reviews and actively uses feedback to improve the guest experience. For example, when he noticed that people were compla
Success Story Springhill Suites Greensboro, NC
Tom Ullring, General Manager of SpringHill Suites Greensboro is an internet sleuth. Using Revinate, he actively monitors forums, blogs, news and social sites to uncover opportunities to drive more business to his hotel. He has successfully reached out to people who have had disappointing stays at other hotels in the area and has even captured group business by reaching out to a family planning a large reunion in the area. “People are sharing so much information online these days,” Tom says. “If you’re smart and approach them the right way, there’s a lot of business to be won.” For example, Tom was monitoring mentions of his property and came across a Facebook post from a local water park that mentioned hotels in the area. Tom reached out on Facebook to introduce himself and see how the two businesses could work together. Today, as a result of that post, SpringHill Suites is promoted by the park as a preferred partner and is able to sell discounted tickets at the front desk. The partnership has brought some good business to the hotel in the summer months, when it has traditionally been slower, given its more corporate clientele.
Not surprisingly, Tom is very active on review sites as well. He reads and responds to 100% of the hotel’s reviews and actively uses feedback to improve the guest experience. For example, when he noticed that people were complaining about the lack of room service, he didn’t simply brush it aside as criticism that he couldn’t resolve since he runs a select-service property. Rather, he worked with local, quality restaurants in the area to offer room service, and the results have been fantastic, with rave reviews from his guests. Another example involves complaints about noise transference. Knowing that there’s not much he can do about the building’s construction, Tom decided to be transparent. He began offering ear-plugs at the front desk for his guests that ‘sleep lightly’. By confronting the issue, Tom has seen
“People are sharing so much information online these days. If you’re smart and approach them the right way, there’s a lot of business to be won.” Tom Ullring General Manager
much fewer complaints about noise in reviews. As a result of his attention to customer service, the hotel consistently beats the competition when it comes to average rating and is ranked #3 out of 74 hotels in TripAdvisor’s Popularity Index. To encourage online feedback, Tom has gone beyond the traditional TripAdvisor card and provides a reminder card designed in-house. Recognizing that many guests might wait a few days before writing their reviews, he wanted to remind them of the property and the staff, so the card features a picture of his warm staff. As a result, the hotel consistently receives more reviews that it’s competitors, which are all larger properties. Tom has also found social media to be a great way to forge tighter bonds with his guests. He offers loyalty deals on Facebook and Twitter, and has been running foursquare specials to reward the ‘mayor’ of the property. He says, “It’s always fun when I engage with someone in the digital world and then get to meet him/her in the real world. Social media provides a great vehicle to have fun and get to know your guests a bit more.”
For more information or to schedule a demo, email us at
[email protected] or visit Revinate.com
Success Story
The hotel has consistently been rated above its comp set, proving that training and customer service is paying off.
While Tom is certainly very busy running the hotel and managing his online relationships, he is quick to point out that Revinate has actually given him time back in his day to focus on other business. He says, “Thanks to Revinate, I can now spend 30 minutes doing work that used to take me 3 to 4 hours. Revinate is a one-stop shop that helps me do my job faster and better.”
“It’s always fun when I engage with someone in the digital world and then get to meet him/her in the real world. Social media provides a great vehicle to have fun and get to know your guests a bit more.” Tom Ullring General Manager
About Revinate Revinate helps hotels and restaurants compete with a user-friendly software solution for managing and tracking reviews and media mentions on OTAs, review sites, and social networks. Developed exclusively for the hospitality industry, Revinate allows hotels and restaurants to turn online guest feedback into actionable plans to quickly respond to competition and market demands, increase customer satisfaction and drive revenue. Revinate is based in San Francisco and has over 15,000 hotel and restaurant clients worldwide. To learn more, visit revinate.com.
For more information or to schedule a demo, email us at
[email protected] or visit Revinate.com
