Ideally it is the negative reviews that shake us up and we try to resolve the issues and write extensive emails to these negative reviewers on how you have taken care of the issues about your holiday home he had mentioned in his review.
However when a guest writes a positive review, holiday home owners do nothing more than linking it to their property website or updating the testimonial section with the good words that the reviewer had mentioned in the review.
Holiday home owners here miss out completely on an opportunity to cash in on these brand ambassadors who could be the next best advertising medium after Google Adwords! Because word of mouth referrals work much better in the holiday home segment where guests are more comfortable in staying in a property earlier visited by a friend or family member, chances are you will get more inquiries. Moreover it also lessens your burden on verifying the antecedents of guests as you can decide based on your experience with their friend who had stayed at your property earlier.
So that brings us to the question on how you can respond/ react to a positive review on your holiday home.
1. Whenever guests after taking a vacation returns they are flooded with work. So when someone takes some time out to write a review, her/ his efforts should be acknowledged. Since most of the reviews are posted online and can be viewed by anyone, replying to guests’ reviews give travelers a boost of confidence that the holiday home is looking out for their interests and feedback. A recent survey in fact noted that 71 percent of travelers say that seeing a response from the holiday home owner is important to them. It reassures them. Therefore, it is no surprise that owners who respond to guests see higher guest satisfaction and more reviews.
2. Positive reviews show your holiday home in good light, so don’t shy away from sharing the link to the review on your online social network and letting them know how good your holiday home is.
3. If the reviewer has mentioned anyone from your staff, let the guest know that you will share his feedback with him. And do so, even if it’s the housekeeper or your cook. The staff loves knowing that guests have appreciated their service. This could also motivate them to perform their duties even better. Moreover you get to know the performance of your staff who works without your physical supervision on the property.
4. Encourage the guest to tell her/ his friends and to come back. Encourage him to ‘like’ you on Facebook or follow you on Twitter to stay abreast of news and specials.
5. Reward them for their good words. Tell them that when they come to your holiday home next time, you would give them a discount on the rental. In fact you can also tell them that any of their referrals would also be entitled to a certain discount. Or else you can gift the referrals a voucher to the nearest spa or free use of the clubhouse (if your holiday home is in a gated community).
So as you see that responding to positive reviews is not rocket science. All it takes is some time. But trust me, it’s worth your time!
Still not getting any reviews/ feedback from your guests? Here’s an article on Tips to encourage guests to write reviews of your holiday home.
