Hospitality marketing is not always easy to get right!
Having your communication messages scrambled with the occasional unpalatable review on platforms like Trip Advisor can be a nightmare - and your business could suffer as a result. Yes you are entitled to a reply - but take the emotion out of it.
Most people reading these reviews when evaluating your venue understand that each post is a personal experience - so respond as positively as possible and continue with your marketing messages on all social media platforms.
What to do when you are criticised?
Have you heard the customer is always right? Shame about that because sometimes they are not! But you must become the bigger person and offer an apology. No one reading the review will know if the complaint happened or not - but they will read your response. A simple "Sorry for your experience" will do. Or "We are usually known for our exceptional customer service, and we are sorry you didn't experience that."
Responding to complaints can help increase customer support. Not responding to a negative online review decreases customer support.
A study by the Harvard Business Review found that when businesses respond to customer reviews -- good or bad -- their ratings subsequently increase. According to the study, customers who see previous management responses decide not to leave trivial or unsubstantiated negative reviews to avoid a potentially uncomfortable online interaction with the manager.
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