Leading travel company Thomas Cook has launched a customer ratings and reviews service on its own website to provide a trusted resource for customers researching and booking holidays.

The platform is powered by social commerce technology company, Bazaarvoice. It was introduced after Thomas Cook recognised that many of its customers were using alternative review sites throughout the research process of booking a holiday. It was therefore decided to offer similar review capabilities on the Thomas Cook site itself.

Russell Gould, Director of e-Commerce, Thomas Cook UK and Ireland said: “With this new functionality we are giving our customers a voice online. Our reviews service is tailored to meet our customers’ needs, making it more useful, trustworthy and meaningful.”

As well as increased customer interaction, Thomas Cook has also experienced improved search engine optimisation as a result of incorporating user-generated content on its site.

Reviews of hotels can be found by destination, resort or accommodation. Package holiday reviews can be searched for by type of traveller, for example ‘young couples’ or ‘families with older children.’ 

“Checking reviews has become an essential part of the research process for holidays,” said Sam Decker, Chief Marketing Officer of Bazaarvoice. “Reading about others’ experiences before travelling can make the difference between a good or bad holiday. Thomas Cook is focused on providing the best customer experience, and offering ratings and reviews is evidence of that commitment.”