NO - ANDREW MCGUINNESS, PARTNER, BEATTIE MCGUINNESS BUNGAY
'TripAdvisor is a despicable and cowardly organisation which is bullying small hotel owners all over the UK', said Duncan Bannatyne in the press last week ...
A 'rogue review' comparing his absolutely exquisite Charlton House Spa Hotel to Fawlty Towers has forced the Dragon to breathe fire.
From a consumer perspective, though, the debate at the heart of the decision to review ratings is, how important is objectivity versus subjectivity?
Is the objective 'truth' of an inspector ticking things off on a list more useful than the rant of a disappointed customer from Cleethorpes? Witnessing the rise of TripAdvisor from our work with Thomson and First Choice, all evidence points to consumers valuing access to many sources of information.
A Thomson '5T' rating is a useful data point, as is a well-written review by someone who sounds a bit like you. People aren't daft: they can assess different information on its merits before reaching their own conclusion. They're also not daft enough to miss a cost-cutting measure when they see one.
YES - CHRISTIAN CULL, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, TUI UK
Customer reviews win every time, but they need context. We use ratings for two reasons: they help customers make an initial distinction between hotels; and they offer a reassurance of consistency within each rating itself.
Beyond that, though, it's what customers think that takes over. That's why we have TripAdvisor on our websites: it's out there, and people use it anyway, so let's make it easier for them.
We keep a sense of proportion because our customers do, too. A bad review is not the end of the world, no matter what Duncan Bannatyne might think.
Marketers aren't the only ones who know you're more likely to get a negative posting than a positive one. Real people know it, too - and they can spot extremist and unbalanced views a mile off.
So, customers balance the good comments with the bad, and make a choice. If the bad outweighs the good, look to your product, not the rating. Listen to the message, accept it, respond and move on.
NO - CHRIS MACDONALD, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, MCCANN LONDON
While sites like TripAdvisor are undoubtedly a great tool for the modern tourist, personally, I'd be extremely wary of booking a hotel based on a ratings system that is generated by consumers alone.
The problem with a consumer-generated hotel-review system is that it is relative: no two hotel visitors' experiences can ever be the same.
The star ratings awarded under the national Quality Assessment Scheme are absolute: they are based on a hotel attaining a certain standard of service and accommodation in key areas.
Reviews on TripAdvisor tend to be wholly positive or negative; they're rarely neutral. And because consumers are naturally risk-averse, they tend to be drawn to the negative reviews.
This can be a significant disabling factor when it comes to making a choice: no matter how many reviews mention a hotel's excellent service, the spacious rooms and the amazing food, the one review that mentions a cockroach sighting will mean that the search will continue.
MAYBE - JONATHAN STEAD, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, RAPIER
To me, the most important point is that not all reviews are created equally.
A review from a trusted friend can be immensely valuable but a review from an unverified source can be positively misleading. It's quite possible that the public will become more sceptical of reviews as they become more aware of the pitfalls.
An article that appeared in The Sunday Times in November 2010 exposed the widespread practice of biased publisher-driven book reviews on Amazon.
It's important to think about the motivations of the reviewer. There can still be value in star systems, but probably more as an indicator of the nature of facilities provided than a true guarantee of quality.
People discovered long ago that there are great two-star experiences and there are rotten ones. In short, neither system provides perfect protection for the gullible.
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