Hospitality Quality and Simple Usable Solutions
Monday, December 7, 2009
Restaurant Ratings on TripAdvisr with an IPhone App.
Restaurant Ratings and Reviews have been popular for some time now, but the new TripAdvisor iPhone app, LocalPicks makes it easy for diners to post reviews and even include a photo before they even leave the restaurant.
The new version of TripAdvisor’s LocalPicks app provides a filter of nearby restaurant suggestions based on user reviews, cuisine style, distance and price.
The “Write a Review” button on the latest version of TripAdvisor’s LocalPicks app feeds handheld user reviews directly into TripAdvisor’s already burgeoning ecosystem of Traveler-generated reviews.
Like the TripAdvisor Website, the app gives users a variety of categories to rate restaurants including overall, food, service, value, atmosphere and the opportunity to answer a simple yet vital Yes/No question: Would you recommend this restaurant to a friend?
"Restaurant Ratings and Reviews have been popular for some time now, but the new TripAdvisor iPhone app, LocalPicks makes it easy for diners to post reviews and even include a photo before they even leave the restaurant. The new version of TripAdvisor’s LocalPicks app provides a filter of nearby restaurant suggestions based on user reviews, cuisine style, distance and price. The “Write a Review” button on the latest version of TripAdvisor’s LocalPicks app feeds handheld user reviews directly into TripAdvisor’s already burgeoning ecosystem of Traveler-generated reviews. Like the TripAdvisor Website, the app gives users a variety of categories to rate restaurants including overall, food, service, value, atmosphere and the opportunity to answer a simple yet vital Yes/No question: Would you recommend this restaurant to a friend?"
- TripAdvisor’s new LocalPicks app: Restaurant marketing is social and mobile (view on Google Sidewiki)
Impatience
My own research shows that we expect an email to be answered within 1 or maximum 2 days. Some customer service department should take note
in reference to: TalkTalk Press Centre: News & Press Releases (view on Google Sidewiki)Saturday, December 5, 2009
You can challenge a review on TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor seems to know that some people go a little over the top when reviewing. So armed with facts (not just your opinion) you can make direct contact to TripAdvisor ( the link is set out below. If however you only have your own opinion to fall back on, then make a response online to the TripAdvisor site under the review - avoid a slagging off match and try to defuse the situation. Also make sure that a designated person looks after the resonses, not the office temp or the "room service department."
I have mayself given negative reviews of restaurants and I am suprised that they neither post a response, contact me or seek to get my remarks removed - perhaps hoteliers are very slightly more aware of the implcations of these reviews as I am constantly shocked at how few large Brands have any formal system for dealing with negative or indeed positive responses. Just how nice would be it to see a thank you note under a good review - a great opertunity to say something new about your product (ie thanks for your review, it was good of you to show us that you enjoyed your stay, we are always trying to improve our services and it's good to know when we are doing well. "Why not try out our new in-room Baby sitting service on your next visit?")
Here is the magic feedback address and follow the links through from there www.tripadvisor.com/owners look
I have mayself given negative reviews of restaurants and I am suprised that they neither post a response, contact me or seek to get my remarks removed - perhaps hoteliers are very slightly more aware of the implcations of these reviews as I am constantly shocked at how few large Brands have any formal system for dealing with negative or indeed positive responses. Just how nice would be it to see a thank you note under a good review - a great opertunity to say something new about your product (ie thanks for your review, it was good of you to show us that you enjoyed your stay, we are always trying to improve our services and it's good to know when we are doing well. "Why not try out our new in-room Baby sitting service on your next visit?")
Here is the magic feedback address and follow the links through from there www.tripadvisor.com/owners look
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
TripAdvisor is changing the rules, now you pay for improved visibility
It seems TripAdvisor are adopting the Google model (similar to Google Ads). Unless hoteliers monitor how much business is incomming from this channel then they are better off gaining a generic ranking through consumer reviews.
The questions now for me to watch are, will TripAdvisor suffer from more, so called, "Black Hat" techniques, like more engineered friendly reviews and how will they deal with poorly reviewed hotels who are prepared to pay?
TripAdvisors business model was always open for a more commercialized option once Expedia wanted their ROI but now the field is open for other new review sites, with a more open model, to leverage this policy change. The financial business model will have to depend on a more "seen to be" independent method.
Perhaps we are seeing the beginning of the end for TripAdvisor as I know from my own experience I will not continue to review sites knowing that my efforts are for financial gain. My efforts have always been to improve the quality to the customer through "Voice of the Customer" feedback.
The questions now for me to watch are, will TripAdvisor suffer from more, so called, "Black Hat" techniques, like more engineered friendly reviews and how will they deal with poorly reviewed hotels who are prepared to pay?
TripAdvisors business model was always open for a more commercialized option once Expedia wanted their ROI but now the field is open for other new review sites, with a more open model, to leverage this policy change. The financial business model will have to depend on a more "seen to be" independent method.
Perhaps we are seeing the beginning of the end for TripAdvisor as I know from my own experience I will not continue to review sites knowing that my efforts are for financial gain. My efforts have always been to improve the quality to the customer through "Voice of the Customer" feedback.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
TripAdvisor and an improved uptake and trust
TripAdvisor would win so much more support from hoteliers if it would sort its consumer responses so they could be sorted into
1. the last 3 months reviews
2. the last 6 months reviews
3. the last years
4. the last 2 years
5. and the last 3 years
6. lastly a group of power users who have made more than 20 reviews - seasoned reviewers not those with an occasional quirky review.
Such sorting would allow users to see if today was better than yesterday and feel confident from experienced reviewers and travelors.
David Wood
1. the last 3 months reviews
2. the last 6 months reviews
3. the last years
4. the last 2 years
5. and the last 3 years
6. lastly a group of power users who have made more than 20 reviews - seasoned reviewers not those with an occasional quirky review.
Such sorting would allow users to see if today was better than yesterday and feel confident from experienced reviewers and travelors.
David Wood
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Trip Advisor - big bad wolf? No such thing as failure only feedback
Are hoteliers and restaurateurs really frightened of TripAdvisor. 3 months of blog watching and reading press releases leads me to conclude that hoteliers are just waiting till it goes away. Advice that you should not have a link to the site or reviews "incase they are negative" is typical of the paranoia present.
It seems that mostly no-one uses selected and considered views to improve their products. I have been posting good and bad reviews of restaurants and just no-one has come back to make a comment about my posts and reviews.
In 10 years of hospitality coaching only one client has asked me to monitor their reputation and to recommend remedial action where appropriate. With falling occupancy and reduced spending it is time to get real and embrace independent review sites. Use them to improve the product and to remedy mistakes, after all we all make them and "there is no such thing as failure only feedback."
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It seems that mostly no-one uses selected and considered views to improve their products. I have been posting good and bad reviews of restaurants and just no-one has come back to make a comment about my posts and reviews.
In 10 years of hospitality coaching only one client has asked me to monitor their reputation and to recommend remedial action where appropriate. With falling occupancy and reduced spending it is time to get real and embrace independent review sites. Use them to improve the product and to remedy mistakes, after all we all make them and "there is no such thing as failure only feedback."
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