It’s been over a decade since the launch of My Space, arguably the world’s first social media site. In this time, we have seen fashions and technology change almost beyond recognition. But with 1.23 billion people actively using Facebook alone each month, social media is around to stay.
Life on social media can be a careful balancing act for the hospitality industry. Whilst social media has revolutionised the way people book and review hotels, instantly putting your hotel on a world stage, when a negative review, cynical tweet or pessimistic post crops up, hoteliers can often struggle to know how best to resolve the issue. But remember, an overwhelming 88 percent of people say their buying decisions are influenced by negative online reviews, according to customer service research by Zendesk. Don’t burry your head in the sand.
So, what happens if you receive a complaint from a disgruntled guest on social media? How should you respond?
Here’s our top 5 things to consider before your respond:
- Don’t take it personally: It’s easy to take a complaint against your hotel personally, and to some extent it is. This is your hotel and you should care what people say about it. However, before you respond to a complaint about your hotel, take a step back, look at the complaint from their point of view and respond in a calm and measured manner.
- Make sure they know you understand their concerns: Thank the guest for their feedback, make sure you’ve completely understood the situation and listen. Don’t fire off your response in the heat of the moment simply because you want to be heard.
- Take responsibility for the problem: Companies who take responsibility for their actions are often those who receive the most admiration online. Apologise for the error and explain that you will look into the issue and provide a resolution as soon as possible. Remember, other social media users will see the complaint and any response you give, so provide some directions in your reply that will help others find out more information about your hotel, in addition to how they’d be treated if it were them.
- Follow it up: If you are able to resolve the issue so your guest has left happy with your service, ask them to submit a follow-up post about it – maybe you’ve offered a free package at the hotel or a discount off their stay.
Remember your hotel’s social media account is an extension of your hotel: Don’t dismiss social media as a folly of the younger generations. It is an important part of your hotel brand and your customer service should be reflected here as much as anywhere else.
For Wired Media website click here
Follow Wired Media on Twitter here