02/02/2016
Do Ratings & Reviews Affect Your Bookings?
Dec 19, 2015
You bet they do. Nothing will affect your booking or conversion rate more than bad reviews and ratings; in turn, great reviews and ratings will see more guests looking to book their upcoming holiday with you.
Before the internet took hold, a bad review or feedback was often just given to the front desk, and you could act on it either on the spot or before the next guest arrived. Now, past guests may not post feedback for days or weeks giving you very little opportunity to rectify any issues.
Have you ever had a guest who has told you everything was perfect when they were leaving, but a week later they had posted a negative review or given you negative ratings? No one knows what someone else is thinking, and many people are too polite to tell you face to face what is wrong. This is where review cards left in the property can help – a guest will be able to write down any issues they may have had and leave the card for you in the property. It means they don’t need to tell you the issues face to face, but because they have written them down, they may be more inclined to just leave it with you instead of plastering it all over the internet.
Negative reviews and ratings can really affect your business, even if you think it is only something small such as an air conditioner remote not having working batteries. If you use an online travel agent, or OTA, you may find with too many negative reviews left, you get bumped down the list leaving fewer chances for your property to get seen. With so many potential guests checking online review sites before booking accommodation these days, consistent negative reviews about small things can show to potential guests that you don’t pay enough attention to the property.
So how can you generate positive reviews and ratings online?
Become a guest
Sure it sounds funny to say stay in your own accommodation, but how better will you undergo the “guest experience” without doing, hearing, seeing and receiving exactly what they do? If you are unable to stay in your own accommodation simply because you are a small business, have a friend go through the process and give you feedback. The purpose of this exercise is to simply see your accommodation through the eyes of your guests and where you can improve.
Manage guest expectations
One of the worst things about turning up to a holiday accommodation venue is finding that it isn’t what was described to you. If a guest chooses your property due to your ‘fantastic ocean views’, they will be expecting proper ocean views, not just a glimpse of it in between 3 other buildings and some pine trees. While getting bookings is the way we make our money, it is best not to over sell or over promise. Tell your guests exactly what they need to know when booking and wow them with your great customer service and attentiveness to details when they get on site.
Great customer service rules
Being able to deliver great customer service is one way to combat negative reviews and ratings. If your guests can see that you are happy to try to accommodate their needs, or rectify issues as they are raised, you are more likely to receive positive reviews for your customer service skills.
We are all going to receive negative reviews from time to time; sometimes about things you can’t change such as the weather, attractions not being open or that your towels were white and not red. One or two negative reviews is not going to do your business much harm, but consistent negative reviews about the same things will. If your guests have left a review, acknowledge them and get to work rectifying the issues they have raised.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/do-ratings-reviews-affect-your-bookings-brett-carnell
You bet they do. Nothing will affect your booking or conversion rate more than bad reviews and ratings; in turn, great reviews and ratings will see more guests looking to book their upcoming holiday
