Reviews are a major source of information when people are deciding whether or not to book a particular holiday rental property. Consider this – let’s suppose you had whittled down your choices to two properties that were virtually identical to each other. The first had outstanding reviews from all former holidaymakers, while the second has a good proportion of negative reviews. Which property would you choose to stay in?
This illustrates why you need to make sure you respond appropriately to bad comments when you get them. Most, if not all, holiday lets will receive one or two from time to time, no matter how good they are. The most important thing is to turn them in your favour.
Keep a regular eye on all your listing sites to ensure a quick response
Keep a note of where your holiday rental is listed and check all those sites as often as you can, i.e. every couple of days ideally. This will ensure you can spot bad reviews as soon as they appear and respond quickly and appropriately.
What should you say?
Firstly, read the comment and consider your response. Don’t type something in haste. You may find it useful to write down your response before you add it to the site.
Then start by thanking the reviewer. It might sound odd but you should do this as a courtesy to them for bringing the issue to your attention. They don’t want to feel ignored. Consider their complaint and see if there is anything you can do to remedy it. For example, if you supplied a BBQ but there were no coals or utensils to cook with, make sure you get some and note this in your reply. If they complained about a lack of towels, a dirty microwave or anything else you can easily rectify, make sure you do rectify it and then let them know.
Not only does this show everyone (not just the complainant) that you have read the comment and listened to it, it also shows them you take prompt action when something does go wrong. This actually provides you with some positive PR, because a negative comment will be responded to appropriately and quickly. Anyone who might be thinking of booking your property will see you are a responsible holiday let owner. If they should have a problem they’ll feel comfortable knowing you’ll aim to resolve it as quickly as possible.
Sometimes saying sorry means a lot
While you should also work hard to resolve any complaints or issues that crop up, it can also mean a lot to say sorry, just as long as you don’t let that be the extent of your efforts to minimise any impact this may have!
Offer something by way of apology
In some cases you may want to offer the complainant something as an apology. For example you might give a discount against a future stay. Alternatively you could give them a whole week’s stay for the price of a three night stay. Other options include free tickets for a local event or attraction.
As you can see there are lots of ways to make the most of this situation. And don’t forget, you should always encourage positive reviews too!
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