How can I ask guests for a review?

Online reviews today play a significant role in the success of a business. Whether hotel or restaurant, online shop or hairdressing salon – anyone who offers services or goods, must deal with the subject of “reviews”.

While recommendations were previously spread by word of mouth, consumers now get their information from customer reviews on the Internet. A digital cycle has emerged: travelers inform themselves on the basis of reviews of previous guests about different hotels, decides on the basis of the positive (or critical) experience reports for it (or against), books, experiences, leaves again, evaluates, and thus enables the next potential guests to make a differentiated decision.

Don’t wait for a review – ask for it!

Unlike in the past, the rating and recommendation today no longer happens behind closed doors, but in public. This has the advantage for you, as an entrepreneur, that you can continuously monitor what is written about you on the review platforms – and that you can draw valuable insights for yourself and your company from the feedback.

Of course, you can trust your guests to come up with the idea to leave you a rating. If you are particularly lucky, then the guest will also choose the platform where you need some new reviews to improve your ranking.
If you are unlucky, your guest does not write any review at all. No time, no desire, postponed to tomorrow and finally forgotten. Maybe he was just happy with his stay – there are no complaints, but also no exuberant praise, and thus – from the guest’s point of view – no reason to leave feedback.

However, it is much more efficient to actively ask your guests for reviews. With a professional assessment management tool, this task is done automatically for you – you save time and have much to gain: On the one hand, the review scores will increase – you will get more and on average better ratings – on the other hand, you will have more control over where and when ratings are published. So you can specifically control the feedback of your guests and collect, disseminate and analyse them according to your needs.

But how exactly can you ask your guests for a review?

Customer Alliance offers you various options from which you can choose or combine according to your individual requirements.

Individualised questionnaires

With our tool you can adapt the questionnaire individually to the branding and needs of your company. Are you planning to optimise your wellness area? Then ask specific questions on this topic and find out what your guests want: another sauna, a larger pool, more loungers, longer opening hours?

Invite guests to rate your business via email

From the Customer Alliance backend, you can automatically send invitations for a rating via email to your guests. This can even be automated via an API connection to your PMS, with the guest data being automatically synchronised. Decide for yourself, which guests you redirect to which portal to give a rating, or if you want to present the ratings on your own website. You can change these settings at any time. The customisable questionnaire is sent directly from the system to your guests, you do not have to invest any time yourself.

1. In-house feedback via Wi-Fi

Collect the feedback of your guests already during their stay in your house via Wi-Fi. So problems can be clarified directly on site. At the same time, you get insightful, real-time feedback on all your in-house services.

2. Send an evaluation form via Wi-Fi

Not only the in-house feedback, but also the questionnaire can be transmitted via Wi-Fi to your guests.

3. Ratings on-site via tablet

Tablets are your choice if you want to ask your guests for an evaluation during their stay. So you can present the questionnaire not only in digital form, but in person, to your guests – for example at the reception desk, while your staff is preparing the check out. Hardly any guest will refuse the request for feedback, at the same time there is the opportunity for a short conversation in which possible criticisms can be addressed and clarified.

4. Evaluation invitation by SMS

Are you missing the e-mail address of your customers, but have their mobile number? Fabulous! This is because the questionnaire can also be sent to your guests automatically via message from the Customer Alliance backend.

5. Reviews via QR Code

Inviting guests to write a review also works if you do not have their email address, mobile number, or free Wi-Fi. Use QR Codes! Especially for restaurants, this is a perfect option. You can display the QR code on the menu or drinks menu, on bar displays, stickers or invoices. Your guests scan the code and land directly on the evaluation form.

6. Collect reviews via the Beacon technology

A beacon is a small transmitter that, among other things, can be based with Bluetooth technology. The range of the transmitter is approximately 10 to 30 meters.
The Customer Alliance Beacon is also available if you do not have any contact details of your guests. For example, restaurants, with the help of the beacon, can transmit the evaluation form to their guests via Bluetooth while they are dining.

Conclusion

As you can see, apart from the classic invitation via email, Customer Alliance offers you numerous other possibilities to ask your guests for an evaluation. Depending on the given conditions, decide which options are the best for your company.

Get a copy of our Guide to Online Reputation Management and apply our best practices to your hotel now!