Since online shopping entered our world, we have been obsessed with reviews. eBay used reviews to confirm the success of a transaction and ensure the item arrived, was correct, and was as advertised. It was almost a review of 'Are you happy, Yes or No?'
Reviews are far more complex and detailed, forming part of everyday life. In fact, with Google Reviews, you can now review your local kids' swing set in the local park or even a park in another country you've never been to. That's just insane.
However, retail, hospitality, and travel reviews have the most impact. They often say reviews can make or break a business. I suspect that would be true if you consistently received terrible reviews about your service or product.
"Suddenly, everybody is a travel writer."
In the accommodation industry, reviews are part of every online platform and are encouraged by booking platforms and businesses. TripAdvisor clearly led this space, with the ability to not just say you were happy or not but to give a detailed description and in-depth analysis of your experience. Suddenly, everybody was a travel writer or a restaurant critic.
Business owners are frantically seeking the ultimate 5-star reviews; as consumers, we have become overwhelmed and obsessed with the expectation that we should be looking for 5-star businesses. I mean, that means they are the best, right?
Unfortunately, not anymore. Major platforms are grappling with the inundation of fake reviews and volumes of perfect 10s to lift their business's reputation and balance out the negative lower reviews. These fake reviews are straightforward to spot. They will usually be supported with a single one-word review such as "Perfect, " " Great, " or " Exceptional, " with no further details. I find it significantly suspicious when you see multiple reviews all in a row, giving the property a perfect 10 with the only comment 'Exceptional.'
How do we, as consumers, avoid this behaviour? When I book hotels, I go straight to the 1-star reviews to see what issues have led to this rating. You'll find that 1-star reviews are often very detailed and are more likely to include photos of the problem. Here is the thing: some low ratings are genuinely related to things such as service, cleanliness, and food. These types of complaints can sometimes be subjective. I look for reviews that focus on areas of the property that may affect my stay. For example, 'The property location, the lack of facilities, limited restaurant hours, rooms are noisy due to traffic, distance to local attractions, etc. These are the things I'd like to know. If multiple reviews highlight hygiene concerns, then that's also something I'll consider.
"Time for you to leave a review"
Firstly, do not feel obligated to give the highest perfect score with every review. It is essential to offer accurate feedback and not be afraid to add positives and negatives. For example, leave honest reviews that address your experience even with a lovely, ideal property. For example
"The hotel was stunning, with beautifully manicured gardens and great service. The restaurant offered lovely fresh food, and the rooms were spacious and very clean. The hotel is although located on a main road with some noise at night, and it is about 25 mins by taxi to the town centre."
The above review is by no means negative. The best reviews are honest, constructive and valuable for future guests.
If you have a bad experience, it is always best to email the hotel general manager with more details about your experience and complaint. Remove emotion from your online review and try not to treat it as a revenge review. Including photos of your concerns also gives you more credibility with the complaint to readers. Remember, customer service and food quality are sometimes subjective or subject to circumstances that other guests may find different to you. Consider a negative review such as;
'We didn't have a good experience at this hotel. We found mould in the bathroom and the room was generally outdated and unclean. The breakfast was minimal and closed at 9.30am. The staff seemed nice but could never help us with our needs. Overall, it wasn't a pleasant experience, and we have emailed the hotel."
The above complaint review, with photos, is more likely to offer consumers an informed review rather than something like "DO NOT BOOK THIS PLACE. THE SERVICE AND FOOD IS TERRIBLE. I AM NEVER STAYING AGAIN." Although this type of review may be accurate for their experience, it doesn't give the reader any substance for informed decisions, remembering that there'll most likely be many other reviews complimenting the service and food.
So, in summary, keep your reviews informative, accurate, and constructive for readers and potential future guests. Where possible, add photos of your experience.
About the Author
The author of this blog, unless otherwise noted, has no affiliation with any property or business linked in this article. Unless otherwise noted, there is no free accommodation or payment from any business. The information in this blog is strictly the views of the author and not professional advice. The author of this BookDirect blog is a travel and tourism professional with over 30 years of experience in international hotel management, global travel, short-term rental management and a tourism awards judge specialising in accommodation and attractions.
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