Research Customer Decision Journey

Online Reviews have disrupted the Customer Decision Journey in the hospitality industry

How has the customer journey changed, why?

According to TripAdvisor, 83% of the website’s users have the reflex to consult guests’ feedbacks before deciding to book a hotel. UGC (user-generated content or user-created content), also called e-WOM (online word-of-mouth) are indeed gaining more and more power in the process of consumer purchasing decision.

The previous image shows the various benefits received from customer feedback in the past 18 months according to UK’s hoteliers in the Barclays’ study. 

What is the impact for hoteliers?

Online reviews are deeply impacting hoteliers. However it is not only negative (as guests' complaints management may be), it has also a lot of benefits for hotels - as detailed above - on communication, loyalty, reputation, quality improvements, and staff well-being.

What is the impact on marketing?

Hoteliers should monitor their online reputation. This issue is inescapable in the sector: nowadays, online reputation is one of the major challenges that hoteliers have to face in order to remain competitive. In fact the web is now progressing from a business-to-consumer communication to a consumer-to-consumer (or peer to peer) generation. Now people place their confidence in the other guests that is why the message is less controllable.

Marketing strategies are evolving because of this change in the customer decision journey.