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We
use TripAdvisor when we plan our holidays. We sometimes contribute
if we feel that we can add value. It's a very useful resource.
The simple concept of creating a web site that is written
by travelers for travelers is very powerful and it is no surprise
that TripAdvisor has become one of the best known examples
of social media worldwide with well over 20 million reviews.
TripAdvisor's
original re-assuring strap-line "get the truth. then
go." smacked of integrity and professionalism and implied
that the reader can trust the site to provide impartial, accurate
advice about where to go, where to stay, what to do and where
to eat.
Often,
in our experience, nothing can be further from "the truth".
In fact, there is nothing in TripAdvisor's own guidelines
on what constitutes an acceptable review to suggest that a
review need be truthful or factual. Interesting, then, that
"get the truth. then go" was replaced with "world's
most trusted travel advice", and now "the world's
largest travel review site" - the latter is at least
true! TripAdvisor should take the issue of fraudulent and
inaccurate reporting far more seriously than they appear to
do at present and its parent company Expedia should be more
transparent with their customers. As one blogger from Hawaii
wrote, "When your stock in trade is reviews, it's essential
that consumers of the reviews have confidence in them. Otherwise,
isn't this like going to the ATM and being unsure whether
the cash you receive is counterfeit?"
Don't
get us wrong, this isn't being written because of sour grapes
or as a result of an overbearing sense of injustice - the
Cross actually benefits quite nicely from reviews which are
mostly very positive - but rather that we have identified
serious flaws and inadequacies in the TripAdvisor model and
we think it only right that if you intend to read and take
account of TripAdvisor reviews you are aware of these and
if you are considering penning your own review we would like
and urge you to do so responsibly. This isn't a "rant",
as some readers have complained...it's just a matter of setting
the record straight!
So,
before you use TripAdvisor reviews to plan your holiday we
think you need to know:
-
that
travelers reviews are not checked for factual accuracy
and where significant errors are identified it seems
impossible to have these corrected. In fact we don't
believe that reviews are subject to any sort of scrutiny
prior to posting (we complained recently about a review
of a local campsite that contained blatantly racist
remarks...to no avail).
-
that
property owners write their own reviews. This of course
is taboo as far as TripAdvisor is concerned, but the
reality is that there are insufficient measures (or
penalties) in place to ensure that it doesn't happen.
On two occasions we've pointed out such reviews to TripAdvisor,
on both occasions the reviews in question were removed,
but in neither instance was any further action taken
against the properties concerned. We've also been at
the receiving end of scathing reviews written by neighbouring
hoteliers! Recently, The Times wrote and submitted six
glowing reviews, all fake, on hotels generally considered
to be amongst London's poorest. TripAdvisor posted all
six reviews without question.
-
that
property owners run campaigns to encourage their customers
(and friends?) to write positive reviews - in fact TripAdvisor
positively encourage this and such is TripAdvisor's
potential as a marketing tool for the hospitality industry
that public money is spent in running training courses
for small businesses on how to manipulate TripAdvisor
to best advantage. Posting on TripAdvisor is, sadly,
one of the most basic tactics in the PR 2.0 world and
it's been written that some hotels incentivise their
staff to write reviews.
-
that,
largely as a consequence of the three points above,
the TripAdvisor rankings cannot always be relied upon
as an objective guide to comparative quality.
-
that
TripAdvisor is big business and, as a unit of Expedia,
obviously serves first and foremost to further it's
global travel marketing business. TripAdvisor makes
money via pay-per-click links and adverts. The value
of that business is largely driven by the number of
reviews posted as well as the total number of site visitors,
therefore they have a vested interest in ensuring that
as many reviews as possible are posted, accurate or
not. The commercial aims of TripAdvisor have recently
become even more apparent as they have begun to tout
hoteliers for extra revenue in exchange for enhanced
entries and hot links to their own web sites.
We
also suggest that you:
-
check
each reviewer's profile you're basing a travel decision
on, in order to see how many he or she has written...if
the profile has only one or two reviews then disregard
it. If on the other hand the reviewer has written on
numerous occasions on properties in varying locations
then the review is likely to be more objective.
-
consider
disregarding the the very worst and the very best reviews.
-
also
do your own research - find material written by professional
reviewers (Michelin, AA, Rough Guide, Scotland the Best,
etc.) that will corroborate what you have read on TripAdvisor.
And,
if you are thinking about writing a review (about The Cross
or anywhere else):
-
do
remember that once you've posted your review you can't
change it so do please be sure of your facts (and tone)
before pressing that button! Remember that if you make
an ill-judged criticism, pass a cheap remark, quote
the wrong dish or price, or you are economical with
the truth in order to sensationalise your review you
will have at best irritated the owner, demotivated their
staff and lost all credibility...but at worst you may
have caused lasting damage to someone's business.
-
your
review should be balanced - of course you will want
to describe your stay or meal and express some opinions,
that's what it's all about...but please do consider
if your experience of staying in hotels or eating out
is so comprehensive that you are fully qualified to
make comparative judgments or to advise hospitality
professionals on how to run their business.
-
be
sure that you are writing for the right reasons, i.e.
because you genuinely wish to enhance a fellow traveler's
experience and not because you're a frustrated travel
writer and get a kick out of seeing your words in print,
because you hold a grudge, or that you merely want to
bring a successful business down a peg or two. Maybe
you and your choice of hotel just weren't right for
each other!?
-
at
least afford the management the courtesy of bringing
any criticisms or disappointments to their attention
at the time of your visit, and before you write to TripAdvisor
There's nothing that's so cowardly, frankly, than to
settle your bill without comment, nod meekly when asked
if you've enjoyed your stay and hot-foot it to your
computer when you get home to vent all of your pent-up
anger across a TripAdvisor review. You'll be pleasantly
surprised at how often complaints can be resolved if
raised at the time. If after all your efforts have been
in vain then by all means spill the beans but even then
there's no need to be nasty or melodramatic about it.
-
and,
please, don't write about a property six months or more
after you've stayed. It's a disservice to your fellow
travelers If your review is negative the chances are
that anything that had gone wrong when you stayed has
already been put right, and if it's a glowing review
you've written you have no guarantees that things haven't
changed.
And
in the event that you want to read even more about TripAdvisor
you can follow an interesting topic thread on
www.travelblog.org and, for the other side of the argument,
you might like to read a report that was completed by Highland
Business Research!
An
interesting development is that smaller establishments are
now incorporating into their terms and conditions:
"Non-Disclosure
Agreement: You agree not to upload to the internet, publish,
broadcast, or perform, or cause others to do the same, without
our express written consent, any information gained as a result
of your stay with us. Said information includes, but not limited
to, descriptions, methods, opinions, reviews, facts, pictures,
video and audio recordings, and the like. You agree to pay
us £100 each time said information is accessed by the
public.You acknowledge that utilizing a false identity to
upload said information may additionally result in your being
charged with a crime.You agree to reimburse us for expenses
we incur in determining your identity to enforce our rights.
If you cannot agree with these Terms and Conditions, you agree
not to stay with us.”
.
Or,
something more simple like:
“For your payment we grant you limited permission (“Patron
License”) to use our facilities for the fee you pay. Your
Patron License does not permit you to gather information about
our facilities, or to publish or post on the internet information
you learn about our facilities. Presence in our facilities
for a purpose not part of the Patron License is considered
trespassing.”
.
Or,
“You agree not to publish or post reviews about us on the
internet without our permission.”
We
don't believe that it is currently necessary for us to give
this our serious consideration, but.....!!!
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