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Guest didn't read instructions. Panned the review.

Alisa69
Level 2
St Petersburg, FL

Guest didn't read instructions. Panned the review.

I've since replaced everything she complained about - new fridge, internet modem  - and some she didn't, new floors, all new linens. Some stuff she just did not read instructions or hated for a reason, I don't really understand. So she wrote a huge missive. I put the updates in the listing but don't see a way to comment on her review.  Ideas? 

1 Reply 1
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Alisa69  I see you already updated your listing info to indicate that you have upgraded many things. 

 

I actually would not advise you to leave a response to that review unless you gain some understanding into how to write a response. I mean this in a helpful way, so please don't take offense.

 

Your responses to other reviews with complaints do not do you any good, they do the opposite. 

A response to a review should be very brief and factual. Your audience for a response is future guests, not the reviewer. Responses appear on your review page, not the guest's. They should be used to indicate that a legitimate issue has been fixed, or to correct misleading statements.

 

If a guest's complaints in a review are due to them having failed to read the listing information and therefore having unrealistic expectations, a good response would be something like "It's unfortunate that XX did not throughly  read the listing information and expected things that are not offered. Had she read the amenities list, she would not have expected there to be a microwave, as there is no microwave  listed."

 

And you should only address what is actually mentioned in the written review, not a comment or complaint or suggestion a guest made to you in private feedback or during their stay. It looks odd and makes no sense to ask a guest in a response what they didn't find comfortable about the mattress, for instance, when they never said anything about the mattress in the public review. All you've done is call attention to a guest telling you privately that the mattress wasn't comfortable, a complaint which future guests would never know about had you not mentioned it in the response. 

 

While you have a lot of good reviews, you also have a lot which mention poor communication. I would really try to get that issue addressed, as a new floor isn't going to lead to good reviews if guests get no responses when they try to contact you.