Tourism Reputation Management

16 Jun 2010

When you go on holidays, what are the things you expect? - These expectations can often lead to great disappointment when they are not met by the place where you are staying, or an attraction you are visiting.

 

I am of the unusual sort of internet professional who only checks websites like Trip Advisor when I arrive somewhere, but there are plenty of people who check such sites before they travel, and for better or worse report what they find on their return from holidays. These opinions often can reflect badly on an attraction or place of accommodation, which people are far more likely to look at than positive reviews. The real key to success against this new form of word of mouth is interaction, not counteraction.

The Technical Stuff

Sites such as Trip Advisor rate attractions in an area, say a town or townland based on popularity, the worst case scenario is ending up as the #34 out of 34 type of attraction. People who browse sites like Trip Advisor (generally those with internet access and spare time, hence often medium – high income), will probably avoid your attraction. Constant poor reviews will eventually lead to being blacklisted on such sites, for example Trip Advisor does an annual Worst Hotels In..., Worst Attractions In..., etc, section each year. Several attractions and hotels in the past have threatened legal action, however this is neither advised, nor feasible as the information provided on Trip Advisor and similar sites is often delivered under international laws, and specifically US law which constitutionally defends the right to freedom of speech.

 

How To Recover A Bad Reputation

Most websites of the type similar to Trip Advisor will allow you, as the verified owner of an attraction to sign up and reply to complaints and thank good reviewers. This is particularly useful as if future probable complainants see that your company listens they may be far more honest, and understanding about what their feelings are. I remember talking to a Scottish hotel owner about the subject, they outsource their replies to an outside Online PR company, such and Smith and Wise, to deal with such complaints. To this hotel owner, Trip Advisor was very important, and hence why his hotel was both beautifully maintained, with kind staff, excellent value and in my honest opinion, one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in.

 

DIY Reputation Management

If you choose not to use Smith and Wise to manage your online presence, which we highly recommend you do to avoid certain legal and technical loopholes, here are some tips:

• Setup a feedback form on your website with a dedicated email address, have this going directly to a director or a marketing person, not someone who will ignore emails. Reply to every email, if you do, their contents will probably be published online in frustration.
  
  
• Signup and get verified by websites like Trip Advisor, and other localised rating websites.
  
  
• Maintain an active social network presence, such as Twitter and Facebook. Comments posted on these sites are fair easier to manage and reply to.
  
  
• If someone is genuinely upset or frustrated, give them an answer commensurate with their issues, one line answers which are abrupt or dismissive and more damaging than no answer at all. Smith and Wise can reply to such issues in a professionally copywritten manner for as little as €30, if you aren't good at writing consider who is!
  
  
• If someone is really disgruntled, or reading through their treatment on a website turns your own stomach as someone who owns / operates a facility, get in contact with them, and offer them something in compensation, even if it's only worth a fraction of their stay, a small concession and admittance of failure can be enough to make most people forgive your company or brand.

 

Hopefully if you follow these tips your brand should remain on the straight and narrow online. If you have any comments or issues, please do contact Smith and Wise, our Online PR department is always available on 086 1780 743 or by emailing [email protected]

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