Hotels have become far more attuned to the needs, concerns, and complaints of their customers ever since the rise of reviewing websites on the Internet. This has made it possible for customers to spread their dissatisfaction and warn others, instead of just complaining to a recorded voice on a phone or yelling at some poor receptionist. The outlet, though, is easily abused by irrational customers, disgruntled employees, or even under-handed competitors. This results in what we call internet libel.

Hotel managers may ignore customers’ reviews at their peril, some analysts say. Others say they’re just another way for hotels to find ways of improving operations. And those who are paying attention and responding to customers can earn some goodwill points at a time every room night counts.

“It’s an opportunity to stand apart from your competition,” says Dean Schmit of Standing Dog, which developed software ReviewAnalyst.

Large hotel companies have always solicited customer surveys from guests. But they’ve relied mostly on numerical rankings and have rarely contained descriptive explanations.

So is it good that hotels are so much more responsive, or bad that they’re so easily attacked?

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2010-03-23-businesstravel23_ST_N.htm

Lindsay Lohan is pretty much constantly giving reputation management firms an example to point to and say “Don’t do this!” Her latest example is at least funny. She is attempting to sue E-trade because she claims one of their hilarious commercials featuring babies uses her name, and mocks her, without permission. Apparently the baby at one point says “That Milkaholic Lindsay”–and Lindsay Lohan thinks this borders on infringement.

Lohan’s lawyer says, “Many celebrities are known by one name only, and E-Trade is using that knowledge to profit. They used the name Lindsay. They’re using her name as a parody of her life. Why didn’t they use the name Susan? This is a subliminal message. Everybody’s talking about it and saying it’s Lindsay Lohan.”

I have to say that I can see why she’s upset and they certainly were probably referencing her. However, if she thinks their is going to be no fallout from her suing a popular company with commercials about funny babies–then she is crazy. When this is all over, it will have created a good deal of negative press for her–much more than a funny baby from an e-trade commercial could dish out–and she’ll definitely need an international reputation management consultant.

http://www.sheknows.com/articles/814104/linsday-lohan-sues-e-trade-1

Italian prosecuters have pointed to Silvio Scaglia, the billionaire founder of FastWeb SpA, as part of the ring of a tax-evaders and money launderers.

Scaglia, being held in Rome’s Rebibbia jail, said today during his questioning that FastWeb was the “victim” of a scam, his lawyer Pier Maria Corso told reporters in Rome. Scaglia should be recognized as “absolutely uninvolved with any wrongdoing, if it existed,” Corso said.

I always presume innocence, unless the facts clearly attest otherwise, but expect the Internet to have a field day with this one. The Italian blogosphere, possibly fueled by rivals, disgruntled former employees, and unsatisfied customers of FastWeb, will assume guilt as they always do–innocence doesn’t get as many hits. A bit of international reputation management could help him immensely right about now.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-02/fastweb-s-conduct-absolutely-correct-scaglia-says-update1-.html