Comments on: Convincing TripAdvisor http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2008/10/convincing-tripadvisor/ The Innkeeping Industry Blog of the Professional Association of Innkeepers (PAII) Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:55:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dennis Wagner http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2008/10/convincing-tripadvisor/comment-page-5/#comment-165 Dennis Wagner Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:43:27 +0000 http://innkeepingblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/convincing-tripadvisor/#comment-165 I own a lodging establishment and have many issues with this Trip Advisor but lets discuss my big one. As an innkeeper, upon regestration a guest provides me with: Nams Address Phone Car tag # All the necessary credit card info Etc. Now, if I want to know the name of the review poster I'm damn entitled to know it, I don't want to hear this "privacy"crap, especially when I already know all there is to know. How else are we to VERIFY the validity of a review. I am not a disgruntled host, go to my reviews on Trip Advisor, I have all praise but feel entitled at a minimum the ability to confirm whom is talking about me. I own a lodging establishment and have many issues with this Trip Advisor but lets discuss my big one. As an innkeeper, upon regestration a guest provides me with:
Nams
Address
Phone
Car tag #
All the necessary credit card info
Etc.
Now, if I want to know the name of the review poster I’m damn entitled to know it, I don’t want to hear this “privacy”crap, especially when I already know all there is to know.
How else are we to VERIFY the validity of a review.
I am not a disgruntled host, go to my reviews on Trip Advisor, I have all praise but feel entitled at a minimum the ability to confirm whom is talking about me.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2008/10/convincing-tripadvisor/comment-page-5/#comment-102 Anonymous Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:04:00 +0000 http://innkeepingblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/convincing-tripadvisor/#comment-102 In response to the last anonymous poster who states "I've fought against bullies and swindlers all my life." and turns around and says "Plus we tracked down one of the blackmailers, had him followed by some "hired help" who photographed him extensively conducting an extra-marital affair and we now take two thousand pounds per month from him, which compensates us somewhat for the fake review he left." <br/>WHAT??? Seems like he/she is attracting those reviews as well as other negative things in their life. I do not follow the eye for an eye activities which are illegal and unethical - isn't that called blackmail or extortion.<br/>Just from reading the post, it seems beyond belief. Needless to say, I'm sending this anonymously, as I do not want this person anywhere near me! In response to the last anonymous poster who states “I’ve fought against bullies and swindlers all my life.” and turns around and says “Plus we tracked down one of the blackmailers, had him followed by some “hired help” who photographed him extensively conducting an extra-marital affair and we now take two thousand pounds per month from him, which compensates us somewhat for the fake review he left.”
WHAT??? Seems like he/she is attracting those reviews as well as other negative things in their life. I do not follow the eye for an eye activities which are illegal and unethical – isn’t that called blackmail or extortion.
Just from reading the post, it seems beyond belief. Needless to say, I’m sending this anonymously, as I do not want this person anywhere near me!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2008/10/convincing-tripadvisor/comment-page-5/#comment-103 Anonymous Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:04:00 +0000 http://innkeepingblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/convincing-tripadvisor/#comment-103 In response to the last anonymous poster who states "I've fought against bullies and swindlers all my life." and turns around and says "Plus we tracked down one of the blackmailers, had him followed by some "hired help" who photographed him extensively conducting an extra-marital affair and we now take two thousand pounds per month from him, which compensates us somewhat for the fake review he left." <br/>WHAT??? Seems like he/she is attracting those reviews as well as other negative things in their life. I do not follow the eye for an eye activities which are illegal and unethical - isn't that called blackmail or extortion.<br/>Just from reading the post, it seems beyond belief. Needless to say, I'm sending this anonymously, as I do not want this person anywhere near me! In response to the last anonymous poster who states “I’ve fought against bullies and swindlers all my life.” and turns around and says “Plus we tracked down one of the blackmailers, had him followed by some “hired help” who photographed him extensively conducting an extra-marital affair and we now take two thousand pounds per month from him, which compensates us somewhat for the fake review he left.”
WHAT??? Seems like he/she is attracting those reviews as well as other negative things in their life. I do not follow the eye for an eye activities which are illegal and unethical – isn’t that called blackmail or extortion.
Just from reading the post, it seems beyond belief. Needless to say, I’m sending this anonymously, as I do not want this person anywhere near me!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2008/10/convincing-tripadvisor/comment-page-5/#comment-101 Anonymous Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:58:00 +0000 http://innkeepingblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/convincing-tripadvisor/#comment-101 Our hotels fell victim to some malicious fake reviews which will have cost us a fair amount. I've worked exceptionally hard to build a successful, legitimate small chain so I am maddened beyond description by Tripadvisor's scamming ways. I've fought against bullies and swindlers all my life.<br/>We had many reviews left by what we think are our competitors, some revies left by guests who tried to blackmail us into refunding deposits retained due to cancelling at the last minute during high season etc, and some by people who did stay with us but who were insane.<br/>We've gone down the road of writing our own reviews to counter the fake ones. It's easy to game Tripadvisor. Their "algorithms" to counter fake reviews are not worth a penny.<br/>Plus we tracked down one of the blackmailers, had him followed by some "hired help" who photographed him extensively conducting an extra-marital affair and we now take two thousand pounds per month from him, which compensates us somewhat for the fake review he left. He's been left in no doubt that he must comply until we consider him to have repaid his debt.<br/>I believe it's better to fight fire with fire.<br/>A senior executive for one of Tripadvisor's major advertisers stayed with us and we explained to them that they were overpaying for clicks since much of the traffic is generated by hotel owners checking for reviews. Tripadvisor has lost between 45k and 65k in revenue because of our actions in this regard.<br/>We've also discovered a legal chink in Tripadvisor's armour which we will be exploiting fully later on this year.<br/>Plus we found some other irregularities in their operations (which I can't detail here) which we'll be looking into.<br/>Tripadvisor are not quite the bullet proof entity they consider themselves to be. Our hotels fell victim to some malicious fake reviews which will have cost us a fair amount. I’ve worked exceptionally hard to build a successful, legitimate small chain so I am maddened beyond description by Tripadvisor’s scamming ways. I’ve fought against bullies and swindlers all my life.
We had many reviews left by what we think are our competitors, some revies left by guests who tried to blackmail us into refunding deposits retained due to cancelling at the last minute during high season etc, and some by people who did stay with us but who were insane.
We’ve gone down the road of writing our own reviews to counter the fake ones. It’s easy to game Tripadvisor. Their “algorithms” to counter fake reviews are not worth a penny.
Plus we tracked down one of the blackmailers, had him followed by some “hired help” who photographed him extensively conducting an extra-marital affair and we now take two thousand pounds per month from him, which compensates us somewhat for the fake review he left. He’s been left in no doubt that he must comply until we consider him to have repaid his debt.
I believe it’s better to fight fire with fire.
A senior executive for one of Tripadvisor’s major advertisers stayed with us and we explained to them that they were overpaying for clicks since much of the traffic is generated by hotel owners checking for reviews. Tripadvisor has lost between 45k and 65k in revenue because of our actions in this regard.
We’ve also discovered a legal chink in Tripadvisor’s armour which we will be exploiting fully later on this year.
Plus we found some other irregularities in their operations (which I can’t detail here) which we’ll be looking into.
Tripadvisor are not quite the bullet proof entity they consider themselves to be.

]]> By: Mickeymat http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2008/10/convincing-tripadvisor/comment-page-5/#comment-100 Mickeymat Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:02:00 +0000 http://innkeepingblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/convincing-tripadvisor/#comment-100 Wow! As a small two unit B&B, we have never had occasion to see the work of PAII as relevant to our needs in the 24 years we have been in business. Jay, you have changed my impression of the organization. This is extremely fine work and I commend you. Although there are many problematic areas in the relationship between B&B's and Trip Advisor, I see the one issue capable of generating the most conflict as that of cancellation policies. Trip Advisor assumes a generic overall motel/hotel model when dealing with this issue. Large properties can have generous cancellation policies due to the flexibility large numbers of rooms affords them. Those of us with two rooms have no such flexibility and must have strict cancellation policies or risk economic demise. Although we may make it clear to guests in advance of these restrictive policies there are always those who expect to be given exceptions when the situation arises. This in turn becomes the most common reason for false, vindictive and retaliatory reviews of B&B's. I see no way Trip Advisor can identify and prevent such abuse. I have successfully defended my B&B after such a situation by writing Trip Advisor relaying the circumstances of the stay and intimating that I planned to take legal action against the reviewer and that I knew who she was. They must have forwarded my e mail to the guest because within several days of my e mail to them, the original review was removed and another substituted which was more reasonable and truthful. I truly expected nothing from Trip Advisor and was quite pleased with their response but in the end think it was the threat of a law suit that prompted the acceptable result. Regarding the libel issue, the web is no different from any other publication regarding the ability to sue for false and malicious comments and whether Trip Advisor or any other entity (are you listening Eric Goldreier?) like it or not, they will become involved as hosts of the site that posts the libelous material. Recently, there has been some case law regarding this and there is much more to come. Wow! As a small two unit B&B, we have never had occasion to see the work of PAII as relevant to our needs in the 24 years we have been in business. Jay, you have changed my impression of the organization. This is extremely fine work and I commend you. Although there are many problematic areas in the relationship between B&B's and Trip Advisor, I see the one issue capable of generating the most conflict as that of cancellation policies. Trip Advisor assumes a generic overall motel/hotel model when dealing with this issue. Large properties can have generous cancellation policies due to the flexibility large numbers of rooms affords them. Those of us with two rooms have no such flexibility and must have strict cancellation policies or risk economic demise. Although we may make it clear to guests in advance of these restrictive policies there are always those who expect to be given exceptions when the situation arises. This in turn becomes the most common reason for false, vindictive and retaliatory reviews of B&B's. I see no way Trip Advisor can identify and prevent such abuse. I have successfully defended my B&B after such a situation by writing Trip Advisor relaying the circumstances of the stay and intimating that I planned to take legal action against the reviewer and that I knew who she was. They must have forwarded my e mail to the guest because within several days of my e mail to them, the original review was removed and another substituted which was more reasonable and truthful. I truly expected nothing from Trip Advisor and was quite pleased with their response but in the end think it was the threat of a law suit that prompted the acceptable result. Regarding the libel issue, the web is no different from any other publication regarding the ability to sue for false and malicious comments and whether Trip Advisor or any other entity (are you listening Eric Goldreier?) like it or not, they will become involved as hosts of the site that posts the libelous material. Recently, there has been some case law regarding this and there is much more to come.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2008/10/convincing-tripadvisor/comment-page-4/#comment-99 Anonymous Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:37:00 +0000 http://innkeepingblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/convincing-tripadvisor/#comment-99 Jay, I write reviews for TripAdvisor often. My reviews have become less frequent because I have changed jobs and do not travel as often as I once did. I did a review of a local B&B and posted photos to the TripAdvisor site in an effort to counteract a negative and mostly fraudulent review. Since the B&B is in my hometown, I have not really had the occasion to stay there so I went there, met with the owner, got a tour and took photos. The innkeeper has become a good friend so she forwarded the link to your blog to me so that I could get a clear understanding of what innkeepers are up against in battling with TripAdvisor for fairness. I applaud your efforts and encourage you to keep up the good work. If I can be of assistance, please feel free to contact me.<br/><br/>BamaLover<br/><br/>Real name and information:<br/><br/>Donna Shields<br/>Guntersville, Alabama<br/>dcshields@charter.net<br/>256-582-3563 Jay, I write reviews for TripAdvisor often. My reviews have become less frequent because I have changed jobs and do not travel as often as I once did. I did a review of a local B&B and posted photos to the TripAdvisor site in an effort to counteract a negative and mostly fraudulent review. Since the B&B is in my hometown, I have not really had the occasion to stay there so I went there, met with the owner, got a tour and took photos. The innkeeper has become a good friend so she forwarded the link to your blog to me so that I could get a clear understanding of what innkeepers are up against in battling with TripAdvisor for fairness. I applaud your efforts and encourage you to keep up the good work. If I can be of assistance, please feel free to contact me.

BamaLover

Real name and information:

Donna Shields
Guntersville, Alabama
dcshields@charter.net
256-582-3563

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2008/10/convincing-tripadvisor/comment-page-4/#comment-98 Anonymous Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:07:00 +0000 http://innkeepingblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/convincing-tripadvisor/#comment-98 Thank you Jay for going into the “lions den” on our behalf. That was a brave thing you <br/>did but your conversation with TA was long over due. TA’s flawed logic and self righteous judgmental attitude concerning our industry is simply out of bounds. You should have taken a lawyer with you to the meeting and demanded action on many of your / our points. <br/><br/>You did a great job of staying on point and articulating the answers for us however… Don’t think for a minute the TA staff wasn’t laying-in-wait for you like a den of hungry jackals. They’ve heard every one of those points before and have carefully hashed out responses and rationalizations for dealing with each of them. They’ve got a “policy” or “algorithm” answer for each of them. <br/><br/>TA staffers usually operate under the cloak of anonymity hiding behind keyboards and stage names so your visit may have been a new experience for some of them, meeting the enemy face to face and all. But I’m afraid your meeting did little to sway them from their Oz like management of TA web sites. Leave no doubt, they were simply sizing up the adversary and fortifying their defenses for the next round. They have no intention of changing anything nor are they motivated to do so…yet. <br/><br/>It seems there is little we can do individually or even as an organization to combat something as gelatinous as a web site like this. Yes, it’s like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall with a licorice stick but it is possible to make them feel some heat. <br/><br/>Jay may not be able to articulate these things but someone needs to investigate and inform you on how TA derives their revenue. Investigate on your own and learn who supports TA through their advertising and pay per click activities. You need to play the game just as hard as they do. Get educated and fight smarter not harder. Our proprietary algorithm has to include revenue abatement. This is the only weapon we have on this battle field. Find out were they get their money and stop using or buying those services. As long as guests and non-guests alike are allowed to make anonymous entries about your business on a website like this you will be on the defensive. It’s hard to believe that TA will not be found complicit in libel suite eventually. <br/><br/>Jay, please set up another meeting with TA take a good looking lawyer with you and push them on those weak points. Thanks. Thank you Jay for going into the “lions den” on our behalf. That was a brave thing you
did but your conversation with TA was long over due. TA’s flawed logic and self righteous judgmental attitude concerning our industry is simply out of bounds. You should have taken a lawyer with you to the meeting and demanded action on many of your / our points.

You did a great job of staying on point and articulating the answers for us however… Don’t think for a minute the TA staff wasn’t laying-in-wait for you like a den of hungry jackals. They’ve heard every one of those points before and have carefully hashed out responses and rationalizations for dealing with each of them. They’ve got a “policy” or “algorithm” answer for each of them.

TA staffers usually operate under the cloak of anonymity hiding behind keyboards and stage names so your visit may have been a new experience for some of them, meeting the enemy face to face and all. But I’m afraid your meeting did little to sway them from their Oz like management of TA web sites. Leave no doubt, they were simply sizing up the adversary and fortifying their defenses for the next round. They have no intention of changing anything nor are they motivated to do so…yet.

It seems there is little we can do individually or even as an organization to combat something as gelatinous as a web site like this. Yes, it’s like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall with a licorice stick but it is possible to make them feel some heat.

Jay may not be able to articulate these things but someone needs to investigate and inform you on how TA derives their revenue. Investigate on your own and learn who supports TA through their advertising and pay per click activities. You need to play the game just as hard as they do. Get educated and fight smarter not harder. Our proprietary algorithm has to include revenue abatement. This is the only weapon we have on this battle field. Find out were they get their money and stop using or buying those services. As long as guests and non-guests alike are allowed to make anonymous entries about your business on a website like this you will be on the defensive. It’s hard to believe that TA will not be found complicit in libel suite eventually.

Jay, please set up another meeting with TA take a good looking lawyer with you and push them on those weak points. Thanks.

]]> By: TJB2009 http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2008/10/convincing-tripadvisor/comment-page-4/#comment-96 TJB2009 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:48:00 +0000 http://innkeepingblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/convincing-tripadvisor/#comment-96 Thanks Jay for both the effort to address some of TA's deficiencies, but also for advocating for making sites like it as fair and abuse proof as possible.<br/><br/>bobbi made some excellent points as well regarding our internal need to remind ourselves of what kind of labor of love innkeeping is and should be. We refuse to be held hostage or be slaves to reviews on any venue and especially on TA.<br/><br/>While holding TA's feet to the fire a little on addressing the need to place more safeguards and protections against capricious and undeserved bad reviews, we as innkeepers in my experience could work a lot harder resisting the temptation to go gild the lily on review sites ourselves.<br/><br/>The traveling public is not dumb and they can see right through the efforts of some of us who beg, cajole, instruct, reward, etc. guests to go write glowing reviews about a pace. <br/><br/>We also run the risk of giving ammo to the chronic complainers, ultra high maintenance, overly picky type guests who if they didn't know about TA before, they do after being given instruction sheets, email reminders, etc. on how and where to go write reviews.<br/><br/>Some of our guests who have shown us these printed things that were given to them upon check out and then came here to stay can relate how put off they were and how tacky of a practice they found it to be.<br/><br/>Our opinion is that our guests don't owe us anything above and beyond the tariff they pay for their stay. Hopefully, full enjoyment of their stay without the overt pressure of being subtly recruited to become part of an inn's marketing team is a quality more of us can adhere to. <br/><br/>Our local area which already enjoys one of the highest average annual occupancy in the country and its presence on TA in the B&B category has been one of ruthless zeal to attain higher rankings by a few competitors. It is fraught with totally unnatural pacing to how frequently the worst lily gilders receive almost always glowing and obviously coached reviews. "Make up" reviews which appear almost immediately after a negative and possibly deserved review always directly refute the issues the previous reviewer experienced. Now we have two very large B&Bs for sale in the area who for years rarely received any reviews or very infrequently and usually pretty lackluster praise getting what appear to be numbers of reviews way of out of whack with their historical pattern. <br/><br/>So in addition to some innkeepers here trying to pile on and hopefully dilute any negative reviews with huge volumes of solicited great reviews, we honorable and ethical innkeepers have to contend with the artificiality of some realtor probably telling their client's to boost their rankings in order to make the property more marketable.<br/><br/>Well, glad to see these issues have found some voices and people have shared their experiences with Jay in order for him to work with.<br/><br/>One additional qualifier I'd like to see TA employ for reviews is this question:<br/><br/>Did your host solicit your review in any way? Thanks Jay for both the effort to address some of TA's deficiencies, but also for advocating for making sites like it as fair and abuse proof as possible.

bobbi made some excellent points as well regarding our internal need to remind ourselves of what kind of labor of love innkeeping is and should be. We refuse to be held hostage or be slaves to reviews on any venue and especially on TA.

While holding TA's feet to the fire a little on addressing the need to place more safeguards and protections against capricious and undeserved bad reviews, we as innkeepers in my experience could work a lot harder resisting the temptation to go gild the lily on review sites ourselves.

The traveling public is not dumb and they can see right through the efforts of some of us who beg, cajole, instruct, reward, etc. guests to go write glowing reviews about a pace.

We also run the risk of giving ammo to the chronic complainers, ultra high maintenance, overly picky type guests who if they didn't know about TA before, they do after being given instruction sheets, email reminders, etc. on how and where to go write reviews.

Some of our guests who have shown us these printed things that were given to them upon check out and then came here to stay can relate how put off they were and how tacky of a practice they found it to be.

Our opinion is that our guests don't owe us anything above and beyond the tariff they pay for their stay. Hopefully, full enjoyment of their stay without the overt pressure of being subtly recruited to become part of an inn's marketing team is a quality more of us can adhere to.

Our local area which already enjoys one of the highest average annual occupancy in the country and its presence on TA in the B&B category has been one of ruthless zeal to attain higher rankings by a few competitors. It is fraught with totally unnatural pacing to how frequently the worst lily gilders receive almost always glowing and obviously coached reviews. "Make up" reviews which appear almost immediately after a negative and possibly deserved review always directly refute the issues the previous reviewer experienced. Now we have two very large B&Bs for sale in the area who for years rarely received any reviews or very infrequently and usually pretty lackluster praise getting what appear to be numbers of reviews way of out of whack with their historical pattern.

So in addition to some innkeepers here trying to pile on and hopefully dilute any negative reviews with huge volumes of solicited great reviews, we honorable and ethical innkeepers have to contend with the artificiality of some realtor probably telling their client's to boost their rankings in order to make the property more marketable.

Well, glad to see these issues have found some voices and people have shared their experiences with Jay in order for him to work with.

One additional qualifier I'd like to see TA employ for reviews is this question:

Did your host solicit your review in any way?

]]> By: TJB2009 http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2008/10/convincing-tripadvisor/comment-page-4/#comment-97 TJB2009 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:48:00 +0000 http://innkeepingblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/convincing-tripadvisor/#comment-97 Thanks Jay for both the effort to address some of TA's deficiencies, but also for advocating for making sites like it as fair and abuse proof as possible.<br/><br/>bobbi made some excellent points as well regarding our internal need to remind ourselves of what kind of labor of love innkeeping is and should be. We refuse to be held hostage or be slaves to reviews on any venue and especially on TA.<br/><br/>While holding TA's feet to the fire a little on addressing the need to place more safeguards and protections against capricious and undeserved bad reviews, we as innkeepers in my experience could work a lot harder resisting the temptation to go gild the lily on review sites ourselves.<br/><br/>The traveling public is not dumb and they can see right through the efforts of some of us who beg, cajole, instruct, reward, etc. guests to go write glowing reviews about a pace. <br/><br/>We also run the risk of giving ammo to the chronic complainers, ultra high maintenance, overly picky type guests who if they didn't know about TA before, they do after being given instruction sheets, email reminders, etc. on how and where to go write reviews.<br/><br/>Some of our guests who have shown us these printed things that were given to them upon check out and then came here to stay can relate how put off they were and how tacky of a practice they found it to be.<br/><br/>Our opinion is that our guests don't owe us anything above and beyond the tariff they pay for their stay. Hopefully, full enjoyment of their stay without the overt pressure of being subtly recruited to become part of an inn's marketing team is a quality more of us can adhere to. <br/><br/>Our local area which already enjoys one of the highest average annual occupancy in the country and its presence on TA in the B&B category has been one of ruthless zeal to attain higher rankings by a few competitors. It is fraught with totally unnatural pacing to how frequently the worst lily gilders receive almost always glowing and obviously coached reviews. "Make up" reviews which appear almost immediately after a negative and possibly deserved review always directly refute the issues the previous reviewer experienced. Now we have two very large B&Bs for sale in the area who for years rarely received any reviews or very infrequently and usually pretty lackluster praise getting what appear to be numbers of reviews way of out of whack with their historical pattern. <br/><br/>So in addition to some innkeepers here trying to pile on and hopefully dilute any negative reviews with huge volumes of solicited great reviews, we honorable and ethical innkeepers have to contend with the artificiality of some realtor probably telling their client's to boost their rankings in order to make the property more marketable.<br/><br/>Well, glad to see these issues have found some voices and people have shared their experiences with Jay in order for him to work with.<br/><br/>One additional qualifier I'd like to see TA employ for reviews is this question:<br/><br/>Did your host solicit your review in any way? Thanks Jay for both the effort to address some of TA's deficiencies, but also for advocating for making sites like it as fair and abuse proof as possible.

bobbi made some excellent points as well regarding our internal need to remind ourselves of what kind of labor of love innkeeping is and should be. We refuse to be held hostage or be slaves to reviews on any venue and especially on TA.

While holding TA's feet to the fire a little on addressing the need to place more safeguards and protections against capricious and undeserved bad reviews, we as innkeepers in my experience could work a lot harder resisting the temptation to go gild the lily on review sites ourselves.

The traveling public is not dumb and they can see right through the efforts of some of us who beg, cajole, instruct, reward, etc. guests to go write glowing reviews about a pace.

We also run the risk of giving ammo to the chronic complainers, ultra high maintenance, overly picky type guests who if they didn't know about TA before, they do after being given instruction sheets, email reminders, etc. on how and where to go write reviews.

Some of our guests who have shown us these printed things that were given to them upon check out and then came here to stay can relate how put off they were and how tacky of a practice they found it to be.

Our opinion is that our guests don't owe us anything above and beyond the tariff they pay for their stay. Hopefully, full enjoyment of their stay without the overt pressure of being subtly recruited to become part of an inn's marketing team is a quality more of us can adhere to.

Our local area which already enjoys one of the highest average annual occupancy in the country and its presence on TA in the B&B category has been one of ruthless zeal to attain higher rankings by a few competitors. It is fraught with totally unnatural pacing to how frequently the worst lily gilders receive almost always glowing and obviously coached reviews. "Make up" reviews which appear almost immediately after a negative and possibly deserved review always directly refute the issues the previous reviewer experienced. Now we have two very large B&Bs for sale in the area who for years rarely received any reviews or very infrequently and usually pretty lackluster praise getting what appear to be numbers of reviews way of out of whack with their historical pattern.

So in addition to some innkeepers here trying to pile on and hopefully dilute any negative reviews with huge volumes of solicited great reviews, we honorable and ethical innkeepers have to contend with the artificiality of some realtor probably telling their client's to boost their rankings in order to make the property more marketable.

Well, glad to see these issues have found some voices and people have shared their experiences with Jay in order for him to work with.

One additional qualifier I'd like to see TA employ for reviews is this question:

Did your host solicit your review in any way?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2008/10/convincing-tripadvisor/comment-page-4/#comment-95 Anonymous Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:49:00 +0000 http://innkeepingblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/convincing-tripadvisor/#comment-95 A brother and sister with their families stayed with us. While here, their kids got into a big fight, their parents got involved and they wanted to leave early. We did not refund their money. They protested the charge on the credit cards, were denied a refund by the credit card, etc. They got mad at us and they both wrote horrible, untrue comments three years ago. I am still suffering from them. Thanks for talking for all of us. TripAdvisor is so powerful. Thanks for your help in representing our places with small budgets, margins and resources. A brother and sister with their families stayed with us. While here, their kids got into a big fight, their parents got involved and they wanted to leave early. We did not refund their money. They protested the charge on the credit cards, were denied a refund by the credit card, etc. They got mad at us and they both wrote horrible, untrue comments three years ago. I am still suffering from them. Thanks for talking for all of us. TripAdvisor is so powerful. Thanks for your help in representing our places with small budgets, margins and resources.

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