Posting a Business Review

Posting a business review should be done in an intelligent and fair manner. Customers of lodging establishments who post negative reviews should offer constructive criticism instead of making damning statements. However, I believe that most reviews are no longer useful, because it is simply impossible to trust the intentions of the reviewers.

Posting a Business
Review

Reviews should not be damning statements.

1. The place is a dump. Why is it a “dump?”

2. The place is dirty. How is it “dirty?”

3. Did you make management aware of the problem immediately or wait until check-out?
4. How many days did you stay before notifying management of any problem?
5. When posting a review, did you stay recently at the property or are you posting because you have nothing better to do, and you last stayed at the property several years earlier?

Many negative reviews come from a customer’s personal problems such as having a conflict with your spouse or friend, checking in very late after driving all day, the pack mentality where you are with a group and your room was fine but someone else had an issue and you are a follower so you create an issue, etc. Reviews are absolutely subjective. To believe otherwise is foolish.

Not long ago, I read a review on a chain hotel in which the reviewer gave the property a 4-star rating on Google, but in the second sentence, stated “the bathroom was not clean.” Compare this to someone staying at an independent property which received a one-star rating, because there was a tissue in the trash can. Neither review is intelligent or fair. The chain hotel with the dirty bathroom should not be given a 4-star rating nor should the independent lodging establishment with the singular tissue in the trash can receive a one-star rating.

Additionally, posting a negative review on a property several years after the fact is ridiculous! When companies like Facebook and Google refuse to remove these posts, they encourage an unjust environment where truly nasty people do irreparable harm to properties and to the employees of those establishments.

From a business standpoint, I have noticed that a lodging business runs a greater risk of bad reviews from guests that check-in late. Many are tired and irritable from driving so late and you and your establishment become the target for all of their frustrations. Also, when a customer checks in very late and attempts to negotiate on price and you do not agree to their price, then they will check-in and pick your establishment apart. Anymore, I tell these people that they will be happier at some other place and show them the way out.

Unlike many branded properties, when a property is independent you upgrade continually, that is if you are a good operator. Unfortunately, some are not. During the off-season, we simply maintain and keep things clean and neat.
During this time period, we randomly will have customers who stay with us because they want the low cost, but also expect the amenities of a much more expensive hotel at our much lower price. These customers have unrealistic expectations.