It’s a digital world out there, and companies are now realising that to get ahead then they need to use all of the technology available to them.
When connecting with customers, you need to go to them, and they can now usually be found online.
Social media is a tool that has become so integrated with everyday life that people are often left wondering how we communicated before it was around. It’s become such a powerful tool, that people across the globe can now use it to communicate and reach one-another. While it was once viewed with apprehension by the hospitality industry because of its transparency, social media is now arguably one of the top tools used by hotels. Yes, it still has that transparency that can cause concern for hotels, but they are now in a position where they’re prepared to deal with this situation.
If a customer has an issue, they are now much more likely to write this on a hotel’s social media page than to call or write to them. This means that complaints can be viewed publicly by anyone who is visiting the social media profile.
However, this also gives the hotel themselves the opportunity to publicly respond and deal with it. While this could be seen as detrimental to the reputation of the hotel, if issues and complaints are dealt with quickly and efficiently, and people can see that the hotel is using feedback to make improvements, then it can be turned on its head and made into a positive tool. If, however, hotels aren’t responding to complaints or dealing with them in a suitable manner then further issues could arise. Social media is not just a platform for complaints though. Hotels should utilise the platforms available to communicate with customers and build a positive brand.
