STAR PERFORMANCE 13. ONLINE REVIEWS
Online reviews have a huge impact on service businesses. Although few operators embrace them to the degree seen in the hotel and restaurant sectors, the opportunity is there to increase business by encouraging and managing reviews across all areas of leisure, including attractions. A study by economists at the
University of California, Berkeley, found a variance of just half a star rating can determine whether a service business grows and thrives or goes bust. Researchers focused on restaurant
reviews on Yelp and found that the difference between 3 and 3.5 stars increased the chance of a business reaching capacity at peak times from 13 per cent to as much as 34 per cent. Further reinforcement of the impact
comes from a TripAdvisor study which found that properties with 11 reviews or more on the website benefi t from a 28
Good customer reviews can build your reputation. Bad ones need to be carefully managed
per cent rise in user engagement when compared to those with 10 or fewer. Dealing with complaints relating to online reviews is also important, according to a PhoCusWright report which found 84 per cent of TripAdvisor users said an appropriate management response to a bad review improves their impression of a hotel or restaurant.
In the attractions industry, monitoring
reviews can act as a feedback loop for complaints, while managing them helps to neutralise the impact of bad reviews which have been shared by consumers. As more attractions build hotels, spas
and restaurants, managing these reviews also becomes an important part of the reputation management of the operation.
TUNING IN OR JUST CREEPY? 14. FACIAL RECOGNITION
Understanding consumers’ true feelings and motivations has been the concern of neuromarketers for years: what we say we want and what we really want are often two completely different – and sometimes contradictory – things. Knowing what people are thinking gives
valuable insights for operators. With facial gesture recognition and profi ling software coming to market, retailers are able to identify mood and respond accordingly to improve the customer experience. For example, coffee brand Douwe
Egberts conducted a PR stunt by installing a coffee vending machine at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo Airport. The machine had facial recognition built in. Travellers were given a free cup of coffee when the software detected them yawning. We expect theme parks, stadiums and
other high-footfall facilities to deploy facial recognition software both to profi le customers and to assess their mood before and after experiences. This will enable better product
development and give insights into operational variables when it comes to delivering evermore enjoyable experiences. It will also give operators valuable feedback about areas for improvement.
AM 1 2015 ©Cybertrek 2015
There are many new ways to fi nd out what your customers really think
Read Attractions Management online
attractionsmanagement.com/digital 37
PHOTO: © SHUTTERSTOCK/SUNNY STUDIO
PHOTO: © SHUTTERSTOCK/FRANCK BOSTON
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