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How to turn Booking commission into the most effective advertising investment for the hotel
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The fee that hotels pay to Booking is often considered a mandatory expense. However, Alvaro Arroyal, CEO of Jaippy, argued during TecnoHotel OnTour in Valencia that this fee can become a very valuable advertising investment for the hotel if online reputation is properly managed. His presentation highlighted a crucial aspect in the customer decision process: ratings and reviews on Booking.
Reputation as a tool for price adjustment and direct sales.
Arroyal began his presentation by emphasizing a point that most of the participants agreed on: Booking remains the main hotel search engine during customer decision making, even though the final booking may be made through other means. In this context, rating is critical. "Those who have a score of 9.3 or 9.4 can afford to sell at higher prices compared to those with an 8.6," he noted.
Following this line of thinking, online reputation not only influences customer acquisition, but also affects a hotel's ability to set higher rates and achieve a higher volume of direct sales. "As the rating on Booking improves, the number of customers coming directly increases," he commented, refuting the belief that optimizing the score only favors online travel agencies.
The true range is between 8 and 9. One of the key points of the presentation was to downplay the importance of negative reviews. According to Arroyal, in hotels that receive many reviews, very unfavorable ratings tend to be rare and do not significantly affect the statistics. "If a hotel is performing well, you can dismiss those reviews," he said firmly.
The emphasis, he stressed, should be on customers who are satisfied and who give ratings of 8 or 9. That is the real opportunity for improvement. Jaippy, he said, statistically examines more than 60 million opinions on 12,500 hotels in Spain to identify the factors that affect those middling ratings and how to transform them into a 10.
The 48 hours that determine the image of the hotel
Arroyal highlighted an important figure during the session: 50% of reviews are posted in the first 24 to 48 hours after departure. Indeed, 25% of guests rate the hotel on the same day of departure, while 26% do so the next day, before receiving reminder emails from Booking.
This time interval is critical. "The hotel's reputation is decided every day in a 24-hour span," he said. For this reason, Jaippy focuses its strategy on these crucial moments, especially during the breakfast and check-out process, when the guest is still in the hotel and their experience is fresh.
The "digital tip" and the role of the receptionist
The presentation ended with a very useful approach: requesting a review is not invasive if done properly. Arroyal argued that, without changing his routine, the receptionist can start a personalized dialogue by inquiring about specific aspects of the stay. If the customer expresses satisfaction, it is the decisive moment to ask for the "digital tip", which is equivalent to a 10.
"We don't simply increase the ratings with a click. We provide the guidance; the hotel takes care of the vehicle, fuel and driver," he said. Jaippy focuses on improving ratings incrementally, collaborating with hotels to reach their true rating potential. "The most effective advertising is not an ad, but a perfect review that praises your hotel," Arroyal concluded.
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