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Managerial Responses to Online Reviews: A Text Analytics Approach

Sheng, Jie, Amankwah-Amoah, Joseph, Wang, Xiaojun, Khan, Zaheer (2019) Managerial Responses to Online Reviews: A Text Analytics Approach. British Journal of Management, 30 (2). pp. 315-327. ISSN 1045-3172. (doi:10.1111/1467-8551.12329) (KAR id:69093)

Abstract

The study tests the effects of online managerial responses and returning customers' future satisfaction (measured as review ratings) by performing social media text analytics on a hotelsample. Essentially, this article provides insight into meaningful differences in future ratings between responding and non-responding hotels, as well as differences in response stylesbetween ratings improvement and non-improvement. The results indicate that: 1) subsequent ratings are higher if customers receive responses to their previous online reviews; 2) increase in ratings is more significant among low-satisfaction customers, and a decrease in ratings is mitigated if responses are provided; 3) responding to loyal customers – those who have visited and rated the same hotel more than three times – has a limited impact on ratings; 4) responses are longer and sentiment is slightly lower in scenarios where subsequent ratings are improved, but there is no significant difference in the effect of response speed between the two groups; 5) changes in ratings also affect styles of responding to current reviews – if customer satisfaction has improved, response length tends to be shorter and sentiment level tends to be higher. The findings offer both theoretical and managerial implications by demonstrating the utility of social media text analytics.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1111/1467-8551.12329
Uncontrolled keywords: text analytics; business performance; online reviews; online ratings; hotel industry
Divisions: Divisions > Kent Business School - Division > Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship and International Business
Depositing User: Zaheer Khan
Date Deposited: 13 Sep 2018 11:04 UTC
Last Modified: 05 Nov 2024 12:30 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/69093 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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