Melo Villareal
Why You Should Respond to Customer Reviews in Travel Websites
Travel review websites like TripAdvisors.com are huge influencers as more and more people consult these websites before going on their planned trips. Offering information not just on destinations but also on hotels, transportation, car rentals, and other travel-based concerns, it has become important for those in the travel niche to pay close attention to these travel websites.
The Input of Customers
Other than giving valuable information about hotels and other services, these websites are equipped with a comment and feedback sections that allow customers to post about their experiences. Future customers also read these comments to help them make a decision about their travel. A bad comment can discourage customers while a good comment has the opposite effect.
So why should you bother responding?
The Value of Responses
Responding to comments, whether they’re bad or good, helps balance the perception of readers about your service. For example, a good comment is worth noting so that the customer who posted it feels recognized. They are more likely to remember your response to their feedback and, therefore, increase the chances of a return. Responding to a bad review, however, lets you clear the air. It allows you to apologize to the customer and give the impression that you’re willing to correct whatever mistake you might have made. Sure, this might not encourage the old customer to come back to your service. However, it does create a good impression to future customers if they’ve managed to read your feedback.
However, that’s just one of the reasons why responses are important. More than anything, responses help you gather data about your service and how to better improve it. Negative feedbacks typically stem from a mismatch between what the customers expect and what you provide. By reading the negative feedbacks, however, you can figure out which products/services are helping your business. At the same time, good feedbacks tell you which are your strong points and how to better improve those parts.
What If There’s No Response?
Responses are attributed to your company’s dedication to customer care. Hence, lack of responses means you don’t really care about the customers after they’ve entailed your service. It’s a mark of indifference that can definitely turn off future visitors to your hotel or service.
There’s really no way of avoiding customer feedbacks, whether they’re bad or good. Excellent travel companies, however, will make use of these feedbacks to improve their standing, especially in a market where competition is fierce. With customer responses not really taking up too much time, you should definitely invest some manpower into boosting your online presence and reputation through replies.
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