Customer reviews: hotels fight back

Hotels have noted the quick rise and growing influence of review sites and are trying to counter it with some of the largest hotel companies in the world adding their own website ratings or contracting other companies for help.

It’s somewhat of a revolution in hotel marketing because some observers say it’s far more important these days what consumers say about a brand than what a property says or advertises about itself.

It’s obviously a move to take control from TripAdvisor and other rating providers. But while there may be rewards, there are also risks from the rising movement.

The move comes as hoteliers increasingly are recognizing the major and growing impact of  all social networks  —   including Facebook and Twitter.

Four Seasons marketing chief Susan Helstab last year told USA Today that sharing all reviews involved a risk that luxury brands in particular have been reluctant to make.

But the company’s mindset is that it’s less of a risk for its hotels, where on-site staff over the last year have been individually trained to monitor and follow-up with all reviews.

"It really does require that incredible sense of confidence that says we deliver our promise," Helstab said.

"Now, it matters less what a brand says about itself; what matters is what people say about a brand," concluded a Four Seasons’ research paper. "There’s no room for smoke and mirrors in today’s socially networked world."

But some hotels are also taking more control of their reputations by turning to outside companies.

Starwood started adding its own reviews last year. They were followed by Marriott and Four Seasons. Others such as Hilton and InterContinental hotels group are also testing new review sites.

"Consumer reviews are a very positive thing," said Chuck Sullivan at Hilton. "They help provide customers with a real understanding of a property. We believe that direct channels   —   specifically, our Web brand hotel pages  —  have to be seen by the guest as the ultimate source of truth."

But what about the risk of bad reviews?

"The hotels are betting that an occasional bad review is better than having no reviews at all," says USA Today.

Hotels are also assuming their own review will have more credibility than sites such as TripAdvisor that has come under criticism in recent months for "fake" reviews that are paid for or disparaging ratings created by competitors.

"We know that there is tremendous credibility in being able to say that these user reviews are written by someone who actually stayed on property," Sullivan says.

Other hotels are also turning to outside providers to help polish their reviews.

The Wilshire Grand Hotel in Parsippany, New Jersey, says it is "taking control of its online reputation" by implementing the new web-based Guest Review System from Lodging Interactive.

By David Wilkening