Hospitality Industry Guide

Our guide provides you with practical instructions and tips on how customers in this industry use Trustify.

• Gain new customers
• Increase your sales
• Make your brand stand out from the crowd
• Keep customer satisfaction high
• Increase the conversion on your website
• Improve your ranking in search engines

Start with Trustify

If you haven't started using Trustify yet, you can get started right away with this quick start guide and set up Trustify. You will also learn your first tips and tricks.

Integrate Trustify

Integrate Trustify for your business so you can attract new customers. Your potential customers should gain trust with Trustify and set you apart from the competition.

Digital

Present review content on your website to increase your conversion by up to 25%. You will also improve your search ranking by enabling search engines to index the content of your reviews. So, integrating Trustify into your hospitality website is an essential strategy to build trust, enhance credibility, and improve customer engagement.

For this, integrate Trustify widgets on your website. You can find instructions in the Integrations & Widgets menu here on the left.

Homepage: First Impressions Matter

Place reviews directly on your homepage. This offers immediate social proof and builds trust with visitors from the moment they land on your site.

Contextual Reassurance

On your accommodation, booking, reservation or room detail pages include reviews or your Trustify Score. This contextual placement helps potential guests visualize their experience and reassures them that others have had positive experiences in the same setting.

Dedicated Reviews or Testimonials Page

Create a dedicated page with Trustify reviews, if you do not place reviews on the homepage already. This page can serve as a one-stop for guests who want to see a comprehensive collection of feedback. Trustify aggregates reviews from various platforms like Google, TripAdvisor, and Yelp to provide this comprehensive overview.

In the end, it is important to find the right balance for the placement of Trustify on the website. It should not be overloaded but should be easy to see for potential customers.

Locally

In the hospitality industry, showcasing positive guest experiences on-site is just as important as displaying them online. By integrating review content throughout your hotel, restaurant, or other hospitality venue, you can enhance trust, improve guest satisfaction, and encourage more positive feedback. Here’s how to do it effectively with Trustify:

Lobby and Reception Areas: Set the Tone

Place framed or digital display with your Trustify Score or even reviews in your lobby or reception area. This immediate exposure to positive feedback sets the tone for incoming guests and reassures them of the quality of their stay.

Printed Materials

Include Trustify and your Trustify Score in printed materials such as brochures, local guides, table stands, business cards or welcome letters. You can also highlight experiences that align with your brand’s strengths, whether that’s exceptional service, unique amenities, or the local charm.

Other Spaces (Elevators, Event and Conference Spaces, etc.)

Incorporate reviews, including from past events, conferences or weddings. Highlight testimonials from satisfied clients, including those who have held successful events. This not only builds trust with potential clients, but also demonstrates your venue's capabilities and attention to detail. You can present them with a flyer, wall poster or on a digital display.

Establish a process

In the hospitality industry, continuously gathering fresh reviews is vital for maintaining your reputation and attracting new guests. Whether you run a hotel, restaurant, or any other hospitality venue, implementing processes to encourage and capture guest feedback is essential.

Train Your Team

Empower your staff to understand the importance of reviews and how they contribute to your business’s success. Train them to recognize opportunities to ask for reviews during positive interactions with guests. Equip them with polite, non-intrusive language to encourage reviews, such as:

• Hotels: "We’re thrilled that you enjoyed your stay! If you have a moment, a review would mean a lot to us."
• Restaurants: "It was a pleasure serving you today. If you enjoyed your meal, we’d appreciate it if you could share your experience in a review."

A study shows 69.5% of consumers would take the time to write a review or give feedback if asked.

Make It Easy to Leave Reviews

It is important that you also give customers the opportunity to rate you directly, with a link. For example, use a QR code, table display, NFC tag, business card, etc. If you, for example, simply refer them verbally to the website to rate you, many of them will not submit a review or will forget about it.

Active with E-Mail or SMS

If you have customer data, as with a booking, after a guest checks out or finishes their meal, send a personalized follow-up email thanking them for their visit. Include direct link to your Trustify review page and a gentle prompt to share their experience.

Subtle Reminders

For hotels, place cards or small flyers in guest rooms with a message encouraging reviews. For restaurants, table tents or notes on the receipt can serve the same purpose. These should include a simple, friendly message like:

• Hotels: "We hope you enjoyed your stay! Share your experience on Trustify."
• Restaurants: "Loved your meal? Let us know on Trustify"

Handle reviews

Actively monitor your reviews and respond promptly. Acknowledge positive feedback with gratitude and address any negative comments constructively. This shows potential guests that you care about their experiences and are committed to continuous improvement. To get to know your customers even better and obtain detailed feedback and data, we recommend using Trustify surveys.

Responding to reviews

• Put Yourself in the Customer's Shoes: Before responding, take a moment to understand the review from the customer's perspective. This empathy will help you craft a more thoughtful and effective response.

• Be Polite and Professional: Always maintain a polite and respectful tone, regardless of whether the review is positive or negative. Your response reflects your business's professionalism.

• Acknowledge the Experience: Instead of directly disagreeing, acknowledge the customer's experience and explain how the situation typically is or should be. This shows understanding while subtly correcting any misconceptions.

• Protect Privacy: Never share or reference personal details about the customer in your response. Keep the focus on the experience and the resolution.

• Offer Further Support: If the situation was negative, offer further assistance or a way to resolve the issue. This demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction.

• Express Gratitude: Thank the reviewer for taking the time to leave feedback. Positive or negative, reviews provide valuable insights for your business.

The potential of negative reviews

Negative reviews, while challenging, hold significant potential for growth and improvement. Here’s how they can be valuable:

• Opportunity for Improvement: Negative feedback highlights areas where your business may need improvement. Use it as a constructive tool to identify weaknesses in your service, product quality, or overall customer experience. Addressing these issues can lead to a more refined and better-performing operation.
• Enhanced Customer Relations: Responding to negative reviews with empathy and professionalism can turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal advocate. Effective resolution of complaints demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction and can enhance your reputation.
• Increased Credibility: A few negative reviews among many positive ones can actually add credibility to your business. They show that the reviews are genuine and not overly curated. How you handle these reviews can further build trust with potential customers.

A well-handled response can often outweigh the impact of multiple positive reviews by showcasing your commitment to customer satisfaction and problem resolution.

Summary and checklist

Start by integrating Trustify on your website and in your physical location(s) to showcase positive reviews, your Trustify score and build trust. Implement a review collection process by training your staff to encourage feedback and using tools like QR codes and follow-up emails. Handle reviews with professionalism, responding to both positive and negative feedback constructively. Negative reviews, in particular, offer valuable insights for improvement and can enhance your credibility when addressed properly. By following these practices, you can attract new customers, increase sales, and maintain high customer satisfaction.

• Integrate Trustify:

  • Add Trustify widgets to your website, including the homepage and specific pages.
  • Display Trustify reviews or Score in physical locations like lobbies and dining areas.

• Encourage Reviews:

  • Train staff to ask for reviews and provide easy submission options like QR codes.
  • Follow up with guests via email or SMS, including direct links to your Trustify review page.

• Respond to Reviews:

  • Be empathetic, polite, and professional in all responses.
  • Address negative feedback constructively and offer further support if needed.