September 14, 2017
SCREEN PILOT SERIES – HOTEL REPUTATION MANAGEMENT: 3 Ways to Set Guest Expectations On Social Media
"You never get a second chance to make a first impression."That familiar adage is increasingly applicable in our digital world, especially in the hospitality vertical. With the plethora of photos, videos, and reviews about a hotel available online, your guest’s first impression is made before they even set foot on property.Gone are the days when only the front desk and housekeeping staff would hear complaints about a dirty room – now any mishap can be amplified to the masses through social media. Now, more than ever, a cohesive reputation management strategy is often needed.Fortunately, there are ways to control a prospective guest's first impression of your hotel. Here at Screen Pilot, we make it a priority to manage guest expectations by engaging the right guests for our clients, responding to reviews, and providing customer support via social media.1. Engage the right guest.Setting guest expectations starts with engaging the right guests for your hotel. If you’re a family-focused property hosting a constant pool party, it’s unlikely that solo business travelers will have a relaxing stay. Keep your target audience in mind when developing digital ads and optimizing your website to avoid attracting the “wrong” type of guest who will have an unpleasant experience and will be unlikely to return.Start by evaluating how your hotel is portrayed online: do your Facebook ads highlight the fact that your hotel is in the countryside, without easy access to downtown? Make sure your location is clarified in the ad copy and highlighted on the website, preferably with an interactive map. This will ensure that guests looking for a resort in the countryside will click on your ad instead of someone looking to stay in the city. In addition to location, be sure to clarify what amenities your resort has to attract customers looking for that feature. Does your hotel have an amazing pool? Have photos and videos of it front and center so there’s no question in a user’s mind about whether you have a place to cool off. Did the chef at your on-site restaurant win Master Chef? Shout it from the rooftops!Highlight what makes your property unique and why your audience should want to stay there. Be upfront about your hotel’s location and amenities to prevent guest disappointment and attract guests that are more likely to write a glowing recommendation when expectations are met.
2. Respond to reviews.Another way to ensure that prospects have the best first impression of your hotel is to respond to reviews, both negative and positive. According to a 2014 study by TripAdvisor, 77% of travelers reference reviews before booking a hotel, and 80% read between six and twelve reviews. Travelers reported that the main reason they check reviews is to feel confident that they are choosing the right hotel, which is an opportunity to assure them that your property is the best choice. At the very least, be sure to respond to reviews that set an improper expectation for other guests.For example, if a review states that your hotel has no parking when you actually do, be sure to respond to clarify the parking situation for anyone reading that review. Interacting with both positive and negative reviews shows that you value guest feedback and inviting a guest to return may increase guest loyalty. Responding shows that you hear your guests, and sets an expectation of the type of service they will receive on property.3. Provide customer support via social media channels.Interacting with guests on social media is not only beneficial to your hotel, but expected by customers. In fact, 83% of consumers want brands to respond to them when mentioned, a stat that jumps to 93% among millennials. When a guest has a question, it’s crucial to have a plan in place to respond since 57% of consumers head straight online to seek customer service. For hotels, being responsive answers the underlying question all travelers have, “are these people going to look after me?” If a hotel can’t take a minute to answer a question on their Instagram about parking, it shows that they don’t care.While that sounds a bit dramatic, think about it like this: If you call a customer support phone number, you expect someone to answer. If your property doesn’t have a plan in place to respond to people on social media, it is akin to having a call center with no staff to answer the phones. Social media is a 24/7 customer support phone line, and you must have someone answering those calls.Responding on social can also be a revenue driving force, as we recently saw. One of our clients (for whom we provide social media management for) received the following message on Facebook:
This message was in reference to an amenity under construction at our client’s resort. The messenger’s uncertainty about booking there promoted Screen Pilot’s social team to act fast. We quickly crafted a plan to assure the messenger that the resort had plentiful activities to keep the children entertained. To prove it, we sent photos, shared event calendars, and immediately responded to further questions. The result:
We drove significant revenue for our client by interacting with that guest and addressing all concerns in a timely manner. This exchange is an example of using social media to correct an improper expectation (that kids would be bored at the resort) and turned a prospect into a guest.Managing guest expectations will only increase in importance as more travelers book hotels online. If your digital ads and website are cohesive in accurately displaying your hotel, guests that are more likely to be satisfied will book. Don’t let someone’s first impression of your hotel be set by others - take back control by being responsive and set the expectation of stellar service that you’re proud to provide.Get the latest hospitality industry insights, inspiration, trends and more delivered directly to your inbox.Sign up for our newsletter, #NowTrending.
"You never get a second chance to make a first impression."That familiar adage is increasingly applicable in our digital world, especially in the hospitality vertical. With the plethora of photos, videos, and reviews about a hotel available online, your guest’s first impression is made before they even set foot on property.Gone are the days when only the front desk and housekeeping staff would hear complaints about a dirty room – now any mishap can be amplified to the masses through social media. Now, more than ever, a cohesive reputation management strategy is often needed.Fortunately, there are ways to control a prospective guest's first impression of your hotel. Here at Screen Pilot, we make it a priority to manage guest expectations by engaging the right guests for our clients, responding to reviews, and providing customer support via social media.1. Engage the right guest.Setting guest expectations starts with engaging the right guests for your hotel. If you’re a family-focused property hosting a constant pool party, it’s unlikely that solo business travelers will have a relaxing stay. Keep your target audience in mind when developing digital ads and optimizing your website to avoid attracting the “wrong” type of guest who will have an unpleasant experience and will be unlikely to return.Start by evaluating how your hotel is portrayed online: do your Facebook ads highlight the fact that your hotel is in the countryside, without easy access to downtown? Make sure your location is clarified in the ad copy and highlighted on the website, preferably with an interactive map. This will ensure that guests looking for a resort in the countryside will click on your ad instead of someone looking to stay in the city. In addition to location, be sure to clarify what amenities your resort has to attract customers looking for that feature. Does your hotel have an amazing pool? Have photos and videos of it front and center so there’s no question in a user’s mind about whether you have a place to cool off. Did the chef at your on-site restaurant win Master Chef? Shout it from the rooftops!Highlight what makes your property unique and why your audience should want to stay there. Be upfront about your hotel’s location and amenities to prevent guest disappointment and attract guests that are more likely to write a glowing recommendation when expectations are met.
2. Respond to reviews.Another way to ensure that prospects have the best first impression of your hotel is to respond to reviews, both negative and positive. According to a 2014 study by TripAdvisor, 77% of travelers reference reviews before booking a hotel, and 80% read between six and twelve reviews. Travelers reported that the main reason they check reviews is to feel confident that they are choosing the right hotel, which is an opportunity to assure them that your property is the best choice. At the very least, be sure to respond to reviews that set an improper expectation for other guests.For example, if a review states that your hotel has no parking when you actually do, be sure to respond to clarify the parking situation for anyone reading that review. Interacting with both positive and negative reviews shows that you value guest feedback and inviting a guest to return may increase guest loyalty. Responding shows that you hear your guests, and sets an expectation of the type of service they will receive on property.3. Provide customer support via social media channels.Interacting with guests on social media is not only beneficial to your hotel, but expected by customers. In fact, 83% of consumers want brands to respond to them when mentioned, a stat that jumps to 93% among millennials. When a guest has a question, it’s crucial to have a plan in place to respond since 57% of consumers head straight online to seek customer service. For hotels, being responsive answers the underlying question all travelers have, “are these people going to look after me?” If a hotel can’t take a minute to answer a question on their Instagram about parking, it shows that they don’t care.While that sounds a bit dramatic, think about it like this: If you call a customer support phone number, you expect someone to answer. If your property doesn’t have a plan in place to respond to people on social media, it is akin to having a call center with no staff to answer the phones. Social media is a 24/7 customer support phone line, and you must have someone answering those calls.Responding on social can also be a revenue driving force, as we recently saw. One of our clients (for whom we provide social media management for) received the following message on Facebook:
This message was in reference to an amenity under construction at our client’s resort. The messenger’s uncertainty about booking there promoted Screen Pilot’s social team to act fast. We quickly crafted a plan to assure the messenger that the resort had plentiful activities to keep the children entertained. To prove it, we sent photos, shared event calendars, and immediately responded to further questions. The result:
We drove significant revenue for our client by interacting with that guest and addressing all concerns in a timely manner. This exchange is an example of using social media to correct an improper expectation (that kids would be bored at the resort) and turned a prospect into a guest.Managing guest expectations will only increase in importance as more travelers book hotels online. If your digital ads and website are cohesive in accurately displaying your hotel, guests that are more likely to be satisfied will book. Don’t let someone’s first impression of your hotel be set by others - take back control by being responsive and set the expectation of stellar service that you’re proud to provide.Get the latest hospitality industry insights, inspiration, trends and more delivered directly to your inbox.Sign up for our newsletter, #NowTrending.
