Guest reviews and responding to them have always been a vital part of the hotel industry. They are a way for travelers to share their experiences with other potential hotel guests, and they can be used not only by future travelers but also by competing hotels to see what others are saying about them so that they may improve their own services.
But in today's "Covid recovery environment", there is an increasing shortage of qualified labor for hospitality-related jobs including hotel management which means there isn't enough time or manpower to respond to guest reviews as quickly as before. This can affect future hotel bookings, which is something that many hotel managers are concerned about as they strive to maintain occupancy levels well beyond the predicted booming summer season.
"Currently we see many hotel General Managers filling in as housekeepers, to get rooms cleaned and ready for the next guest," said DJ Vallauri, Founder & CEO of Lodging Interactive which operates CoMMingle, the premier guest review response, and social media marketing service for the hospitality industry. "The labor shortage means there isn't enough time or manpower to respond to guest reviews in a timely manner."
The CoMMingle team has noticed a trend with guest reviews being increasingly candid and critical of hotel experiences guests have had. It's understandable as guests have been cooped up in their homes for the last year and are looking to experience that perfect vacation and hotel stay. And when they encounter a reduction of housekeeping services, pool and spa closures, or limited restaurant hours, they're not happy and take to writing negative reviews.
"It's almost like the perfect storm, a hotel full of guests, paying the full price due to demand levels (including resort fees I might add), and receiving fewer services and amenities due to staffing issues at the property," added Mr. Vallauri. "It's no wonder properties are not keeping up with responding to the growing number of guest reviews posted on the OTA and review sites."
Over the last 90 days, the CoMMingle team has seen an alarming uptick in negative guest reviews across its portfolio of customer properties.
The CoMMingle guest review response services can assist properties in mitigating the issues of not having enough staff to promptly reply to reviews and ensure hotels are always positioned properly to capture future guest opportunities. Timely response to all guest reviews is guaranteed within 24 hours.
For more information on the CoMMingle Guest Review Response Services plans and pricing, please visit: https://commingleengage.com/contact.shtml or call 877-291-7741 extension 704.
