Customers rely on reviews written by other travelers as part of their decision-making when booking travel, according to a TripAdvisor survey conducted last year. Customers use online review content from multiple touchpoints – from plan creation through purchase – informing plans and purchases decisions across generations and gender. Travel companies of all types can leverage customer insight from this customer trend for product, service, and marketing improvements.
No matter if you run a small boutique tour company or an international operator, reviews matter. In fact, Trustpilot and Skift conducted a study which revealed that 64% of consumers read reviews before booking any business – in order to stand out among your competition and increase bookings you must ensure positive reviews appear prominently across top travel review sites.
Birdeye makes this process easy by tracking reviews on 150+ websites like Google, Facebook and Expedia – providing one convenient place for customers to see them all in a consolidated fashion.
If you’re new to online reviews, the task of keeping track of them may seem daunting. Luckily, most negative reviews don’t feel personal and can usually be addressed using basic customer service skills. Keep in mind that 70 percent of those posting negative reviews hope for an answer from the company they are criticizing; so take this chance to show your customers you value their input by responding and showing that their opinion matters!
Response time should be within two or three days after receiving reviews to demonstrate your genuine desire to receive feedback and improve your product or service. Responding quickly may prevent negative reviews from becoming online rants that damage your brand.
Although being prompt is important, responding thoughtfully is also crucial. Try to address the main points raised in customer reviews while thanking customers for providing feedback – this will show them you value their comments while building confidence in your company and encouraging more positive reviews in the future.
Final thought: It is worth remembering that most negative reviews focus on issues that are either easily fixable or preventable, so ensure your products and services provide excellent customer service to decrease negative reviews.
