Apology Strategies of Indonesian Hotel Managements in Handling Complaints Written in Travel Site

Abstract

The research which is entitled "Apology Strategies of Indonesian Hotel Managements in Handling Complaints Written in a Travel Site" tries to describe the apology strategies used by hotel managements in responding the complaints from their customer regarding the hotel services. The way they react to the complaints assuredly influences the personal judgments of their potential customers. Furthermore the perception affects the profit of the company. The objectives of this study are: (1) to portray the strategies of hotel management in apologizing found in the review column of a travel site, and (2) to explain the differences and similarities of the strategies applied in each classification of hotel. This research uses descriptive qualitative method that is conducted solely based on fact or phenomenon that exists. The data are obtained from international travel site, namely Trip Advisor and done by using recording technique. Then, the data are classified based on hotels' stars and managements. The classification of star is divided into four, ranging from two to five stars hotel which are located in all over Indonesia, whereas the classification of management is divided into two namely national and international based hotels. Ten negative reviews which responded by the hotel management with a speech of apology are taken at every level of hotel. The obtained data is then analyzed using Trosborg's theory of apology strategies.