It doesn't matter if you have a bar, a club with a capacity of 500 seats, a Michelin-starred restaurant, a cafe with three tables, a 400-room hotel, or a guesthouse with three rooms. Genuine reviews, posted by real clients with public profiles, are crucial for those in the hospitality industry. And we'll explain why.
- It Helps with SEO (Search Engine Optimization). For businesses that predominantly sell locally, reviews push your business up in search results. But also for others, reviews on popular sites have a beneficial effect.
- More Importantly: Reviews are crucial because they matter to your customers. They rely on other customers' opinions when evaluating their accommodation options and when deciding to book with X or Y. The more positive reviews you have, the more you will sell.
However, it's not easy to convince customers to write positive reviews. Human nature means those who have reasons to complain are more likely to express their dissatisfaction than those who are pleased are to praise you. Here are our tips for obtaining more positive reviews:
1.Ask for Them.
It may sound basic, but it's the first step. Ask and you shall receive. Every guest that stays with you should be asked to leave a few lines on the hotel website, on the booking page (or any other platform you use), or on your Facebook page. Does your website have a review section enabled? Pynbooking provides one, ask a consultant here about how it can be activated.
2. Automate the Request.
It's hard for your employees to remember each guest. And it can be annoying for customers. Automated requests are the most effective. Your software should send a review invitation to every guest who has stayed with you. The receptionist might forget, but a hotel management program doesn’t. Pynbooking sends such automated emails. You could also implement pop-up forms on the site, or follow-up emails to find out how satisfied customers were with their stay.
3. When Making the Request, Ensure You’re Addressing Satisfied Customers.
Now we're focusing on positive reviews. This doesn't mean that negative ones are unimportant: if you don't know what’s displeasing, you can't improve. But having happy customers assumes there are reasons for their happiness. If you notice on Facebook, for example, a customer gave you a 5-star rating, you can encourage them to write a review. If they provide a low score, take the opportunity to find out what didn't meet expectations. Thank them for the feedback, assure them of your openness, make the necessary changes, and inform them and the score might change.
4. Explain Why Reviews Are Important.
To increase the number of positive reviews for your business, inform your customers about their importance. Customers who want to support you will do so by writing a few lines. Don't be afraid of seeming vulnerable. Honesty is captivating. Tell them that reviews are very helpful for an independent hotelier like you. Not just for you, but also for other consumers.
5. Simplify the Process.
We know no one has the patience to fill out forms. If a customer is kind enough to want to write a review, ensure it’s easy, that your website has functional tools, and that they can do it just as easily from their mobile as from their laptop. Pynbooking offers all of this: a modern, user-friendly review module. The section should also be visible and easy to find.
6. Which Review Site Should You Prioritize?
When asking your customers to leave a review, it's not a good idea to bombard them with countless sites. Instead, focus on the channels they already use. If a customer came to you via booking.com, they will most likely leave a review there. If it's a direct booking, they should ideally use the hotel website or the Facebook page.
7. Tell Them How Easy It Is to Write a Review.
Many people are unfamiliar with the concept and believe that writing a review means composing a scholarly essay. Assure them it will only take 2-3 minutes, or even just a few seconds if it's about pressing the 5 stars.
8. Respond to Already Posted Reviews.
The easiest way to stimulate a dialogue (and reviews are a form of dialogue, a way of keeping in touch with your customers) is to ensure you're participating in the dialogue and not allowing reviews to turn into monologues. Respond to reviews – whether positive or negative and offer feedback and explanations. Don't shy away from responding to negative ones. People will feel ignored, and it's a mark against you for other potential customers.
9. Offer Incentives.
Offering small rewards is the easiest way to convince your customers to write reviews. Consider your customer profile, their likes, and their age group (software like Pynbooking helps you know who your customers are) and offer bonuses accordingly. If you run a campaign in this regard, ensure the reward is visible in the "subject" of the email.
10. Find the Right Time.
The timing of when the customer receives the review invitation should be carefully chosen. It's essential not to allow too much time to pass between the stay and writing the review, especially if it was a pleasant experience, as the customer should still have the delightful details fresh in their mind.
11. Remind Them, but Don’t Insist.
Sometimes, it’s useful to ask again. It's not enough to contact them; you also need to follow up. Some customers may be busy and postpone writing the review. You can politely reiterate the initial request just once.
The golden rule is this: for positive reviews, offer quality. Provide more than what customers expect, and they will reward you. And reviews attract other customers. By initiating a conversation with your customers, others will join.
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