Many hotel owners feel the pain of negative reviews, but unfortunately, most don’t know what to do about it. Negative reviews can be incredibly damaging to your business, so you need to handle them quickly and effectively to mitigate the effects. Follow these five tips for effective business review management in the digital space to combat those negative online reviews and get your online reputation back on track
1. Develop A Long Term Review Management Strategy
Before you begin to take actions based on a review, develop a long-term strategy. Which market are you trying to target? You have to research to understand if the audience will be receptive to your brand and its offerings. If they exist, who are they, and what do they care about your product or service? What kind of content would resonate with them? These factors should inform everything from your social media tactics and how frequently you update your website to how often you respond to reviews.
It’s easy to get caught up in responding to negative reviews. Instead, focus on building relationships by responding thoughtfully and genuinely when appropriate. It will help you create a positive reputation over time. An expert in business review management can help you decide which strategies make sense for your brand and industry.
2. Encourage Engagement from Your Customers
Social media gives your customers a direct, easy way to provide you with feedback. Rather than waiting until they’re angry to find out that something went wrong, embrace it and create an avenue for them to give you constructive criticism. After all, the more information you have about what your customers need from you, the better you can serve them. And isn’t excellent customer service what it’s all about?
If nothing else, social media also gives you access to valuable user-generated content (UGC) on which you can build your business. For example, if one of your clients posts a picture of themselves using one of your products or services, consider reposting it on your account, tagging them, and giving them credit via a simple Thanks! Comment or share on Facebook or Twitter. However, you may need a professional in business review management to help manage these reviews and comments.
3. Keep an Eye On the Competition
To stay on top of your hotel business, keep an eye on your competition. If you want to thrive online and maintain a firm grip on your industry, read reviews that mention your competitors. You can also monitor them via social media channels like Facebook or Twitter. It can give your insight into their public image and marketing plans—and allow you to catch up if they seem ahead of you!
Also, look at how they respond to customer feedback—it could help you improve your approach. You will be able to detect new patterns and trends emerging to understand better what consumers are looking for from brands. So, don’t just watch your direct competition; scan local businesses and national ones so you can gauge whether any regional differences affect your bottom line.
4. Create a Consistent Review Management Campaign
Setting up a review management campaign is essential whether you’re a new or established business. While some companies avoid doing so due to lack of time or budget, you will only stand out from your competitors if you have an active and consistent presence on platforms such as Yelp and Google+. A professional in review management can help you set up these campaigns by researching your niche and creating engaging content that will encourage customers to leave reviews.
The more positive reviews you receive, the better! Professionals will also help protect you from negative naysayers who might try to sabotage your reputation. In addition, they can teach you how to be proactive when responding to negative comments and reviews—this way, you won’t end up with a string of 1-star ratings because of one angry customer.
5. Take Control of Negative Content and Reviews
Having a solid online reputation is critical for your business’s online presence. Customers are more likely to trust and engage with a company with good experiences and reputation. If you have negative reviews, make sure you address them and work hard to improve your product or service offerings. Take ownership of any problems that customers are experiencing – but also make sure you’re highlighting any positive experiences your company has had.
It’s also crucial not to let extreme negative reviews get under your skin. Responding to every disinformation isn’t necessary and could even be counterproductive if you’re coming across as defensive. Instead, a professional and reliable company dealing with business reviews and reputation can help you with the suppression of damaging content so that misinformation about your brand remains invisible. That way, you’ll have the energy to focus on making improvements to please current and future customers.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a big or small hotel business or have an online presence, negative comments are likely part of your business model. Negative feedback often surprises firms but can also cause immense damage. It’s, therefore, crucial to take proactive steps to manage and monitor your brand reputation on digital platforms. A team of professionals in business reviews and reputation with proven experience can help you stay ahead of negative reviews and ensure they don’t harm your company’s image.
