After getting to 500 Airbnb reviews I think I have at last become at peace with the Airbnb review system.
Of course it’s not a fair system but it’s the only system we have got so, how do we make the most of it.
Here are a few tips I have picked up along the way, I hope they can help!
1/……The Experience: Offer your guest the best experience that you can! It’s amazing how guests respond to small positive gestures. I find a small Lindt’s chocolate on the bedside table gets the hosting off to a good start because the guest is not expecting it…..it’s something they didn’t pay for but, because it’s there, it is appreciated.
Farewell the guest with a nice note, tell them they were special….not treat them as just another key handed over at the reception desk.
I have discovered over the years if a guest arrives happy and leaves happy you are guaranteed of a great review, even if there was a rocky patch (the power or water went out) in the middle!
2/…..The review: Most reviews are going to be straight forward, the guest enjoyed their stay, or they didn’t!
Those that enjoyed their stay are going to give a review in the first couple of days of the review window opening because, they are eager to say something nice about you and their stay. For these guests you can risk writing a short complimentary review, remember, guests who look at past reviews skim over the OK ones….they are looking for the drawn out verbal fistfights, their interested in all the juicy details.
Just one point, only mention the guest who booked, by name in the review. The review is public and it’s not up to us as hosts to assume that that person who has accompanied the guest is in fact their ‘significant other’! Unless specifically invited to call others by name just name the booking guest. I have been caught out by that…..you learn the hard way!
And on that note guests who have an issue with you will leave the writing of their review until they have dealt with the resolution centre because they want to have a crack at compensation before they ruin their chances with a bad review. Don’t get into a long drawn out critical review of a poor guest. If you know a poor review is going to come just think about it for a few days.
Lots of issues that seemed like unclimbable mountains when the guest left, mellow and become like foothills in the fullness of time. You have cooled down and will see things in a better perspective. Leave minor indiscretion to the private feedback and tell them you didn't want to cane them publicly. When it comes time to write the review just state facts and adopt a conciliatory manner. If you stoop to insults it will just make you look as bad and prickly as the guest. Always adopt the high moral ground….prospective guests will be much more inclined to stay with you if you seem like a conciliatory host. It is far better to say….”We are sorry we didn’t live up to the guests expectation on this occasion, we will try to do better next time”!
You can always say at the end of your review….”I wish, X, all the best for the future but would decline the opportunity to host he/she again.”. That is sufficient to warn other hosts to avoid the guest. As you accumulate reviews after a while your reviews do the talking for you…..you don’t have to justify yourself because, others have already done that.
You have 200 reviews, 180 of them give you a 5 star for cleanliness and many mention cleanliness in the written review.
Who do you think we are going to believe when a guest canes you for cleanliness?.........that one guest or the other 180!
It makes the guest look like a bit of a turkey, a bit like that soldier in the Independence Day march, he was the only one in step!
Where the experience was neutral and you are not sure which way the review will go sit down with a cup of coffee and look back on the good parts and the not so good parts. Say you hoped the stay met their expectations, you try your best for your guests, but don’t brim with compliments about them. Nothing looks more stupid than a host who gives an outstanding review, and when a poor guest review materialises they suddenly backtrack and in the review response say the guest was a selfish uncooperative pig and you wouldn’t want to host them again. Always stay dignified!
So, this is why I am at last at peace with the review system, the fact that the review process only allows the guest to go one way……down, not up, is unfortunate because it doesn’t truly represent the experience. It has us all in Lala land where provided the listing is still standing we pat each other on the back and say what exemplary human beings we were.
But now at last I can let my reviews do the talking and from our guests comments they are doing a good job.
Make the review system work for you, not against you!
Cheers..........Rob
