Properly Responding to Reviews
At this point all hosts should know how vital of a role reviews play in receiving consistent bookings. A facet of this Modern Innkeeper has yet to delve into is how hosts should manage responding to them. This blog lists the simple do’s and don’ts when responding to guest reviews so hosts feel prepared for whatever comes their way!
The Do’s
No matter if a guest is describing how impressive the host’s communication was or complaining about a rental only having three bedrooms instead of four, a host must always remember to adopt certain approaches for every response.
Do Respond to All Reviews
Let’s start by getting the obvious out of the way: every review deserves a response. A review praising a rental is easy to respond to; deservingly so, hosts enjoy reveling in that glory, but do not underestimate the importance of acknowledging the negative ones, too. Take the time to digest everything an unhappy guest has to say, and be sure the response reflects this. By recognizing the deficiencies of the rental, according to the guest, a host exhibits a sense of pride and intention of creating a guest-friendly experience, despite the rental’s shortcomings.
Do Make Responses Public
A host electing to publicly respond to a bad review demonstrates he or she prioritizes the guest experience. Taking the conversation offline is the easy option and hides a particular guest’s qualm from others but may have severe consequences, such as potential guests passing on a property because the host failed to address a negative review.
Do Wish Them Well
Those blood-boiling reviews are out there, and those guests do make it onerous to keep one’s composure; however, it is crucial to sign off on a positive note. Doing so proves to other guests a host is capable of taking the high road and is receptive to feedback, even if it is uncalled for.
Following these guidelines will not always reflect the true feelings towards certain guests and their reviews, but remain cognizant of how critical it is to driving more business in the future!
The Don’ts
The don’ts section is where the real self control takes place. Before those urges to tell a guest off surface, refer back to this blog to remember how imperative it is to stay composed!
Don’t Get Into It With a Troll
As odd as it may seem, some people are on the Internet to find out how much they can irritate others. If those are the types of people leaving reviews, do not continue engaging with them after the initial response. Rational guests will see this as a sign the host is reasonable enough not to stoop down to the level of an online bully, potentially resulting in more bookings!
Don’t Post Identical Responses
If two of the most recent reviews read “Great place! I highly recommend it to people traveling here” and “Place is great! Definitely recommend it to future travelers!” do not answer them with the same response. Not all reviews are super thoughtful, but that does not mean the host cannot be. Always personalize a response because not doing so will not go unnoticed, creating an unfavorable outlook on the property to potential guests.
Don’t Wait Awhile to Answer
If a guest took the time to post a review, a host should dedicate time to answer it. Reply in 24 to 48 hours, but if doing it sooner is possible, by all means do so! Staying on top of reviews evinces to others they can count on dealing with a communicative host.
Hosts work hard to earn reviews, but that does not mean the work ends there! Properly answering them is another way to convey to guests they will have quality experiences, ultimately raking in more bookings down the road!