In today�s increasingly digital world, your Trip Advisor rating has never been so important.
Word of mouth has always played a vital role in spreading the word about hotels and guesthouses, but today, whether your guests have had a positive or a negative experience, they can instantly share their feedback with people around the world.
This means a string of negative reviews can be incredibly detrimental to your business.
Here are our top tips for generating positive reviews and increasing your Trip Advisor rating�
Set Realistic Expectations
The key to making your guests happy and generating positive reviews, is to ensure that their expectations are realistic from the start.
To do this, equip your guests with as much information about your hotel as possible, including details about your services and key amenities, your location, and your pricing. You should also provide images of your guestrooms and communal areas to give an accurate representation of your establishment, and it�s always a good idea to share reviews from previous guests.
It�s all about removing any ambiguity and guesswork � the more your guests know about you before they book, the less likely they are to make incorrect assumptions about your accommodation, meaning they are less likely to be disappointed or surprised when they arrive.
Meet and Exceed Those Expectations
Once you�ve set realistic expectations, you need to work hard to exceed them. As the saying goes, �under-promise and over-deliver.�
Adding a few little extras and finishing touches will allow you to surpass your guests� expectations and leave a lasting impression.
Finishing touches such as luxurious bathrobes and slippers, warm, cosy blankets, and gifts to take home will all make a difference. And why not create a pillow menu so that your visitors can choose their ideal hotel pillow?
These little touches will all help to make a great impression and encourage your guests to keep coming back to your establishment. In addition to this, if your visitors feel as though you�ve gone above and beyond to make their stay extra special, they are more likely to leave you a great Trip Advisor rating and tell everyone about their fantastic experience.
Address Negative Reviews
No matter how hard you work to generate positive online reviews, it�s almost impossible to avoid negative reviews altogether so it�s important that you deal with them in the most appropriate way.
Firstly, never ignore or delete a negative review � your guests and potential guests will see right through this approach and it will create the impression that you don�t care whether or not your guests have had a positive experience at your establishment.
Instead, take the time to respond to the negative review and explain what you�re going to do to address the issues raised. This will show your commitment to good customer service and make your guests feel as though their opinions truly count.
It�s also worth pointing out that negative reviews can help you to grow and expand your business. So make sure you pay close attention to the negative reviews as well as the positive ones � what have your guests been unhappy about? Are there any trends forming?
If you notice that your guests report finding your beds uncomfortable, for example, it might be time to start replacing them. Trip advisor provides plenty of scope for customer insight and will open up a whole host of opportunities for you to understand how you can improve your guests� experience.
By making just a few simple changes you can ensure that you generate more positive reviews online and in-turn encourage more online reservations.