During research for a proposal for a Caribbean marina, I uncovered more than 100 unfavourable customer reviews online. The marina had not replied to ANY client reviews, either positive or negative.
Social listening is so important for yachting companies, so you can monitor your brand online and engage with your customers.
Customer feedback is crucial in determining a company’s reputation and long-term success in the competitive yachting sector of today. Responding to both positive and negative reviews has become more than simply a good practice—it’s now required as consumers depend more and more on online opinions before making purchases.
How a company responds to customer feedback may have a big impact on its reputation, client loyalty, and even future reservations—whether it’s a five-star review praising an amazing yacht charter experience or a one-star complaint about a subpar yacht rental.
This post will discuss the importance of replying to reviews and offer advice on how to properly manage both good and negative comments.
Why Customer Reviews Matter in the Yachting Industry
Customer reviews serve as a valuable marketing tool, and here’s why:
Establishes Trust: Trust is essential in a premium industry like yachting, where costs are high and experiences are customised. When a business demonstrates that it values customer feedback and aspires to excellence, potential customers are more inclined to make a reservation with it.
Demonstrates Customer Care: Responding to feedback shows both present and potential clients that the business values their experiences and is dedicated to continually improving its offerings.
Brand Awareness: Consumer testimonials have the power to increase brand awareness and drive traffic. Approximately 87% of consumers use reviews to locate nearby companies, according to BrightLocal.
Gains Insight: Reviews give you honest input on what your customers like and what needs work. You can keep ahead of the competition and shape your products with the help of this information.
Boosts SEO: When you respond to reviews, your business benefits from fresh, relevant content online, which can positively impact your search engine rankings.
Digital channels, such as social media, e-commerce platforms, and online reviews, have grown in importance in luxury consumers’ decision-making processes, according to Deloitte’s 2020 Global Luxury Report. It was noted that more than 60% of luxury buyers do research online before making a decision, and the influence of digital touchpoints, such as reviews, is increasing.
30 Review Sites to Get More Testimonials for Your Business
There are lots of places to find and monitor customer reviews online
Where do customers leave online reviews? According to Review Tracker there are 4 websites that control 88% of online reviews – Google, Yelp, Facebook and TripAdvisor.
Part of the reason that Google, Yelp, and Facebook are so dominant is that they are generalised for all types of businesses and market segments: no matter what someone is buying, they can find (and write) reviews.
It’s impossible to monitor everything online with so many different platforms, sources and news daily for the yachting sector, however there are web monitoring tools so you can stay updated. Try typing your company name, brand and product names along with your location into any search engine and see what you can find.
Some tools you can use to track mentions of your company are Google Alerts, Awario, brand24.com and Talkwalker Alerts.
Here are top places to find and monitor customer reviews and comments for your yachting company:
- Yelp
- Yachting Pages
- YouTube
- TikTok
- Blogging sites
- Navily (for marinas/ports)
- TripAdvisor
- Yahoo! Local Listings
- Amazon Reviews
- Trustpilot
- Which?
- Angi (previously known as Angie’s List)
- Citysearch
- Influenster
- G2 Crowd (software)
- Trustradius (software)
- GoodFirms (software)
- Capterra (software)
- GetApp (software)
- Sitejabber
- Product Hunt (tech)
- Feefo
- Consumer Reports
- Consumer Affairs
- Manta
- Foursquare
- Superyacht Services Guide
Client review for Antibes Yachting
Tips for Responding to Positive Reviews
Addressing reviews that are good is equally as vital as responding to those that are negative. It increases client loyalty in addition to demonstrating gratitude. Here are some pointers for responding to compliments:
Be Personal and Prompt: React promptly and use the customer’s name. Customising your response gives the client a sense of importance.
Show Appreciation: Express gratitude for their satisfying experience. Expressing gratitude can be as simple as saying “Thank you for selecting us for your special day on the water” or “We’re so glad you had an unforgettable experience.”
Build Up Their Experience: Mention certain elements of their testimonial that caught their attention, such as the outstanding crew service, the stunning yacht, or the off-the-beaten-path locations.
Encourage Future Business: Invite the client to come back for another charter or experience.
A real-world customer review from the yachting industry
Example Response to a Positive Review:
“Thank you, Sarah, for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that your sailing adventure with us exceeded your expectations. We strive to provide the best experience for our guests, and it’s fantastic to know that our crew, yacht, and itinerary made your trip unforgettable. We would love to welcome you aboard again for another incredible charter—see you next season!”
Client testimonial for Antibes Yachting
Tips for Responding to Negative Reviews
Negative evaluations might be disappointing, but they also present a chance for improvement. An unsatisfied consumer might become an avid advocate if they are handled professionally and sympathetically.
Acknowledge and Express Regret: Regardless of the details, begin by acknowledging the customer’s concerns and expressing regret for their unpleasant experience. This shows compassion and a desire to put things right.
Provide Solutions: The typical corporate response from far too many businesses is “they’ll look into the complaint.” Be proactive, and provide specifics on the concrete actions you have taken—or intend to take—to resolve the matter. This demonstrates your responsiveness and dedication towards improvement.
Take the Conversation Offline: Offer to carry on the discussion in private if needed. By doing this, the problem can be resolved without being made wholly public.
A real-world review in the yachting sector
Example Response to a Negative Testimonial:
“Thank you for sharing your feedback, John. We’re sorry to hear that your charter experience didn’t meet your expectations. We take customer satisfaction very seriously, and we’re disappointed that we fell short. We’ve already discussed your concerns with our crew and are implementing additional training to ensure that this doesn’t happen again. Please feel free to contact us directly if you’d like to discuss this further—we’d love the opportunity to make it right and welcome you aboard again in the future.”
Real-World Examples of Responding to Customer Reviews in the Yachting Industry
Deloitte noted that the “connected luxury consumer” (i.e., someone who uses digital tools to research and book luxury goods/services) now expects seamless integration between online and offline channels. This means that reviews and ratings, especially on platforms like Google, Trustpilot, and industry-specific review sites, contribute heavily to overall trust and brand loyalty.
To better understand how these principles work in practice, here are three examples of responding to reviews within the yachting industry:
1. A Luxury Yacht Charter Review: “We had the most incredible experience! The crew was professional, the yacht was immaculate, and the entire trip was so relaxing. We’ll definitely be booking again.”
Response: “Thank you so much for the glowing review, Amanda! We’re thrilled you had such a memorable experience aboard. Our crew works hard to ensure every guest has the best possible time, and we’re so happy it showed during your special anniversary trip. We can’t wait to welcome you back aboard for another charter soon!”
2. A Yacht Toy Rental Company Review: “The yacht toys were great, but we had some issues with the booking process and communication before the charter. I had to chase a few times for confirmation on delivery.”
Response: “Thank you for your feedback, Michael. We apologise for any frustration you encountered with the booking process. We’re actively working on improving our communication channels to ensure that our customers have a seamless experience from start to finish. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention and hope to have the chance to serve you better next time.”
3. A Yacht Photography Company Review: “The yacht photographer was disengaged and didn’t seem to care about our original creative brief and making the experience enjoyable. This was disappointing and we think it shows in the end results with the photos we received.”
Response: “Thank you for your review, Lisa. We’re truly sorry that the photographer on the day did not meet your expectations. We take your feedback seriously and will be reviewing this with our team to ensure our photographers are adhering to your brief and providing the high level of service we’re known for. Please reach out to us directly, and we’d love to make it up to you on the next shoot.”
Clients testimonials are important for business success in the superyacht industry
What Is Review Spam?
You’ve likely encountered online reviews for marinas, charter companies, or yacht services. While these can be helpful, it’s important to be aware that not all reviews are genuine. Here’s what you need to know about fake reviews in the yachting sector.
The Problem with Customer Review Platforms
Popular sites like Facebook, Trustpilot, and Google Business are often targeted by spammers leaving fake comments. As a yacht company owner, you need to actively monitor and report these to protect your reputation. I had an ongoing issue with spammers leaving comments on my company Facebook page which I had to report to Meta and block, most of them were trying to comment with a link directly to an external site where they obviously received compensation for click-throughs.
Red Flags for Fake Reviews
Review spam occurs when someone posts a fraudulent review or comment that doesn’t accurately represent their experience with a yachting-related business. This can happen for various reasons:
- Extortion or blackmail attempts
- Revenge from disgruntled individuals
- Attempts to manipulate search rankings
- Protests against a company
- Efforts to sway public opinion
When reading reviews, watch out for these signs:
- Reviews from people affiliated with competing businesses
- Comments from individuals who clearly haven’t used the service
- Overly positive or negative reviews that seem biased, this can often signal people who have received money or goods in lieu of posting reviews
- Reviews that misrepresent actual transactions
- Comments that violate platform guidelines (e.g. personal attacks)
Google is one of the top sources for customer reviews
Genuine vs. Fake Reviews
Remember, a legitimate review comes from a real customer who had an actual experience with the yachting business and follows the review site’s policies. Staying alert to these issues will help you make more informed decisions based on authentic feedback.
Customer Reviews are a Key to Success
In the yachting industry, reputation is everything. Responding to customer reviews—both good and bad—demonstrates that you care about your clients, are committed to improving your service, and value their feedback. Make reviewing and responding to feedback a regular part of your yachting company’s routine. It’s as important as checking the weather before sailing! By doing so, you’re setting your yachting business up for long-term success.
Read 29 client reviews for Rebecca Whitlocke at Antibes Yachting on LinkedIn here in the ‘Recommendations’ section: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccawhitlocke
