Ever-changing consumer habits have given great importance to any online review related to hotels, compared to how it was in the past. Whether these reviews are positive or negative has a critical role in purchase decisions of customers.
In our era, people are able to express their ideas easily through social media. Even simplest issues that can be solved face-to-face by calming a dissatisfied customer might actually become big if they are not discussed properly on social media.
Avoiding being online for such changes or ignoring negative comments might cause a serious loss both in the number of your customers and at the bottom line. At first, it might seem a bit difficult to handle that. However, you can actually turn this negative situation into something advantageous for you with the help of minor, but effective precautions.
We believe that 5 tips below will work very well for you to turn possible online complaints about your property into an opportunity rather than problems.
1- Change your point of view
Try to take negative reviews as constructive comments that will help you improve your work; do not regard them as problems. Remember that your customer is actually demanding your attention no matter how sharp his/her review is.
2- Direct communication
Emotional connection with customers is placed at the same level of importance as products in service industry. Direct communication with customers has a key role within the context of your commitments to them. Approaching a dissatisfied customer with a considerate, intimate, open and sincere attitude provides you a fundamental benefit that can change the course of a negative experience. Try to access them via multiple channels such as the Internet as well as telephone or e-mail so that you can turn a disadvantage into an advantage.
3- From negative criticism to loyalty
Customers who share their negative opinions on social media will probably prefer sharing changes related to the subject of concern as well. Even those with sharpest reviews might become your loyal defenders in handling the process, which will glorify you in the eye of your potential customers.
4- How to respond
First, begin with thanking them for their comments and posts. Therefore, your customer will understand that you care about them and take them seriously. Regardless of the way your customer expresses himself/herself, keep following a kind, thoughtful and respectful attitude. Your potential customers might tend to identify themselves with dissatisfied customers until you respond. Your language and attitude can be useful for keeping that balance and help them handle this problem more impartially.
Communicate with relevant people about the problem. The data you collect before responding will be helpful for you to decide what actions to take in handling the problem. Share the information related to the subject and explain the solution process. Defending yourself might pose a challenging process regardless of the attitude your customer adopts while criticizing. This process will become easier only when you focus on the problem with a professional approach.
5- Care and follow the process
Remember that responding to negative reviews can become an opportunity for you to enhance your prestige on social media. Responding any comment quickly will be perceived as a proof for your concern about your work and customers. It will be very useful to work with an external social media management agency and build a professional team that will only deal with this subject if possible.
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