Even if you do your best to impress every guest that walks through your doors, it’s impossible to please everyone. Sometimes you’ll find that a former guest has left you a negative review, and it’ll be up to you to remedy the situation in the most effective way possible. Unchecked negative reviews on popular travel websites can really impact an independent hotel’s online reputation, as prospective guests read what they believe are negative experiences by those who have booked with you before. Your job is to respond to these negative reviews, and to give them the thoughtful attention they deserve.

At OccupancySolutions.com, we want to address some of the most common negative review points independent hotels may experience, and how to remedy these in the most effective manner possible:

  • Poor customer service experiences – Poor customer service reviews can really affect your online reputation, and make prospective guests think that they’re likely to have a poor customer service experience as well. When these reviews show up, respond by addressing the customer service concern directly and apologizing for any negative interaction. If the customer service concern stems from what is ultimately a guest mistake, respectfully pointing out this fault is helpful.
  • Cleanliness reviews – Mistakes happen, and these mistakes might come in the form of a trash bag left behind, a mirror spot that wasn’t wiped away, or other cleanliness concerns. When these types of negative reviews pop up, make sure to apologize for the problem, emphasize how you place cleanliness as a priority, and reassure the guest that you are taking the necessary measures to improve these issues going forward.
  • Booking or charging mistakes – Booking or charging mistakes happen, but they’re still a serious inconvenience to your guests. When these issues arise, make sure to address the problem with the guest as quickly as possible to resolve the issue, and respond to the review by politely declaring that the issue has been resolved.

If you’re interested in learning more about resolving your negative reviews and improving your online reputation, contact us at OccupancySolutions.com today.