Evolve vacation rental reviews, no matter if they are good or bad
Writing a response to guest reviews and customer testimonials has been shown to be a valuable use of time in influencing new customers to purchase from a company, and to encourage repeat purchases from existing customers. Some vacation rental companies may consider negative guest reviews to be damaging, but as long as the majority of reviews are positive, an occasional negative review can have some benefits.
How to evolve vacation rental reviews if they are negative?
Negative customer reviews can help create more trust that the positive reviews on that vacation property rental website are genuine, and additionally and perhaps more importantly, it also presents an opportunity to show professionalism in the way that the company responds. Remember all replies are making a statement to all potential customers, and evolve vacation rental reviews in a way that shows some positive aspects.
- For any reply to a guest review, the first point is to be timely. Responding quickly demonstrates that you are both customer focussed and that you value their opinion. It is worth taking the time to thank a customer for making the effort to leave a review. As a review may lead to more online bookings for a company or process improvements, it is seen as a positive gesture to thank the customer for providing that.
- It is important to be polite and respectful, no matter what the customer review said. If the comment is inflammatory, it is key to take the heat out of the situation. A reply should never be written when angry, so taking time away to calm down before writing a response and then some more time before proofing the final version will undoubtedly be beneficial. A calm, dignified reply will be respected.
- It is worth apologising to the customer, showing empathy for their problem. A simple “I am sorry to hear that you are unhappy with our property”, may alleviate their feelings and defuse the situation quickly.
- If there have been problems such as communication mix/ups or technical faults, take time to investigate them and remedy where necessary. Explaining this can both satisfy the complainant, and put potential guests minds at ease that the situation will not occur again.
- And finally, being brief is important. If there is a lot to say or it is of a private matter, invite the customer to contact you directly to talk privately, and provide contact details, such as an email address and a contact name.
Whenever we receive a guest review, there is an opportunity to use that review feedback as a valuable way of improving your vacation rentals business and service, as well as potentially attracting new customers. See our new changes to customer reviews for more information on how this can help attract more online bookings on your website, evolove vacation rental reviews or contact us to talk about your options.
