Author: Olena Tymchuk, Head of Guest Care Department

In today's world, when making choices ranging from cosmetics to travel, consumers are paying attention to recommendations and reviews provided by other people who have had similar experiences. Therefore, a company's reputation plays a huge role in the digital world.

For example, hotels managed by Ribas Hotels Group always have a rating of at least 9.0 on Booking. This allows us to claim a high level of service. But, as always in business, we also receive negative feedback.

An important aspect of any company's work is the ability to respond to negativity. This is an art that requires a special approach and experience. Our hotel chain analyzes guest feedback on a daily basis to respond promptly to different situations. We keep in touch with people who have completed their stays at our properties and conduct surveys to get their impressions of their vacation.

How to analyze the level of guest satisfaction

Every month we conduct a comprehensive analysis of each hotel using the following data:

This data helps to identify weaknesses in the operation of the establishment, to learn more about the expectations of guests, what they pay attention to, so that we can improve services and change for the better.

Today, everything is changing - the guests themselves, their preferences, behavior, and, as a result, the channels on which they leave reviews. Not so long ago, the most popular sites where guests left the most reviews were: Booking, Google maps, Facebook, Tripadvisor.

Today, Booking remains the main channel for guest feedback, precisely because of its approach to surveys. On the day of departure, a person automatically receives an email with an offer to leave a review from the hotel. It's convenient because you don't have to look for a website to share your impressions on your own, and the survey itself doesn't take much time.

Photo: WOL.121 apart-hotel (Odesa)

From the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Google blocked the ability to leave reviews until May 2023. Therefore, its popularity has dropped significantly during this time.

As for Facebook, it has also lost its popularity, as our guest segment mostly uses Instagram and TikTok.

Tripadvisor has long ceased to be in the top of Google when searching for a hotel among Ukrainian users, so there are no new reviews there anymore.

It is also important not where, but when guests write a review. All of the channels listed above collect people's impressions after they leave. We want our guests to be able to give feedback during their stay so that we have time to fix things. Therefore, each of our hotels has special QR codes where everyone can leave feedback or contact the right department to solve problems.

Communicating with a guest who didn't like the service: 3 real cases

Based on our experience with feedback, we have formed 4 "no's" in responding to criticism:

Photo: Ribas Karpaty Hotel (Bukovel)

It used to take a lot of time to respond to reviews. Now we use artificial intelligence to respond. We have fully customized it to our format of communication with guests.

The fact that we use it does not mean that we pay less attention to feedback or are not interested in communicating with guests. Our company still records every comment and rating, but it takes less time to respond.

Here's an example of how a simple response to a guest's criticism changed their impression of the hotel.

Case No. 1

The guest was dissatisfied with the fact that the hotel did not meet his expectations. Below is his review.

We contacted him, discussed each point, and told him about our short-term and long-term plans for changes in the hotel. He was very impressed. And here is his feedback after our conversation:

Case No. 2

The guest checked out of the hotel and provided a very constructive review with photos, describing all the things that confused him in the hotel. This review was full of sarcasm and negativity, and it was clear that this person would not come back to us again, because he pointed out the points that were laid down at the design and construction stage of the hotel - that is, things that cannot be changed. Here we did something different: we thanked him for his sincerity and offered him to become a secret guest of other hotels in our chain. After traveling a bit and getting to know our hotels better, he found hotels he liked better. And he plans to visit us again soon.

Photo: Ribas Karpaty Hotel (Bukovel)

Case No. 3

In this case, the guest left negative reviews about one of our hotels on all possible platforms: on Google, on Booking, and wrote to Arthur Lupashko, the founder of Ribas Hotels Group.

He checked into our hotel from a neighboring hotel and after checking out of our hotel wrote a big complaint comparing our hotel to another in a negative way. He didn't like everything: he pointed out unsanitary conditions, poor food, impolite staff, etc.

After that, we called and convinced him to come to us again. This time he was given double the attention. The hotel manager met him, and the staff additionally asked if he needed anything. The waiters in the restaurant learned the names of his children and wife. The hotel manager sent a fruit plate to his room and wrote a personalized greeting letter for the whole family. He was delighted and after that wrote positive reviews about our hotel on all resources.

Any guest wants attention. And if you prepare for their arrival by looking at their social media, it can really impress them. Attention is easier than it seems.

As for negative feedback, you need to understand that the main purpose of feedback is to help other people. It must be sincere. Therefore, criticism should be accepted with gratitude and a desire to improve. Only then will the guest really be able to hear you.

Operational management of the Ribas Hotels Group hotel. More details follow the link.

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