Brand reputation management has become one of the most critical priorities for hotels in the modern hospitality landscape. As guest expectations evolve and online platforms transform how travelers make decisions, the importance of managing your digital reputation has grown tremendously. Today, a hotel’s reputation is not shaped only by what happens inside the property—it is shaped, interpreted, and amplified online by guest reviews, public feedback, and the hotel’s responses to those interactions.
This shift has pushed hoteliers to reconsider what “investment” in reputation truly means. And it raises an important question that every hotel operator must answer with clarity:
What investments have you made specific to digital reputation management within the last 12 to 18 months, and what are your goals and strategies to that end in 2020?
When we’ve asked hoteliers these questions at trade shows, the answer heard time and again was nearly identical: the hotel subscribed to a brand reputation management software dashboard, and the teams on property made operational adjustments to elevate the guest experience based on the feedback within guest comments.
This response reflects a positive step—hotels are paying attention, gathering data, and responding to what guests say. However, when asked about goals and strategies pertaining specifically to digital reputation management, the answers were far more vague. While most hotels might have a target in mind—the first page on TripAdvisor being the most common example—few were able to communicate how they planned to achieve that goal. The intention is there, but the roadmap is missing.
What Software Does and Doesn’t Do for Your Brand Reputation Management
Digital reputation management software is an incredible tool and has been part of the hospitality industry for many years. Platforms like Revinate and TrustYou remain industry favorites, and we work with them quite often. These systems gather guest feedback, consolidate reviews across various platforms, and present data in a way that is easy to interpret. When your teams actively use the available data, it can absolutely provide a wealth of information.
However, it’s important to emphasize that this is still a reactive approach. You are analyzing feedback after the guest has already had their experience. Just as responding to reviews is a necessary reactive action item, analyzing feedback through dashboards is a step that comes after the service moment has occurred.
So the crucial question becomes:
What can be done proactively today to impact your digital reputation management for the current month?
What actions can be taken immediately to ensure your hotel earns more positive reviews than the property next door?
The reality is that software alone cannot increase your review volume, motivate your staff to create exceptional experiences, or build a service culture that consistently delights guests. That requires leadership, training, accountability, and strategic execution—things that software cannot replace.
According to a TripBarometer study, reputation management is anticipated to experience the greatest growth in investment in the coming years. It is projected to outperform line items such as renovations, advertising, search engine optimization, and even staff training. This shift confirms that hotels understand reputation is more than just reading and reacting to reviews—it is a competitive advantage, a revenue strategy, and a vital part of guest engagement.
As more hotels begin to invest heavily in digital reputation management, the playing field will only become more competitive. If the management team at your hotel lacks the bandwidth, expertise, or knowledge on how to execute a truly effective reputation management strategy, then relying solely on dashboards will not be enough. In moments like these, it becomes essential to explore outside solutions that offer more depth, more structure, and more hands-on impact.
How Our Team Fills in the Gaps
Hoteliers often ask us how The Reputation Lab differs from a software company. The answer to that question is threefold, and each part highlights a critical gap that cannot be filled by dashboards, sentiment charts, or automated analytics.
1. We Are a Strategic Partner
We don’t just provide data—you already have that. We partner with the leadership team to set meaningful goals and implement strategies on how those goals can actually be achieved. Whether your target is to reach the first page of TripAdvisor, increase monthly review volume, enhance your Google rating, or build guest loyalty, we help design the roadmap that makes those goals realistic and attainable.
This includes:
- Setting measurable milestones
- Identifying friction points in the guest journey
- Creating review generation systems
- Improving guest experience touchpoints
- Developing on-brand response frameworks
- Building internal accountability systems
Software tells you what guests say. We help you determine what to do about it.
2. We Act as an Extension of Your Management Team
Reputation success requires consistency—daily consistency. While your team is focused on operations, guest interactions, housekeeping, food & beverage, and overall service delivery, reputation tasks often get pushed aside. Not because your team doesn’t care, but because they simply do not have the time or bandwidth to manage them effectively.
We fill that gap by:
- Leading the reputation strategy with property champions
- Training frontline teams on service behaviors that shape guest sentiment
- Recognizing and motivating staff for achievements
- Supporting managers with coaching and communication tools
- Ensuring daily habits align with reputation goals
Instead of adding more duties to an already stretched team, we take ownership and guide the process. We don’t hand you a plan and disappear—we work with your hotel every day to ensure results become reality.
3. We Relieve Your Team of the Countless Hours Required to Respond to Reviews
Responding to reviews is not just a box to tick. It requires:
- Personalized messaging
- Timely responses
- Brand-appropriate tone
- Awareness of guest issues
- Conflict management skills
- Correct platform etiquette
- Professional language
- Sensitivity in handling negative feedback
Hotels often underestimate how much time this consumes. For many properties, this can easily reach 20–40 hours a month—time your leaders should be spending engaging with guests, driving revenue, and leading their teams.
Our specialists handle this entire workload, ensuring:
- Every review receives a thoughtful, polished, well-crafted response
- Your brand voice is consistent
- Sensitive issues are addressed appropriately
- Guest concerns are acknowledged respectfully
- No feedback is ever ignored
By removing this burden, your team can focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences—the very moments that generate the next wave of five-star reviews.
If You’re Ready to Strengthen Your Reputation
If you are interested in learning how a digital reputation management strategy can benefit your business and how a proactive approach can drive stronger rankings, better guest experiences, and higher revenue, we invite you to connect with us.
Reach out through our secure contact form or call 855-979-6800 to set up a no-pressure consultation.
Investing in your reputation is not just about managing reviews—it’s about shaping the story guests share about your hotel. And the right investments will ensure that story strengthens your brand for years to come.
