Practical Steps for Responding to a Negative Review of Your Vacation Rental

It is indeed disappointing for a vacation rental owner to receive a negative review of his rental from a past guest. How one responds by not reacting, but acting on these negative reviews can establish goodwill in the industry and fetch more guests.

A guest in your vacation rental did not have their ideal vacation due to technical or external issues, which may propel them to place their negative experience on your website or social media. Prospective guests may study the reviews and decide otherwise about staying at your rental. If you don’t respond, it may prove to be a validation of the negative review.

There are effective ways to respond to these kinds of reviews for your vacation rental and convert them into positive opportunities in a professional way.

These are the 7 most important steps that will guide you how to respond to a negative review of your vacation rental.

1. Recognize the Opportunity

A negative feedback can be nullified by interacting in a positive way with a discontented guest. Act on the opportunity and make a list of what changes your rental needs to provide the finest experience for the future guests. You have to work with the guest, not against them.

2. Thank Guests for Feedback

A negative feedback can bestow you a chance to show your customer service and how you care for your guests to anyone who reads the reviews. Don’t respond when you are upset about this. Take your time, a day or two. Accept the situation, apologize and thank your guests for providing feedback and promise to find a solution soon. Do not blame the guests even when you are correct on your part. Explain your side and end with positive words.

3. First, Collect the Facts

Understand what the review is all about. For a moment, assume that you are a guest in your rental and view the issue neutrally. Is the point raised valid?

Next, investigate more into it and find the source of the issue. You can also contact the guest for more information if the need be. Once the issue has been discovered with all the facts behind it, find solutions to resolve it before you respond.

4. Respond Calmly

Your positive response can calm down a guest and they may understand that unexpected situations can arise. Your prospective guests will see this reliability of yours and may consider staying at your rental in the future. A satisfied guest is 60% more likely to stay with you again.

If you argue back or respond in a negative manner, this can affect your business badly, that too when your response is online-on the internet.

5. Review Your Policies Again

Sometimes, the guest may leave a negative review about your rental, despite the fact that it has been clearly mentioned in the rental policy. E.g. the guest has complained that your rental is not pet-friendly. You can emphasize clearly that it was already mentioned in the policy that pets are not allowed in your rental. Suggest them pet-friendly rentals in your area for their next vacation.

6. Contact the Guests about Changes

Subsequently, contact the guest by email or call them. Thank them again for the feedback and let them know about the changes that you did in the rental based on their feedback. Invite them again to consider your vacation rental for their vacation.

7. Ask the Guests to Write another Review

If the guest who gave a negative review of your vacation rental decides to consider your rental after the problem was resolved and came out satisfied, ask them to write another review, this time a positive one.

A negative review followed by a positive one by the same guest will show the prospective guests that you care about your rental and have a good customer service system. It will also market your vacation rental in a better way online.

Handling an unsatisfied customer in a mature and calm manner can assist a vacation rental owner to maintain the reputation and gain more guests in the future.