How Event Protection Reduces Refund Pressure, Bad Reviews, and Reputation Risk for Event Organisers

The Simple Refunds business was founded with one clear objective: to handle and process refunds efficiently and transparently. Refunds are in our DNA, and even as our services have expanded, this core focus continues to guide how we support event organisers today.

For organisers, customer service and public reviews play a critical role in shaping reputation and future bookings. When a customer can’t attend an event, their first stop is often the organiser, regardless of whether the circumstances are outside the organiser’s control. Declining that refund can quickly create frustration, which often shows up online in the form of negative reviews.

The High Cost of Negative Reviews

Bad reviews are more than an annoyance, they directly impact bookings and brand trust.

Research from BrightLocal shows that 87% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase, and 49% trust those reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Even more striking:

• - A single negative result on page one of Google can cause businesses to lose up to 22% of potential customers (Moz).
• -  A one-star decrease in ratings can reduce revenue by 5–9% (Harvard Business School).
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• For event organisers, where customer decisions are time-sensitive and competition is high, even a handful of poor reviews about refunds can materially damage market positioning.
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Why Refund Friction Turns into Bad Reviews

Most customers who request refunds due to an inability to attend do so for legitimate personal reasons—illness, transport issues, family matters, or being called away for a work meeting. None of these should reflect poorly on the organiser.

However, when the refund is understandably declined, emotion often outweighs logic. A customer’s disappointment can quickly transform into a negative online review, even if the organiser followed policy correctly.

To avoid negative publicity, many organisers reluctantly issue “goodwill refunds,” but those refunds come directly off the bottom line.

How Event Protection Prevents Complaints and Improves Transparency

When event protection is integrated into the booking journey, customers are given a clear option to secure inability-to-attend protection at the point of sale. Across the Simple Refunds platform, around 25% of customers opt in to this protection, consistent with the broader industry trend of 20–30% opt-in rates.

This simple step transforms the customer experience:

• - It creates upfront transparency.
• - It offers a protective solution at the moment of purchase.
• - And for the 75% who choose not to opt in, refund requests can be declined politely and confidently.
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• Because the option was clearly offered, these customers have no grounds to expect a discretionary refund, and significantly fewer reasons to leave a poor review.
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Faster Processing = Better Customer Sentiment

The Simple Refunds protection programme goes further than most, offering broad coverage and a seamless digital refund journey. This includes:

• -  Responses within 24 hours
• -  A streamlined online submission process
• -  Clear assessment criteria
• -  Rapid settlement through a secure digital mechanism
• -  A fastest recorded refund turnaround of under 30 minutes
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• These fast and transparent processes strongly influence customer satisfaction. According to the latest findings from Zendesk, 69% of customers are more likely to leave a positive review when they experience quick, proactive service, even when the outcome isn’t the one they hoped for.
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Stronger Protection. Fewer Complaints. Better Reputation.

Event protection is no longer just a financial tool, it’s a brand-protection strategy. By reducing refund pressure, lowering complaint volume, and preventing negative public reviews, it safeguards the organiser’s reputation and strengthens customer trust.

With Simple Refunds’ market-leading programme and rapid processing times, organisers gain both operational relief and stronger online credibility, two essential ingredients for long-term success in a competitive event landscape.