Why Bad Reviews are a Good Thing in Short Term Rental

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Why Bad Reviews are a Good Thing in Short Term Rental

Luke CarlPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Tennessee Florida · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 5k+ votes

Yeah, I said it. And yes it's because I just got one. 

     First of all -I want to make it perfectly clear that I am not encouraging you to allow bad reviews. Anything short of a glowing 5-star review that quite frankly looks like you paid for it, should ruin your day. Maybe even two or three days. This is an indication that you are good at your job. Because after all, you are running a business here.

      Second -Allowing them to leave this bad review, in my opinion, is exactly what you're doing. It is very rare that I didn't say to myself "Yeah I could have done this or that to make that guest stay better" But sometimes, you just have to throw your hands in the air and say "Screw it. This person will never be happy in life and I'm not their therapist -there's nothing I can do to help them." As uncle Paul Sandhu says... You must be a mind reader in this business! 

     And furthermore, if you're providing a great product that is super clean and has decent sheets, plates, large televisions that work, flushing toilets, etc.... If you're confident in your property -at a certain point you just have to let miserable people be miserable. 

So... To get to my argument... here's why BAD reviews can make you look GOOD! 

It makes you look real

     If you've got 249 5 star reviews it looks like you're faking it. An occasional 4 star or even a 1 star can make you look REAL! 

People that leave bad reviews are not smart

     Successful people have better things to do. Bad grammar and horrible English in a review (and nearly all bad reviews have this) are laughable. Future guests will instantly take your side when they see a "they're" spelled "there" or a lower case "i" (and while I'm at it, don't hold my typos against me, I'm sure there are a couple)

TLDR 

     The "Let me speak to your manager" types always leave a LONG ridiculous review. This review is therapeutic for this type of person. It gives off an "I can't control my husband or my kids and they don't like me but I can control your property for this moment in my life" vibe that future guests can see right through. 

Guests that read every review are the type that leaves a bad review

     Like it or not the only person that will ever read this view (assuming they're far and few between) are people that are also likely to leave a bad review. The average guest is never going to see this review so feel free to get over it. 

You Get To Respond!

     I'm giving away one of my tricks here. I've been a super host on Airbnb for years. 2000+ 5 star reviews across 3 platforms. I have the longest self-managed log cabin in the smoky mountains and I'm about to give you one of my biggest tricks. RESPOND TO ALL REVIEWS. Not just the bad ones. 

    I have my assistant do this for me daily. Just a simple "Thanks for your stay" goes a long way for future guests.  BUT when it comes to responding to the bad reviews... This is where you get to shine.  Spend an hour or two cultivating this response to really nail the bad guest. Don't respond right away when you're dealing with the initial upset. Don't wait too long or you'll forget because you're too busy analyzing the next property. 

I'm sure there are other excellent reasons and this is a forum so I'd love to hear yours -but I've got to get out the door for my morning run. After I respond to this 2 star real with terrible grammar.  


Happy Renting! 

Podcast Guest on Show From Surviving on $30/Day to 30+ Properties Thanks to Blue-Collar Skills
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Justin Anderson
Property Manager · Pigeon Forge · Member since 2016 · 199 posts · 208 votes
6y

Great advice!

One thing I've learned is that you can use these bad reviews to help IMPROVE your overall guest quality.  Let me explain...

When prospects look at the reviews, they inevitably go to the bad ones to see how things "really are".  The way you respond to the bad one shows how you handle the inevitable bad stay or bad guest. 

In my responses, I first start with acknowledging their frustration and accept any faults on my side.  "I'm so sorry your stay didn't end up how you had hoped and I'm sorry my cleaners left a bit of trash in the can." 

If appropriate, I then say what action I'll take.  "I'll definitely work with them on making sure the checklist is reviewed for future stays."

Then, I'll hit them with my actual response.  This is where you show that you won't just sit back and take abuse and that you have a backbone.  And this is what shows future guests that they won't be able to take advantage of you.  Depending on the severity of the review they gave, you can get aggressive here.  "At the same time, if I'm not made aware of issues during your stay, I'm not able to make things right.  And I don't think you trying to extract a $100 refund because of a coke can in the trash is really appropriate."

Finally, wrap it up in a nice way.  "It's my mission to give you an amazing Smoky Mountain cabin experience and I'll generally bend over backwards to make that happen.  I just ask that next time if there is something preventing it, give me a chance to address it."

This is classic 'reputation management' AKA damage control.  None of us want bad reviews, but how we respond really determines how they're perceived.  Note that I'm assuming you DO want to do a good job -- if you have 25% of your reviews are bad ones, maybe you should do some internal reflecting.  Haha!

Also, like Lucas said, reply to most of your reviews.  That not only shows future guests you are involved and care but equally importantly doesn't make your response to the negative reviews stand out because it's the only response.

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  • Luke CarlPro Member
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Tennessee Florida · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    6y

    It autocorrected me to "leaves" before I could edit it sorry! I'm sure there's more than one mistake I'm not a copy editor. Maybe leaves is correct? I guess I'm the guy with the terrible grammar. It's a good thing I don't leave bad reviews. 

     I hope you enjoy! 

    Podcast Guest on Show From Surviving on $30/Day to 30+ Properties Thanks to Blue-Collar Skills
    0Reply
  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    6y

    I have heard this and I agree. If you have 100 good reviews and one ridiculous low one and you do a good job of writing a thoughtful reply then yes I could see this as a positive thing.

    At some point you will likely have a guest that you can't make happy or that is trying to get some money back because they aren't a nice person.

    Luckily I haven't had the difficult ones leave a review. I don't push ones that left the house in bad condition or who drove through my front yard to leave a review because I'm afraid of what they might say after I kept their deposit.

    I think I have only kept someone's deposit 2 times. 

    My neighbor just received a one star review after the renter damaged multiple screens on their back porch. The renter knew they weren't getting their deposit back. Maybe my neighbor tipped his hand too early? He called Vrbo and was able to have the 1 star review removed. 

    1Reply
  • Julie McCoy
    Real Estate Agent · Sevierville, TN · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y

    When I finally get an assistant (on the agenda but def not happening yet) I'll make sure to have them respond to all reviews.  In the meantime, my mitigation strategy is if I suspect the guest will leave a less-than-glowing review, I turn off the automatic message that follows up with them after their stay and requests a review, and I turn off the auto-review for that guest.  

    It helps that AirBNB is no longer showing the corresponding star ranking with a review, the stars just go into the big averages.  This means people need to actually READ the reviews to see anything bad, not just skim for less-than-5-stars; it also helps with those particularly obnoxious guests who say all the nice things but don't leave 5 stars.  Next guest will never know.  

    And as @Luke Carl said, most guests are not reading ALL the reviews; they'll read the first page or two and then book or not.  I really don't worry about a negative review anymore because I have enough in the pipeline that even if it were terrible enough to actually stop people who see it from booking with me, the already-booked future guests will leave glowing reviews after it and in no time it'll drop off the page and people start booking again.  

    4Reply
  • Doug Pintarch
    Rental Property Investor · Harrisburg, PA · Member since 2018 · 369 posts · 406 votes
    6y

    @Luke Carl Great post again, sir. We don't have anything but 5-star reviews so far (105 on our first STR and 5 on our newest) and I am dreading but expecting the first 4 or lower. I think it will be a relief when it finally comes, actually. Then the "WE MUST REMAIN PERFECT" yoke will be thrown off and we can relax a bit and continue on with our amenities and service. Thanks for reinforcing my thoughts on this damned inevitability!

    0Reply
  • Collin HaysBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    6y

    Luke, some great things to think about!  

    [email protected]806-672-7102
    SMOKY MOUNTAIN FALLS INC.51 Review
    WebsiteView Page
    0Reply
  • Leora Merrell
    Rental Property Investor · Member since 2019 · 276 posts · 235 votes
    6y

    It totally crushed me for a few days when I got my first (and only so far) 4 star review. She even left comments about how amazing the cabin is and how she’s coming back. But my husband convinced me the listing looks more “legit” with a 4.98 rather than a 5. I do need to get better at responding to reviews. I only have about 65 total so far so thanks for the reminder!

    1Reply
  • Justin Anderson
    Property Manager · Pigeon Forge · Member since 2016 · 199 posts · 208 votes
    6y

    Great advice!

    One thing I've learned is that you can use these bad reviews to help IMPROVE your overall guest quality.  Let me explain...

    When prospects look at the reviews, they inevitably go to the bad ones to see how things "really are".  The way you respond to the bad one shows how you handle the inevitable bad stay or bad guest. 

    In my responses, I first start with acknowledging their frustration and accept any faults on my side.  "I'm so sorry your stay didn't end up how you had hoped and I'm sorry my cleaners left a bit of trash in the can." 

    If appropriate, I then say what action I'll take.  "I'll definitely work with them on making sure the checklist is reviewed for future stays."

    Then, I'll hit them with my actual response.  This is where you show that you won't just sit back and take abuse and that you have a backbone.  And this is what shows future guests that they won't be able to take advantage of you.  Depending on the severity of the review they gave, you can get aggressive here.  "At the same time, if I'm not made aware of issues during your stay, I'm not able to make things right.  And I don't think you trying to extract a $100 refund because of a coke can in the trash is really appropriate."

    Finally, wrap it up in a nice way.  "It's my mission to give you an amazing Smoky Mountain cabin experience and I'll generally bend over backwards to make that happen.  I just ask that next time if there is something preventing it, give me a chance to address it."

    This is classic 'reputation management' AKA damage control.  None of us want bad reviews, but how we respond really determines how they're perceived.  Note that I'm assuming you DO want to do a good job -- if you have 25% of your reviews are bad ones, maybe you should do some internal reflecting.  Haha!

    Also, like Lucas said, reply to most of your reviews.  That not only shows future guests you are involved and care but equally importantly doesn't make your response to the negative reviews stand out because it's the only response.

    7Reply
  • Melissa Wesling
    Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2020 · 148 posts · 97 votes
    6y

    I love this outlook, great post.  We recently got a 4 star review because our landscaper was cutting the grass during their stay. It's usually cut during turn over day, but this time it wasn't.  At least people reading the reviews will know we take care of the lawn now?! lol 

    2Reply
  • Lauren Kormylo
    Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ and Rehoboth Beach DE · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y

    And one thing for owners to remember - a 4 star review for anything else in life (restaurants, movies) is pretty good, it's just not good for Airbnb or VRBO.  The public doesn't realize that.  They don't know how important that 5 star review is to owners.  

    0Reply
  • Mark Miles
    Rental Property Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2016 · 543 posts · 716 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Luke Carl:

    Yeah, I said it. And yes it's because I just got one. 

         First of all -I want to make it perfectly clear that I am not encouraging you to allow bad reviews. Anything short of a glowing 5-star review that quite frankly looks like you paid for it, should ruin your day. Maybe even two or three days. This is an indication that you are good at your job. Because after all, you are running a business here.

          Second -Allowing them to leave this bad review, in my opinion, is exactly what you're doing. It is very rare that I didn't say to myself "Yeah I could have done this or that to make that guest stay better" But sometimes, you just have to throw your hands in the air and say "Screw it. This person will never be happy in life and I'm not their therapist -there's nothing I can do to help them." As uncle Paul Sandhu says... You must be a mind reader in this business! 

         And furthermore, if you're providing a great product that is super clean and has decent sheets, plates, large televisions that work, flushing toilets, etc.... If you're confident in your property -at a certain point you just have to let miserable people be miserable. 

    So... To get to my argument... here's why BAD reviews can make you look GOOD! 

    It makes you look real

         If you've got 249 5 star reviews it looks like you're faking it. An occasional 4 star or even a 1 star can make you look REAL! 

    People that leave bad reviews are not smart

         Successful people have better things to do. Bad grammar and horrible English in a review (and nearly all bad reviews have this) are laughable. Future guests will instantly take your side when they see a "they're" spelled "there" or a lower case "i" (and while I'm at it, don't hold my typos against me, I'm sure there are a couple)

    TLDR 

         The "Let me speak to your manager" types always leave a LONG ridiculous review. This review is therapeutic for this type of person. It gives off an "I can't control my husband or my kids and they don't like me but I can control your property for this moment in my life" vibe that future guests can see right through. 

    Guests that read every review are the type that leaves a bad review

         Like it or not the only person that will ever read this view (assuming they're far and few between) are people that are also likely to leave a bad review. The average guest is never going to see this review so feel free to get over it. 

    You Get To Respond!

         I'm giving away one of my tricks here. I've been a super host on Airbnb for years. 2000+ 5 star reviews across 3 platforms. I have the longest self-managed log cabin in the smoky mountains and I'm about to give you one of my biggest tricks. RESPOND TO ALL REVIEWS. Not just the bad ones. 

        I have my assistant do this for me daily. Just a simple "Thanks for your stay" goes a long way for future guests.  BUT when it comes to responding to the bad reviews... This is where you get to shine.  Spend an hour or two cultivating this response to really nail the bad guest. Don't respond right away when you're dealing with the initial upset. Don't wait too long or you'll forget because you're too busy analyzing the next property. 

    I'm sure there are other excellent reasons and this is a forum so I'd love to hear yours -but I've got to get out the door for my morning run. After I respond to this 2 star real with terrible grammar.  


    Happy Renting! 

    Very well said! I would say 2 things:

    1. I instruct my assistants to leave a comment on every review, and the comment should always highlight one great thing about the house, such as: “Thanks for your review, I’m so happy to hear that you loved sitting in the oversized hot tub staring up at the stars.”

    2. How we respond to bad reviews varies based on if they’re legit or not. If they’re complaining about something that actually went wrong, like the refrigerator broke, then I instruct my assistants to very politely respond & admit to the issue and state that we fixed it right away and we are sorry for the discomfort that it caused this guest

    If it’s a scathing review about things that they made up or they’re just being overly picky, sometimes I will just write a one liner like “Lol, I have 500 5-star reviews but clearly nothing will make this person happy”

    1Reply
  • Anthony Wick
    Rental Property Investor · Ankeny, IA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    @Luke Carl. When I am looking at reviews on AirBnB, I like to see the owner answer the bad reviews. It tells me a lot. If someone complains about there being too many stairs and no elevator, and the owner points out that the ad states "the apartment is on the third floor and there is no elevator", it explains the bad review is irrelevant. 

    1Reply
  • Amanda Ferguson
    Destin, FL · Member since 2019 · 55 posts · 50 votes
    6y

    I agree.  I think even a negative review can be turned into a positive situation.  For example, one of the homes we manage got a review that was terrible.  At the end of the day the lady who slept in the queen bed said it was the worst night sleep she's ever had.  It was like sleeping in a taco as she and her husband both rolled to the middle of the bed.  

    We actually pull all of the guest reviews from the various listing sites to our owner dashboard (good, bad or ugly) so they have transparency to see the guest experience.  I think most managers would be terrified to do this, but we think it's good to see the bad reviews too.  This owner saw this and was mortified.  She only sleeps in the King bedroom so had no idea.  She said her family must not have mentioned it since they get to come to the beach for free.  Right away she paid to replace the mattress on the next turn.  

    We were able to respond to the negative review, thank the customer for their stay, apologize for their experience and THANK them for their negative review.  As a result the owner immediately replaced the mattress so no future guests would have the same experience.  

    1Reply
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Mark Miles:
    Originally posted by @Luke Carl:

    Yeah, I said it. And yes it's because I just got one. 

         First of all -I want to make it perfectly clear that I am not encouraging you to allow bad reviews. Anything short of a glowing 5-star review that quite frankly looks like you paid for it, should ruin your day. Maybe even two or three days. This is an indication that you are good at your job. Because after all, you are running a business here.

          Second -Allowing them to leave this bad review, in my opinion, is exactly what you're doing. It is very rare that I didn't say to myself "Yeah I could have done this or that to make that guest stay better" But sometimes, you just have to throw your hands in the air and say "Screw it. This person will never be happy in life and I'm not their therapist -there's nothing I can do to help them." As uncle Paul Sandhu says... You must be a mind reader in this business! 

         And furthermore, if you're providing a great product that is super clean and has decent sheets, plates, large televisions that work, flushing toilets, etc.... If you're confident in your property -at a certain point you just have to let miserable people be miserable. 

    So... To get to my argument... here's why BAD reviews can make you look GOOD! 

    It makes you look real

         If you've got 249 5 star reviews it looks like you're faking it. An occasional 4 star or even a 1 star can make you look REAL! 

    People that leave bad reviews are not smart

         Successful people have better things to do. Bad grammar and horrible English in a review (and nearly all bad reviews have this) are laughable. Future guests will instantly take your side when they see a "they're" spelled "there" or a lower case "i" (and while I'm at it, don't hold my typos against me, I'm sure there are a couple)

    TLDR 

         The "Let me speak to your manager" types always leave a LONG ridiculous review. This review is therapeutic for this type of person. It gives off an "I can't control my husband or my kids and they don't like me but I can control your property for this moment in my life" vibe that future guests can see right through. 

    Guests that read every review are the type that leaves a bad review

         Like it or not the only person that will ever read this view (assuming they're far and few between) are people that are also likely to leave a bad review. The average guest is never going to see this review so feel free to get over it. 

    You Get To Respond!

         I'm giving away one of my tricks here. I've been a super host on Airbnb for years. 2000+ 5 star reviews across 3 platforms. I have the longest self-managed log cabin in the smoky mountains and I'm about to give you one of my biggest tricks. RESPOND TO ALL REVIEWS. Not just the bad ones. 

        I have my assistant do this for me daily. Just a simple "Thanks for your stay" goes a long way for future guests.  BUT when it comes to responding to the bad reviews... This is where you get to shine.  Spend an hour or two cultivating this response to really nail the bad guest. Don't respond right away when you're dealing with the initial upset. Don't wait too long or you'll forget because you're too busy analyzing the next property. 

    I'm sure there are other excellent reasons and this is a forum so I'd love to hear yours -but I've got to get out the door for my morning run. After I respond to this 2 star real with terrible grammar.  


    Happy Renting! 

    Very well said! I would say 2 things:

    1. I instruct my assistants to leave a comment on every review, and the comment should always highlight one great thing about the house, such as: “Thanks for your review, I’m so happy to hear that you loved sitting in the oversized hot tub staring up at the stars.”

    2. How we respond to bad reviews varies based on if they’re legit or not. If they’re complaining about something that actually went wrong, like the refrigerator broke, then I instruct my assistants to very politely respond & admit to the issue and state that we fixed it right away and we are sorry for the discomfort that it caused this guest

    If it’s a scathing review about things that they made up or they’re just being overly picky, sometimes I will just write a one liner like “Lol, I have 500 5-star reviews but clearly nothing will make this person happy”

     I am offering this as constructive criticism. Responding "Lol, I have 500 5-star reviews but clearly nothing will make this person happy" makes you sound unprofessional. When I read reviews, I prefer professional responses to criticism. It speaks highly of the host when they don't get into the mud slinging. There is also the reality that even good hosts have problems that can result in a bad stay. I am way more interested in how hosts respond to problems.

    1Reply
  • Ujwal Velagapudi
    Investor/Agent/Entrepreneur · Dallas, TX · Member since 2016 · 464 posts · 564 votes
    6y

    I don't have STR's, but as a heavy Airbnb user, I definitely agree. I sift through the reviews, and don't care for the poorly written low rated reviews. Sometimes I actually want to see something negative, I actively seek it out because as you said, I want to know that they're real. Even the greatest hosts aren't perfect, so it helps to see a few 3 and 4 stars as long as the overall rating is very high.

    0Reply
  • Mindy JensenPro Member
    BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    6y

    I click and read the bad reviews first, because I don't care what went right, I want to know what went wrong. It's easy to tell when it's a one-time issue, when the reviewer is a pain in the backside, or when it is pervasive. I get one-time issues. The pervasive, "we're not changing anything" issues are the ones that have me clicking off a property.

    [email protected]Podcast Guest on Show #261
    BiggerPockets
    3Reply
  • Joshua Haynes
    Aurora, IL · Member since 2019 · 125 posts · 39 votes
    6y

    @Justin Anderson I really like the way that you format your responses. It shows that your willing to work on the problem but also won't be taken advantage of.

    2Reply
  • Scott TrenchPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    6y

    Love it. Not real estate specifically, but in a related concept, the "top negative review" for my book "Set for Life" on Amazon is literally this:

    "This book's primary audience is people 30 and under who are just starting their professional lives post-college. I would highly recommend it to those folks. I cannot recommend it for anyone who is already deep in their career and looking for ways to make a transition out into a more self-directed lifestyle." (Three Star Review)

    That is the kind of "negative" review that helps you for years, maybe decades. 

    Podcast Guest on Show #223
    BiggerPockets
    4Reply
  • Alex Keathley
    Rental Property Investor · Saint Louis, MO · Member since 2020 · 44 posts · 39 votes
    6y

    @Luke Carl

    Interesting take. I think you make a great point! When I see all five star reviews on anything, I am skeptical. I think the response and how you handle the interaction with the consumer after really goes a long way. Word of mouth can really make or break a business. That person who left the bad review could tell one person of the bad experience and that person could tell two people, etc.

    If you handle the situation and make it right, they most likely will not speak badly about their experience to others. You may not have a returning customer, but you still prevented the spread of a bad reputation. Who knows maybe they will return for another stay to give you another shot. This time they may give you 5 stars and renounce their first review. Wishful thinking, but you never know! Thank you for sharing!! 👍🏻👍🏻

    0Reply
  • Jessie Leonard
    New to Real Estate · New Braunfels/Canyon Lake TX · Member since 2019 · 32 posts · 21 votes
    6y

    Really good article and follow up posts for the new guy to learn from! Thanks...

    0Reply
  • Jason Collins
    Rental Property Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2018 · 46 posts · 76 votes
    6y

    My co-manager and I try to handle everything positively and professionally. Sometimes our impulse it to fire back at a negative review, but I have never regretted waiting to cool off.

    We now message the guests the night before check out asking if they had a good stay and if there is anything we can improve on.

    This tends to let reasonable guests vent. We find they are less likely to leave bad public reviews if we address their concerns before check out.

    The guests that really bother us are the ones that are: 1. Obviously digging for problems to try to get refunds or discounts. They tend to try leverage the threat of a bad review for a monetary reward.

    2. Also, we have had problems with guests that break rules (illegal pets, parties, etc), then threaten/imply bad reviews if we ask them to abide by the house policies.

    If anyone has suggestions on how to deal with these ‘guest diggers’ I would love to hear them.

    0Reply
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Scott Trench:

    Love it. Not real estate specifically, but in a related concept, the "top negative review" for my book "Set for Life" on Amazon is literally this:

    "This book's primary audience is people 30 and under who are just starting their professional lives post-college. I would highly recommend it to those folks. I cannot recommend it for anyone who is already deep in their career and looking for ways to make a transition out into a more self-directed lifestyle." (Three Star Review)

    That is the kind of "negative" review that helps you for years, maybe decades. 

     Reading the back cover quickly tells anyone who the book is targeted for. I would rate it based on the actual audience. I am an Elite Yelp reviewer and I am constantly reviewing restaurants, businesses, etc. When I give a star rating to a fast food restaurant, I rate it compared to other fast food restaurants, not compared to fine dining restaurants. It is funny when someone rates fast food and says two stars because the burgers were greasy, lol. It is like, thanks for the deep insight. Your book has really good reviews, quite impressive. 

    0Reply
  • Gerald Pitts
    Lender · Asheville NC · Member since 2016 · 470 posts · 317 votes
    6y

    "I can't control my husband or my kids and they don't like me but I can control your property for this moment in my life" was worth the price of admission.  LOLL

    0Reply
  • Dave SpoonerPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2020 · 870 posts · 823 votes
    6y

    Great points @Luke Carl. I definitely agree. The occasional bad review makes you seem real, and often someone who takes time to leave a bad review (especially a 1 or 2 start review) is not really doing it for constructive criticism, but just to vent. Most anyone else reading those types of "vent" reviews won't take them very seriously!

    [email protected]
    1Reply
  • Scott Tucker
    Investor · Wilmington, DE · Member since 2018 · 15 posts · 3 votes
    6y

    @Luke Carl, great post and perspective! I was just dealing with a guest that from the moment they booked they were trying to get money back and I knew before they arrived the review would not be the 5 stars I strive to achieve.  At first I stressed about the impending review but once I accepted that there are some people you will never please, my perspective changed to view it as an opportunity to learn how to craft an objective response that demonstrates that the guest was the issue without getting into personal attacks or petty statements.  

    0Reply
  • Mark Futalan
    Rental Property Investor · La Quinta, CA · Member since 2018 · 263 posts · 95 votes
    6y

    Couldn't agree more. As much as we strive for 5 stars, that's not reality. The reality is there will be times (hopefully far less) where we don't meet a guest expectation for whatever reason. Remember we are dealing with multiple personalities and people from all walks of life. Everyone is different and expectations can be different. Any STR operator can relate to this. I do like the idea of responding to all your reviews good or bad because if you respond to only the bad, you highlight that review more. And remember when you respond the the bad, be as professional and courteous as you can because it is a public review. I don't know how many times I've seen responses that were very negative and demeaning in tone. You don't want your future guests to see that.

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