Reputation Management

Your Reputation During COVID-19

  • If it comes up, ask guests to mention any special things you’ve done in response to COVID-19 that made them feel safe or comfortable.
  • Make sure to fill out TripAdvisor’s COVID-19 response, they are marketing this front and center.
  • In general, it is not too late to start marketing any changes in response to COVID-19 you have made.
  • Reminder: It’s important to have a marketing and PR response plan if a guest or staff member contracts COVID-19. While every property will have to determine its own approach, below are some general guidelines to consider when faced with the question of how to manage your reputation in a crisis:

Tips & Guidelines:

For COVID-19, it would be good to have a plan for three possible scenarios:

  • The outbreak remains outside of your region.
  • The epidemic spreads to your area but not to your property.
  • An outbreak occurs on property –

It is important to act quickly, so assign roles and responsibilities now and discuss with your staff:

  • Appoint a spokesperson, ideally the general manager or owner with media skills.
  • Advise staff not to speak to the media or the general public, but give them guidelines for responding to questions from guests.
  • If appropriate, publish an official statement and/or FAQ on your website and social media channels. Strive to answer the main questions people will have, including:
    • What happened?
    • When and where did it happen?
    • Who was affected?
    • What is being done about it?
  • Be calm, sincere and transparent in your messaging, striving to communicate the following:
    • Care “We care deeply about what happened.”
    • Concern “We’re concerned about the safety and wellbeing of our guests and employees.”
    • Commitment “As part of our commitment to safety and security, we’ve taken the following measures…”

When the dust settles, it’s time to start rebuilding your reputation.

  • Depending on the type of negative coverage you receive, measures may include:
    • Contacting sources and politely asking them to remove content
    • Flagging and reporting misinformation on review sites and social media
    • Responding to reviews and commentary
    • Launching a review outreach or PR campaign to generate positive content

If the risk to reputation is significant, seek professional advice from a public relations firm or lawyer.

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