Hotels Closely Watching Customer Review Sites
by July 21, 2014 12:00 am 66 views
Hotel owners and managers have become increasingly aware of the importance of monitoring customer review sites, as a growing number of patrons can give instant, public feedback through mobile devices.
As director of sales at Simmons Suites in Bentonville, it is Sheryl Culpepper’s responsibility to read comments on sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor.
She reviews comments immediately as they come in and replies if the matter is urgent. Otherwise, Culpepper replies to TripAdvisor comments once every 1-2 weeks.
She discusses the comments with the rest of the hotel team, which considers them in making real decisions, including identifying service issues, and also to “let the team know what we are doing right,” she said.
Culpepper said the hotel appreciates the feedback, and Steve Wright, director of sales, marketing and revenue management for Doubletree by Hilton of Springdale, agreed.
Wright said he encourages travelers to read the candid comments on TripAdvisor, because the positive feedback attracts more business. “I see TripAdvisor.com as our friend,” he said.