Opportunity in Criticism

User feedback on social media includes bouquets and brickbats. Marcus Hanna, GM, Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay tells Vinita Bhatia how hoteliers can use it to improve processes, and even win over unhappy guests

Run a Google search on Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay, and majority of the top 10 results will be user reviews from various travel sites. This range from effusive compliments to complaints that are so rude it can make the staunchest general manager cringe. However, in this hyper-connected era where information of every byte and hue is available at the click of a button, and where guests usually go online before heading to a property for a meal, spa or a stay, it is important to take the rough with the smooth. That is what Marcus Hanna, GM of Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay has managed to do.

How important is it for a GM to be in touch with guests on social media, especially travel companies that promote user-generated content? 

It is pertinent, as lots of decisions are now made on feedback from other travellers. As GMs, we need to understand what our guests are saying and more importantly, act on it. Every morning, we go through guest feedback from the earlier day – whether it has been on social media or our own guest feedback form – and work out how to respond to each one. If it there is a negative feedback, we understand what went wrong and how do we ensure that we don’t do it again, and what should we do now, etc, to continuously improve things.

How can you convert an unhappy guest who might has left a poor feedback online?