What is a hotel's greatest marketing tool? The secret is not advertising, it's the guests.Your hotel's reputation can be affected by customer satisfaction. Even though guest preferences and behavior change, hotels that provide memorable experiences receive positive reviews.A great property is built on guest satisfaction. Without it, there's nothing. Reviews are a significant part of the guest experience.Your first priority should be to improve your guest service scores if your hotel is in trouble. Here's what you should do.Each touchpoint can improve customer serviceThe hotel experience does not begin at the front desk. Before guests arrive, they can book their hotel online and speak with an agent at the front desk. Online representation can often decide whether a customer books.Are you able to provide multichannel customer service? Relying on only your desk agents to resolve complaints is not always efficient or effective. To prepare for guest complaints, make sure you have your website, email, and social media accounts set up. A social media strategy can help you stay ahead of the game and ensure guests have a seamless experience. No matter how guests interact with you, they are still getting the same thing: You're delivering.Get feedback from your guestsDo not rely on the reviews that you find online. Ask for reviews! Customers can give feedback to the company and have the opportunity to voice their grievances. You can also consolidate your relationship and avoid any negative feedback from the public. This will allow you to recognize the strengths and areas for improvement. This can be done through traditional feedback cards, personal interactions, or online/mobile survey. Good property fosters an environment where employees feel empowered and can address customer concerns.Respond to ReviewsRespond quickly to any negative reviews. StrategyOne research shows that 93 percent of travellers believe online reviews have an impact on their booking decisions.You can personalize your responses by directly speaking to the guest. Here's an example of a great response:Dear [Guest], we are grateful for your feedback. We are sorry that your experience did not meet your expectations. We are happy to speak with you to discuss this and help you find the best solution. You can reach us at [Email address] or [Phone number]. We are grateful again!Based on the feedback, your response will be customized. Also, be grateful for positive reviews! This topic is covered in more detail in one of our earlier articles.Follow and implementYou can now track and request feedback from your guests to help you find ways to make changes. Although executives may be aware of guest reviews, few convert that feedback into meaningful information. This can prove frustrating for guests who want their advice to be applied in the future.You need to define your scope in order to get relevant feedback on specific challenges. A series of negative reviews almost always has the same pattern. If reviewers consistently complain about the quality of food, it is a sign that you need to know where to spend your time and resources. You should invest in training if you find that reviewers are unhappy about the service quality. You should not find commonalities if you don't see them.Are there more negative than positive reviews about your hotel? Maybe you are looking for new leaders to transform the culture in your hotel, but local talent isn't providing the right leadership. JDI is available to help you if that's the case.We are one of the most prominent hotel recruiters in the country and we work hard to find the perfect match between property and candidate.Click here to learn more about our hospitality recruitment services.
