Property Reviews Management: Tips & Best Practices

Why are positive reviews important for property owners and operators?

Social proof plays a significant role in online reviews, as people tend to be influenced by the actions of others. When it comes to vacation rentals, potential guests are more likely to book a property if they see positive reviews from previous occupants. This is especially important in large cities with lots of options for accommodations, like San Francisco, and online reviews can improve your chance for success in the following ways

• • Property reviews increase bookings: TripAdvisor found that 81% of travelers always or frequently read reviews when choosing a vacation rental, and 52% say they wouldn’t book a property that doesn’t have any reviews.

• • Reviews build trust: Reviews and ratings serve as social proof, which helps potential guests feel comfortable and trusting of short-term accommodations (also leading to more bookings).

• • Reviews make your business better: Reviews help hosts improve their business and service, highlight special features of their rental, validate a higher price per night, and provide an opportunity to evaluate and improve performance while also increasing visibility on search engine results, becoming powerful marketing tools

How can you improve a renter’s experience to ensure a positive property review?

Ensuring your guests have a fantastic experience is crucial, regardless of how long you’ve been operating a vacation rental. Simple gestures and being thoughtful can demonstrate your commitment to their stay and desire to make it unforgettable. Here are some ideas for small things you can do to improve their experience:

• • Make sure your rental is professionally cleaned prior to the guest’s arrival.

• • Provide your guests with plush bathrobes and high-quality toiletries to make their stay more comfortable.

• • Add a touch of elegance to your rental by placing fresh flowers on the table.

• • Welcome your guests with a basket of locally sourced goodies (like cookies or chocolates) to make them feel appreciated and at home.

• • Stock the pantry and fridge with some snacks like water, cereal, milk, coffee, tea.

• • Include a brochure for what to do locally, like some sightseeing activities or top rated restaurants.

How do you encourage renters to leave good reviews of your property?

Aside from providing a positive overall experience, you need to be sure to ask for reviews correctly, and here are some tips:

• • Ask for a review right after your guests check out: Maximize your chances of receiving a positive review by asking for feedback while your guest’s experience is still fresh in their mind. A great time to request a review is right after they complete check-out. In most cases, guests are happy to leave a testimonial and star rating for your short-term rental within moments of being asked.

• • Write a review for your guests: Don’t forget the power of leaving a review as a host. After your guests have checked out and you’ve completed your inspection, take a few moments to leave a review on the listing site where the booking was made, detailing how the guest treated your home during their stay.

• • Make sure it is easy for guests to review you: If you want to increase the likelihood of getting reviews, simplify the process for your guests to leave a review by incorporating a link to your rental location either in an email or even by creating a QR code guests can scan and leave it somewhere in the rental. Alternatively, you may want to think about including a request for a review in the checkout instructions section.
  • If you don’t receive a response within two to three days after checkout, you can send a follow-up email request. If you still don’t receive another review at that point, you can send another email requesting a review. As long as you are polite, the guests should not mind. You can use dedicated review software like Rate.Ink to automate this process by scheduling review requests to be emailed at certain times.

• • Respond to reviews: It is important to respond to every review you receive. If you receive positive reviews, show appreciation. Sometimes, you may also receive a negative review, which is completely fine. In that case, take the time to carefully listen to the guest’s feedback and consider it as an opportunity to improve. Remember, this feedback can be advantageous to you, so always make it a point to thank them for it

If you receive a bad review, what can you do about it?

Receiving negative reviews is all part of the rental process. That said, it is important to be professional and responsive to make sure the reviews are acknowledged and acted upon. Here are some tips:

• • Respond promptly: Demonstrate your eagerness to resolve any issues and take the review seriously by responding as quickly as possible, ideally within 24 hours. Utilize automated notifications and emails to improve your response time.

• • Apologize: If the guest’s complaint is valid, express regret for any inconvenience caused. Even if the complaint is unwarranted, apologize for the way they feel.

• • Take responsibility: Show your guests that their satisfaction is important by acknowledging their concerns, regardless of who is right. Avoid becoming defensive.

• • Offer a solution: If the guest’s complaint is valid, provide a solution to make amends. This will demonstrate your commitment to rectifying the situation. Offer a brief explanation of how you plan to resolve the issue, such as a discount on their next stay or a credit towards any damages.

• • Thank the guest: Express gratitude to the guest for their feedback, even if it is negative. This demonstrates that you value their opinion and are dedicated to improving your business

What one thing can you do to make your renter’s experience more positive?

There are a lot of things you can do to improve the renter’s experience. Being responsive and accommodating by making sure the rental is somewhere you yourself would want to stay is very important: make it feel like a home by providing amenities (Netflix subscription on tv), snacks, coffee, flowers, and clean sheets and towels.

The last tip is to be a guest yourself: explore the world and travel! Becoming an exceptional host involves recognizing what others excel at and surpassing it. This practice will help you appreciate the specific amenities you require as a traveler, which may be overlooked by the host.