News for the Hospitality Executive |
Parsippany, N.J. — December 4,
2012 — Looking for the "gift that keeps
on giving" this holiday season? A gift that gives travelers a feeling
of
appreciation, knowing their personal service requests have been heard?
What
about a gift for owners that improves the hotel's perceptions in the
online
marketplace and impacts purchasing decisions of future guests,
resulting in a
more healthy bottom line? This ideal gift is not a specialty item, nor
is it a here-today/gone-tomorrow
fad. It's something that 71% of travelers say they want and 68% say
determines
whether or not they at your hotel, according to Forrester Research and
TripAdvisor. This gift is the Guest
Review System available from Lodging
Interactive.
Lodging Interactive's Guest Review System is hotel-based guest comment system which enables guests to post comments about their hotel experience and provides hotel management with the ability to respond in real time when reviews are received. The Guest Review System ensures there are no delays in communication, and the appropriate staff can immediately fix any pending problems before the customer leaves the property or has the opportunity to post negative reviews on third-party websites. Additionally, travelers can share their guest reviews on their Facebook wall and to their network of friends. If the legitimacy of a negative review is in question, hoteliers can validate guest stay information before reviews are posted on their website, providing hotels with complete control on which reviews are made public. Do You Hear What I Hear? "No matter how great the service, there will always be a Scrooge ready to write a bad review," said DJ Vallauri, Lodging Interactive Founder and President. "Oftentimes complaints are justified and demand an immediate response and resolution. Other times, the rant is simply a bad seed planted by a competitor looking to give the hotel a black eye. Nonetheless, each provides a critical opportunity for the hotel to put its best foot forward." A 2011 Forrester study found that close to 50 percent of consumers will not book a hotel that doesn’t have online reviews. Likewise, PhocusWright reports that people who read online hotel reviews are 59 percent more likely to book. Hoteliers can't afford to ignore these statistics, yet many still do. As of August, only 32% of hotels worldwide are responding to reviews, according to a recent Tnooz article. That leaves a large universe of hoteliers who are turning a blind eye to their customers. The hotels that are engaging with guests are seeing a 6% increase in review scores (Tnooz). "Replying to reviews gives travelers confidence that they are booking at a hotel that will take care of their needs," Vallauri said. "Even responses to negative reviews written about a hotel makes 79% of travelers feel reassured, according to Forrester researchers. In today's economy, giving guests assurance and comfort is critical to gaining market share and boosting occupancy, average daily rate, revenue per available room and the bottom line. Investing in a Guest Review System is a small price to pay for loyalty and repeat business." "Lodging Interactive can help hotels that may have had below average guest-satisfaction scores move from the NAUGHTY to NICE list easily while rebuilding credibility, restoring consumer confidence, and regaining lost business from third-party review sites simply by adding our Guest Review System to their websites," Vallauri said. "It's easy to win guests' over -- even before they arrive -- simply by posting your position about guest service, immediately fixing what may be broke, and saying 'thank you' to those who compliment you for a job well done." The following are the Top 10 Rants and Raves in 2012 based on a survey of 1 million guest reviews that landed hotels on either the NAUGHTY or NICE list as reported on Tnooz:
To learn how you can keep your hotel off the NAUGHTY list in 2013, contact Lodging Interactive at www.lodgingInteractive.com. To learn how you can quickly and affordably add a Guest Review System to your website today, visit http://www.guestreviewsystem.com for details. About Lodging Interactive Lodging Interactive, headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, is an award winning leading provider of Internet Marketing Services to the hospitality, spa and restaurant industries. The company provides a portfolio of effective hotel Internet marketing services to hundreds of hotels, resorts, ownership properties, spas and restaurants. Clients include branded hotels from nearly every major brand as well as prestigious, landmark independent hotels. Through its CoMMingle Social Media Marketing Agency operating division, the Company offers hospitality focused and fully managed outsourced hotel social media marketing customized solutions. Lodging Interactive is an award winning interactive marketing agency and has been recognized as a leader by the International Academy of Visual Arts, Interactive Media Awards, Web Marketing Association and Travel Weekly’s Magellan Awards. Lodging Interactive is a proud supporter of the Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and a proud member of the Asian American Hotel Owners Assn. (AAHOA). For more information contact Roman Aluisy, Director of Business Development at [email protected] or at 877-291-4411 ext 705. The company’s website is located at www.LodgingInteractive.com |
Contact: Barb Worcester PRpro / Lodging Interactive Tel: (440) 930-5770 [email protected] DJ Vallauri Lodging Interactive Tel: ( 877) 291-4411 ext. 704 [email protected]
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