Untrue comment of Trip Advisor

[BuzySuzy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas

Recently, it was brought to my attention, that we had a really bad review on trip advisor. It was posted in November of 2013, said they stayed in 2012, had a bad experience with MICE and the room by the pool was finally the best spot after they had been switched 3 times.

First off...I would remember this experience...I only have 12 rooms...to switch a customer 3 times for mice, it would definitely stand out.

Second...I don't have a pool on the premises...not even one I send customers to. Obviously, she has the wrong place! Or it's totally wrong.

I tried to get on TA...impossible without a customer membership. I tried to find a number...no phone number. So I tried to apply for a business/manager membership...WOW! Not the easiest thing to do.

After 3 hours of hunting, giving them permission to make posts to my FB page, giving them access to friends data and my info. They tell me they will get back to me in 3-5 days....Really! I can open a customer account right away!

I am tired of keeping up with these post it type of companies....I do a good job, try to keep my customers happy...I am small..and these big companies just allow anything to be said....

Most of the good/bad posts are opinions...usually I can handle those after I walk away from the screen. But this one is embarrassing me and making me ill.

What can I do to prevent more set backs like this....

 

[Proserpina]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas

Recently, it was brought to my attention, that we had a really bad review on trip advisor. It was posted in November of 2013, said they stayed in 2012, had a bad experience with MICE and the room by the pool was finally the best spot after they had been switched 3 times.

First off...I would remember this experience...I only have 12 rooms...to switch a customer 3 times for mice, it would definitely stand out.

Second...I don't have a pool on the premises...not even one I send customers to. Obviously, she has the wrong place! Or it's totally wrong.

I tried to get on TA...impossible without a customer membership. I tried to find a number...no phone number. So I tried to apply for a business/manager membership...WOW! Not the easiest thing to do.

After 3 hours of hunting, giving them permission to make posts to my FB page, giving them access to friends data and my info. They tell me they will get back to me in 3-5 days....Really! I can open a customer account right away!

I am tired of keeping up with these post it type of companies....I do a good job, try to keep my customers happy...I am small..and these big companies just allow anything to be said....

Most of the good/bad posts are opinions...usually I can handle those after I walk away from the screen. But this one is embarrassing me and making me ill.

What can I do to prevent more set backs like this....

Not sure where you were looking, but....

http://www.tripadvisor.com/PressCenter-c4-Fact_Sheet.html

Scroll down a bit. Address, management info, phone number.

 

[cbg]

You mean, how can you control what people say?

You can't.

However, you can complete the process of signing up and post your side of the story.

 

[swalsh411]

If a single incorrect customer review is making you physically ill then perhaps you are in the wrong line of work.

 

[BuzySuzy]

If a single incorrect customer review is making you physically ill then perhaps you are in the wrong line of work.

They come up all the time...bad comments...with good ones too!

I find this comment is not only be wrong but harmful to my business. I asked a few customers if they read it...the men said yes...they didn't think anything of it...the wives say if they knew of the post, they would not of come.

My business is very women driven. I have friends that say...Oh! TA says its good (or bad)...that's way too much power for me when a costumer doesn't have to prove they even stayed at the business. When I as an owner have to prove with documents I am the owner!

 

[Zigner]

They come up all the time...bad comments...with good ones too!

I find this comment is not only be wrong but harmful to my business. I asked a few customers if they read it...the men said yes...they didn't think anything of it...the wives say if they knew of the post, they would not of come.

My business is very women driven. I have friends that say...Oh! TA says its good (or bad)...that's way too much power for me when a costumer doesn't have to prove they even stayed at the business. When I as an owner have to prove with documents I am the owner!

Post a follow-up stating the fact that you don't even have a pool.

 

[cbg]

Your recourse is to sign up at Trip Advisor and post a response to any reviews you think are harmful.

There is nothing you can do that will prevent people from posting their views. That is, after all, what the site is for.

 

[Proserpina]

Your recourse is to sign up at Trip Advisor and post a response to any reviews you think are harmful.

There is nothing you can do that will prevent people from posting their views. That is, after all, what the site is for.

Not unlike that...other site.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas

Recently, it was brought to my attention, that we had a really bad review on trip advisor. It was posted in November of 2013, said they stayed in 2012, had a bad experience with MICE and the room by the pool was finally the best spot after they had been switched 3 times.

First off...I would remember this experience...I only have 12 rooms...to switch a customer 3 times for mice, it would definitely stand out.

Second...I don't have a pool on the premises...not even one I send customers to. Obviously, she has the wrong place! Or it's totally wrong.

I tried to get on TA...impossible without a customer membership. I tried to find a number...no phone number. So I tried to apply for a business/manager membership...WOW! Not the easiest thing to do.

After 3 hours of hunting, giving them permission to make posts to my FB page, giving them access to friends data and my info. They tell me they will get back to me in 3-5 days....Really! I can open a customer account right away!

I am tired of keeping up with these post it type of companies....I do a good job, try to keep my customers happy...I am small..and these big companies just allow anything to be said....

Most of the good/bad posts are opinions...usually I can handle those after I walk away from the screen. But this one is embarrassing me and making me ill.

What can I do to prevent more set backs like this....

If it makes you feel any better, BuzySuzy, your opinion of TripAdvisor is shared by many - and past reviews posted to that site have led to several defamation suits.

There is currently a class action suit being considered against the review site, for its failure to remove reviews that include false accusations of negligent or criminal behavior on the part of the businesses reviewed. The class action is expected to include over 700 hotels and vacation spots against which defamatory statements were made.

In other words, the reviews are going beyond the negative experiences of travelers and entering into false, reputationally injurious fiction. As an example of how others view TripAdvisor, you can look for some sites online that review TA (the reviews are, for the most part, not at all flattering, and support your complaints here).

So, you have options. You are able to post rebuttals to the false posts, setting the record straight on your property. You are also able to file suit against the reviewer who posted the false review. Or you could consider a suit against the review site itself. All but the first suggestion can get extremely costly - but business reputations are valuable and, if you can show a decline in revenue due to the negative review(s), you may have a suit worth pursuing.

I suggest you consult with an attorney to see what sort of legal action you might have, and to give you a better idea if such an action is financially worthwhile. The statute of limitations for filing a defamation claim (the time within which you must file a suit) starts from the time of first publication of the defamatory material and ranges from one year to three years, depending on the state where the action is filed. The SOL in Texas is one year from the date of first publication.

Good luck.