Treat unhappy guests like humans
Constantly remember that Negative reviews aren’t the end of the world for your Vacation Rental. They actually provide you with an opportunity to showcase your excellent customer service – not only to the unhappy guest, but also to the many other potential guests who are reading through your reviews and making their vacation decisions based on your responses. In many cases, the guest just wants to feel heard, wants to know that their feelings are valid, and most importantly, wants to make sure that you care. More often than not, a quick, honest and fair response and solution to the problem can help put your guest’s mind at ease.
Provide great customer service
A sense of urgency, consistency and honesty can make all of the difference. Having your reviews (even the rare not-so-great ones) all in one place, along with your helpful and prompt responses, allows future guests to see the character and integrity of you and your vacation rental home. Though negative reviews can sometimes signify that changes need to be made to the way you run your vacation rental, when guests draw attention to these hitches early on, it can be hugely beneficial for you in the long run.
Replying to negative reviews
Receiving your first negative review can come as a bit of a shock, especially when you’ve tried so hard with your guests. You should always respond to your reviews, both positive and negative, though there are certain things to bear in mind before you start writing your reply.
- Think about the review first
When you receive a negative review, especially the ones that aren’t entirely true or don’t portray you fairly, it is best to wait and respond when you’re not frustrated or upset. You have to remember that the guest was feeling a certain way when they posted the review, and you writing a defensive response isn’t going to resolve the situation. Wait until you’ve calmed down to reply so that you come across as cool and collected.
- Get all the facts
If you aren’t 100% familiar with the guest or situation, collect all of the information you can in order to make your response as accurate as possible. Speak with anyone that the guest mentioned in their review (maintenance team, office staff, neighbours, etc.) to get all sides of the story.
- Thank positive feedback
When it is time to respond to the review, always thank the guest for their feedback, and acknowledge that even though it is not the best review you’ve ever received, when guests take the time to let you know about their experiences, it gives you the chance to improve your vacation rental management for their benefit, and to the benefit of future guests.
- Recall aspects from your guests stay
When you reply to a negative review, don’t forget to remind the guest of any work you did to resolve the issue while they were at your vacation rental: any communication that happened; the compensation (if any) that was offered; and the solutions that were presented.
- Respond to your guests rather than arguing
A negative review should be followed up with a quick, honest and detailed response, but that should be the end of it. If the guest responds, find a more private way (telephone, email) to address the guest’s concerns. The last thing you want is an online feud for everyone to see. As tempting as it can be, don’t retaliate after your first response. Remember that your potential future guests are reading your reviews, so you need to remain in control and professional.
Thanks for reading the article! We hope you have greater understanding of the topic discussed above.
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