With the end of the year approaching, I wanted to write about hospitality reviews for restaurants, hotels, spas, and so on. We’ve all seen how terrible the last several years have been for the industry, and if a simple evaluation improves business, it’s not too difficult to do. With the holidays coming up, the timing of this is important. People tend to rely on the hospitality industry more than usual. I’ll explain my process below, and I hope you’re willing to give it a shot, too.
I had an amazing experience at a hotel a few years ago and wondered what I could do to thank them, so I asked the manager. I was advised to post a review. There are a million review sites, so I asked which is the most helpful. It’s TripAdvisor. Later that day, I registered for an account, downloaded the app, and wrote the review. After submitting, I dusted off my hands – it was all very simple. Later in the week, I received a thank you email from management and was personally thanked the next time I stayed at the hotel. Pretty cool, right?
I had no clue how important a tiny gesture like that might be for a hospitality business until that experience. I used to think that review sites were only for people to complain, and they felt a little spammy. TripAdvisor was the app I was recommended to use, so I used it. But I don’t believe it is the only “good one” to use, though I think it is smart to select one and stick with it. Why? You build credibility by posting multiple reviews from one platform, rather than a review from TripAdvisor, another from Google, and maybe something else on Yelp. (Another benefit is that TripAdvisor rewards users by allowing them to accumulate points and access vacation offers. Everyone wins!)
Now we have gotten to the part where I’m going to answer the question you have been waiting for, but I’m positive that if you know me, you already know the answer. Sean, do you post negative reviews? I don’t. I think it’s important to express gratitude no matter the season.