An Investigation into Management Response to Negative Online Reviews in Hotel Operations

Abstract

The advent of web2 and the interactivity it allowed net surfers to communicate freely with the purpose of exchanging ideas and opinions regarding the products they have purchased has given rise to a new marketing tool identified in the literature as consumer-generated content. As travel and hospitality are amongst the highest purchased services on the World Wide Web, a multitude of sites are currently made available to travelers to express either their satisfaction or voice their complaints on hotel properties that they have stayed at for business or pleasure. In providing informational queues, these online reviews are strongly affecting traveler’s pre-purchase decisions and their attitudes toward hotel choice. One factor that is considered of great effect on this decision-making process is identified as management response to reviews; regardless of their positive or negative nature. The purpose of this research is to provide an investigation into management’s behavior in responding to negative online reviews and the manner in which this type of feedback is handled in a way to build customer trust as well as a venue to service recovery.


 


 


Keywords: Customer-generated Content, Online Reviews, Travel, Hospitality, Management Response, Bahrain

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