about customer satisfaction and how they feel about your hotel. While these reviews can be a helpful tool, at times they might paint an unfair picture of your property and you may even end up with more negative reviews than positive ones. If this has happened to you, read on for some ways that you can avoid getting bad reviews. Check out these top hotels globally. Here are the top ten things that will help prevent people from giving your hotel a negative review:
1) Don’t overbook rooms
Make sure there is always available space so guests don’t feel like they need to share an extra room with someone else or have to find somewhere else to stay. When you have booked a room in advance it is not difficult to follow through.
2) Always ensure your room rates are competitive
Hotel rates should always be competitive, especially when there is a gap between a per night rate and what competitors are offering.
3) Check your in-room amenities
Make sure the TV’s have all of the channels, the bathroom has enough water pressure and mirrors aren’t chipped. If you can provide better customer experience for less money, you will get more positive guest reviews about your hotel. Here are also proven strategies to manage guest experience, leading to positive reviews, increased booking, and so on. If these conditions are taken care of right at the time of check-in, most guests will never even venture beyond their room or look into any other facets of their stay at your property.
4) Follow up on complaint
If you receive a complaint about your hotel, always follow-up in writing. If a guest does not feel like the service was satisfactory, they usually have the ability to relay their grievance and even provide details that would help you rectify the situation. If a guest is unhappy with certain issues such as poor service or dirty rooms, they may be able to provide additional information so that you can address the concerns.
5) On-call service
Make sure all of your employees know exactly what their roles are and how to perform their duties in a helpful and polite manner. Also be sure all employees are fully trained in areas that may involve dealing with guests or resolving problems as they arise.
6) Offer a breakfast
Have a nice and well fed breakfast for your guests. Not only does this make them feel better, it also shows them that you care about their experience when they leave your property at the end of the day. Breakfast is something many guests enjoy and therefore you should make sure they get a good one. If you can offer a good breakfast, lots of guests may not even realize that there are other hotels nearby that offer complimentary meals.
7) Guest request service
If you have any staff members staying at your hotel, never put them in charge of customer service requests. They may have a hard time relinquishing their authority and forgetting that they are working for the customer and not themselves. If a guest needs to complain about something or ask for additional items, it is best if they are helped by someone who doesn’t work at the hotel on a daily basis.
8) Hotel location
Many people will compare your hotel with other hotels and pick one based on location. If you are at a location that people don’t have as many options, you could potentially be a victim of an unfair review. If you have hotel rooms in a secluded location, be sure that there are lots of entertainment options nearby. If there aren’t many things to do, guests may turn to using the Internet and discover that there are other hotels in the area offering a better selection of services.
9) Brand loyalty
Many times, a guest may not even know about other hotels nearby but if they are loyal to a certain brand, they will more than likely choose it over yours. For example, many people like staying at Hilton and Marriott hotels because they frequent these chains when they travel on business or pleasure. If a brand name is already ingrained in their psyche, they might not even think to check out other hotels.
10) Friendly staff
Always make your staff available to all of your guests, especially when you are dealing with larger groups or families. An employee can also be a great source of entertainment and tips for guests looking for places to visit in the area. Some people might feel more comfortable dealing with someone that doesn’t work at the hotel because it may prevent them from getting any “brush off” treatment if they have a complaint about the hotel or its services. Try and make sure there is always someone available at all times, even if it means moving an employee from another area on an as needed basis.
Conclusion:
While it is not always easy to make your guests happy, by taking care of the items listed above, you will see that many guests will spread the word about your hotel and help improve your online reviews.
