How to Manage a Crisis Online, Part 2: Rogue Employee Issues

INTRODUCTION

According to Statista, the number of worldwide social media users in 2017 reached 2.46 billion and is expected to grow to 2.77 billion this year. With this many social media users, mishaps can happen both intentionally and unintentionally. 

For example, early in 2018, Marriott Hotels fired an hourly employee after he liked a tweet, on behalf of Marriott International, during a night shift. The tweet was posted by a Tibetan separatist group that had praised Marriott for listing Tibet as a sovereign state in a customer survey.

What made matters worst was the employee didn’t know the “social graces” of dealing with this issue and didn’t think his job would be endangered by liking the tweet. However, for accidentally recognizing Tibet as a country, Marriott was ordered to suspend bookings for its 300 hotels in China for one week.

With the rapid-fire speed at which information can spread and without proper guidelines in place, your business is exposed to risks. Here is how to handle a social media crisis related to a rogue employee and rebuild your hotel’s reputation. 

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How Hotels Can Use WeChat for Marketing

As a hotelier, you probably already use social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to target travelers, but have you ever thought to explore WeChat? If not, you could be missing out on a huge customer base that doesn’t have access to the other major sites.

Known as the super app in China, WeChat combines the power of messaging, social media, social commerce and mobile payment into one platform. Plus, it has more than 1 billion users, making it a logical step for hotel marketers looking to expand their reach among Chinese tourists.

Following are some tips on how to use WeChat to market your hotel or resort.

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Hotels: How to Manage a Crisis Online, Part 1: Service Issues

INTRODUCTION

In a study by the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, dissatisfied customers typically tell nine to 15 other people about their experience; some tell 20 or more. This is especially important for hotels, B&Bs and resorts. Service issues such as inattentive and rude staff, a room not up to a customer’s liking and dirty amenities, can cause customers to write negative reviews online on sites like TripAdvisor, Google and Yelp. 

Here is how to handle a social media crisis related to a service issue and rebuild your hotel’s reputation.

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