No matter the location, the chain scale, or the attentiveness of management, bad things may happen at your hotel property. How do hotel owners and managers respond when injury, violence or allegations of sexual assault are raised at their property?

In a November 1, 2017 announcement from TripAdvisor, the company stated that they would provide “badge” notifications on hotel listings ‰”to alert consumers of health and safety or discrimination issues at that business reported on within the media or other credible sources of information.”

This announcement comes following a wave of sexual assault victims sharing their stories through the #MeToo social media trend and stories in major news publications. It is in this atmosphere that the TripAdvisor badge was announced and widely reported on by print, digital and television news media. For hoteliers in the hospitality industry, the badge may seem threatening. Research shows that TripAdvisor scores and city ranks have an impact on traveler booking decisions and hotel rate management. Many hoteliers are wondering how the presence of the TripAdvisor safety alert badge may impact their revenue.

At Travel Media Group, we understand the concern hoteliers may feel if their property receives the safety alert badge as a result of guest allegations. At a time when you feel like the reputation of your property is out of your control, there are practical steps you can take to recover. In this article, we‰’ll share our suggestions for moving forward when you receive the guest safety badge from TripAdvisor.

Follow Brand Guidelines

Many hotel brands have guidelines for crisis management and response. If you are impacted by allegations or a crisis occurs on your property, you should notify your brand immediately, follow their recommendations, and consult legal counsel before taking further action. This article should not be taken as legal advice and hoteliers are responsible for their actions and response to crises.

TripAdvisor will display a badge notification “to alert consumers of health and safety or discrimination issues at that business reported on within the media or other credible sources of information.”

Respond with Transparency and Compassion

When allegations of sexual assault, discrimination or safety issues are raised, a hotelier‰’s first instinct may be to deny those allegations and respond defensively. We‰’ve all heard of competitors or unhappy guests creating malicious, false reviews to try to damage a property‰’s reputation. However, in the case of the TripAdvisor badge related to guest health and safety concerns, mounting a defense is best kept offline, through your interactions with your legal team and TripAdvisor.

Your online response to your guest should be transparent and compassionate. There is a long history in America of the victims of sexual assault being silenced when they attempt to come forward. As a hotel manager, you should not seek to silence the victim. In fact, a public attempt at doing so, either by claiming their review is false or responding in a hostile tone, may backfire on you. Research indicates that future guests read hotelier responses to reviews, and what you say in those responses shapes your reputation for future guests. Plus, in a worst case scenario, your insensitive response could end up featured in a news article.

Instead, respond in a way that is compassionate to the guest, without taking the blame or admitting any fault for what has allegedly occurred. You should communicate your concern for the guest, let them know that you are investigating their claim, share the guest safety measures you have in place (see more below) and reiterate that guest safety continues to be your priority. You can also provide alternate contact information for the guest so that future discussion of the issue can be moved to a private communication channel.

A best practice for responding to a crisis at your hotel is to show compassion for the alleged victim.

Share Information About Guest Safety Measures

Before, during and after a crisis, it‰’s essential for your hotel to communicate all guest safety measures through as many communication channels as possible. If you do not currently have security measures in place, you should make investing in guest safety a priority moving forward. Items that may be helpful to implement include: security cameras (indoor and outdoor), 24-hour front desk presence, security guards, name tags and credentials for all employees, updated room keys and locking mechanisms, keycard access for hotel floors, and clear policies in place for crisis response.

Whether you already have these security measures in place or plan to implement them, it‰’s vital to communicate them to your current and future guests. Start by posting your security information online through your hotel website or blog, social media posts, TripAdvisor listing hotel description and more. You can also post information about guest safety at the property, through table tents, elevator posters or in hotel information booklets in guest rooms.

At the property, you can also put a policy in place that encourages guests to report any health or safety concerns to the hotel staff immediately. By creating an on-property culture that supports victims coming forward, your hotel staff can help victims report incidents and you can address guest concerns directly before allegations are made online.

By telling guests online and in person what you‰’re doing to ensure their safety, you‰’ll communicate your commitment to helping solve the problems, rather than making it seem like you‰’re hiding from them. Through ongoing guest engagement about the safety practices at your hotel, you can take an active role in shaping the online discourse about your property.

Prioritizing guest safety by installing security cameras is just one step you can take to help your property.

How Travel Media Group Can Help

Travel Media Group can help hotels who receive the TripAdvisor safety alert badge in a few ways. First, our professional review response analysts are trained to respond to negative reviews – and they have a proven track record of responding to negative reviews following crises. When it comes to serious allegations of injury, theft, violence or sexual assault, they will work directly with hoteliers to understand the allegations and draft an appropriate response.

Additionally, it‰’s important to remember that the TripAdvisor safety alert badge is temporary and will appear on your listing for 90 days. The best strategy you can employ is to focus on continuing to earn positive reviews consistently during and after those 90 days. It will be difficult to avoid a decrease in booking as a result of the notification, but by proactively improving your reputation, you can set your hotel up for a positive future. Travel Media Group can help you focus on moving forward and improving your reputation to benefit your hotel for years to come.