Reputation Management; How to deal with Tripadvisor, Yelp et al.

I have deliberately not used Online as part of the title.  Your business reputation is never an online only matter.  My theory is that if you handled complaints well offline you will handle them well online.

A prime example of offline affecting online is Ballymascanlon Hotel, where they are in the process of suing Google due to the auto-complete function suggesting “Ballymascanlon Hotel Receivership” as a search term.  The issue is that if people were not searching for that term already due to offline gossip and rumours then Google would never suggest it as a term. http://mashable.com/2011/06/15/google-autocomplete-lawsuit/

With regards to online review sites ... you should handle them exactly the same way you would handle the same situation offline.  Translating the online to an offline scenario just requires a little thought.

Scene 1: Direct Complaint

An immediate review complaining about a perceived failing = guest standing at counter complaining loudly.

In the offline example you would address the customer professionally apologising that they feel that way and asking them to a quiet part of the premise to go over their issues.  Online you do the same, deal with it professionally and get them on e-mail or even back to the premises to discuss.  You would not get into a shouting match at the counter so why would you online?

Scene 2: Hearsay

A Review appearing days later alleging anything from slow service to food poisoning = someone telling you at a networking event, or coming in to the business and saying “A friend of mine was in last week and he says he had a really bad experience.”

Offline you would have said something along the lines of “I am sorry to hear that, do you know if he let us know at the time?  Either way would you like to get your friend to contact me and we can discuss it with him and see what we can do to solve the problem.”  Do the same.  “I am sorry you/they did not let us know at time.  Please contact us at your convenience so that we can discuss the circumstances

The golden rule is that as long as you handle the complaint professionally if the reviewer then keeps on going on about it, they look foolish and the business gains the kudos.

The important point is to handle the complaint well.  My personal preference is always to get the guest back and make sure they have a great experience.  Again if they refuse this then it is them that look unreasonable.  I would never (read very, very rarely) give money off.  If you do that they go away and say I had a bad experience and got my money back.  Whereas if you get them back then they say I had a great experience but they got me back and it was great.  Please do not do what some people do and invite them back with so many restrictions and caveats that you end up souring the invite.

Scenario 3 – The False Review

The situation where a competitor (or disgruntled member of staff) posts a review about your business alleging a bad experience or about their own business reciting a glowing experience. = Competitors or ex staff bad mouthing your business in the pub.

Despite the fact it is easier to hide your identity online, I am convinced that these will come out eventually and online as offline it is the person spreading the rumours that looks foolish.  Most of these sort of reviews can be handled by the procedures above.  With the added response of ...  “I am very sorry; however, we do not appear to have a record of your visit?  Please accept our apologies and contact us directly so that we can address your concerns.” This would be an obvious indication to most readers that the review is dubious.

Scenario 4 – The Positive Negative Review!

A family complain about the provision for children in a predominantly couples and business focused hotel.  This situation could apply online or offline, however, in this case it can re-enforce your brand.

The key here is that the family is not your target market.  As long as the complaint is about the children’s facilities and you handle it professionally, this will actually re-enforce to business people and couples that you are the right place for them to go to and you really do not cater for children. 

The main question you have to ask yourself is how did the family come to stay with you in the first place?  If it turns out to be because of necessity, e.g. you were last room available and they had to travel those dates, that is fine.  If there is something in your marketing material that could be construed the wrong way then change it.

Conclusion

Businesses get far too hung up on the perceived secrecy of online reviews, the fact that they are visible to so many people and in seeing all negative reviews as bad.  The truth is that if you keep site of your core markets and handle complaints well offline ... you will handle them well online (and vice versa).  Just because it is the web the rules do not change.