How to make negative reviews work FOR your hostel

It goes without saying that online reviews are hugely important in the hospitality industry.

But did you know that how you respond to your reviews is almost equally important?

85% of users agree that a thoughtful response to a bad review will improve their impression of the hotel
4 out of 5 TripAdvisor users believe that hotels that respond to reviews care more about their guests
65% agree that they are more likely to book a hotel that responds to traveler reviews, versus one that does not respond.

WHAT ABOUT NEGATIVE REVIEWS?

Receiving a negative review is never easy and it’s completely understandable to feel upset – especially if you feel the contents of the review are unfair in some way. It can be tempting to bury your head in the sand and ignore the review entirely.

However, a well-thought out response can go a long way to minimising the damage of a bad review. It allows you to take back control of the situation and demonstrate to others that you care about your guests and their feedback.

Here are some tips to keep you on the right track when writing your response…

DO:

RESPOND QUICKLY BUT CALMLY
We would always recommend responding to negative reviews within a 24-hour window. However, if a comment annoys or angers you then it’s best not to answer immediately. Give yourself a cooling off period to ensure your response is calm and collected.
THANK THE GUEST BY NAME
The best way to begin your response is by thanking the guest for their feedback. It takes just a few seconds to type the name of the guest who left the review but it makes a huge difference. Generic responses which have clearly been copied and pasted will not reflect well on your hostel – write personalised comments to show you are listening to your individual guest’s concerns.
SAY SORRY
Always apologise for their negative experience. Saying sorry demonstrates to both your past guest and the person reading your reviews that you care about the experience you provide.
SHOW HOW YOU INTEND TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM
Outlining how you are addressing the issue raised shows the reviewer that you have listened to their feedback and are taking clear action to improve the situation. This turns the negative review into positive action for your hostel – constructive feedback is invaluable to develop and improve both your management and guest experience. You can also welcome guests back and let them know what changes to expect during their next visit.
INVITE THE REVIEWER TO CONTACT YOU DIRECTLY
Take the issue offline by inviting the reviewer to contact you directly via email or private message if they would like to discuss the matter further. Often, people want to notify you of a problem or simply be heard but it’s important to give guests the option of discussing a problem further if they would like to. This not only shows that you care about their feedback but could also provide you with the opportunity to learn more about the issues raised which will help avoid similar issues arising with future guests.

DON’T:

LOSE YOUR COOL
It’s natural to feel angry or upset when you see a bad review, especially when you feel it is unfair, but your response should not reflect this. Getting defensive never reflects well on your hostel. No matter how unreasonable you feel the comment is, you shouldn’t get into an online argument with the reviewer.
IGNORE THE REVIEW
While it can be tempting to bury your head in the sand, an unacknowledged negative review makes you look like you don’t care about your guest’s experience and can have a serious impact on your hostel’s reputation.
GO INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL
Your unsatisfied guest is not looking for excuses. They simply want a response which acknowledges their issue and lets them know you are working to resolve the problem. Do not waste time on going into lots of detail as this can prolong the process and, in some cases, make the situation worse. It’s better to take the conversation offline as we outlined above.

Here’s a template response you can use as an example:

Dear [Name],

Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. Your feedback is extremely valuable to us.

Please accept our apologies for your less than satisfactory stay with us.

I greatly appreciate your comments about [insert issues here]. We are working to improve this by [insert how you are improving the issue here].

We look forward to welcoming you back so that you can see the changes we have made.

Please feel free to reach out to me directly at [email or phone number] if you have additional information to share. We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

[Name, Position]

What if the review is unfair?

In some circumstances, online review sites can be misused. If you have done your research and really feel the review is fake, then it’s perfectly acceptable to flag or report it with the site in question. Prepare to present your case to the moderator. You should receive a quick response and – if you can provide adequate evidence – the review will be removed.

Remember – it’s not the end of the world

Every hostel – no matter how great – is likely to get a negative review once in a while. In general, potential guests recognise that not everyone is going to be pleased with their stay and will forgive you the occasional bad review. Just make sure you are putting the feedback to good use and responding to limit the damage.