A. accountable B. capacity C. controlled D. entail
E. forged F. incentives G. occasionally H. overstated
I. persisting J. pessimistic K. professionals L. slash
M. specializing N. spectators O. subsequently
Travel websites have been around since the 1990s, when Expedia, Travelocity, and other holiday booking sites were launched, allowing travelers to compare flight and hotel prices with the click of a mouse. With information no longer
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by travel agents or hidden in business networks, the travel industry was revolutionized, as greater transparency helped
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prices.
Today, the industry is going through a new revolution—this time transforming service quality. Online rating platforms
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in hotels, restaurants, apartments and taxis—allow travelers to exchange reviews and experiences for all to see.
Hospitality businesses are now ranked, analyzed and compared not by industry
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, but by the very people for whom the service is intended—the customer. This has
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a new relationship between buyer and seller. Customers have always voted with their feet; they can now explain their decision to anyone who is interested. As a result, businesses are much more
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, often in very specific ways, which creates powerful
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to improve service.
Although some readers might not care for gossipy reports of unfriendly bellboys (行李员) in Berlin or malfunctioning hotel hairdryers in Houston, the true power of online reviews lies not just in the individual stories, but in the websites
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to aggregate a large volume of ratings.
The impact cannot be
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Businesses that attract top ratings can enjoy rapid growth, as new customers are attracted by good reviews and
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provide yet more positive feedback. So great is the influence of online ratings that many companies now hire digital reputation managers to ensure a favorable online identity.