As a Canmore rental host, you will know all too well the importance of maintaining positive Airbnb reviews, but unfortunately, no matter how hard you try, negative reviews can still occur. Whenever this happens, it can often feel like a personal attack on you and be particularly demoralizing; however, it can also be a chance to turn potential negatives into a positive.
Responding to any negative Airbnb reviews professionally can help you to negate any damaging impact it could have, showcasing to new guests what might have gone wrong and what you are doing to rectify any issues.
If you are unsure of how to respond to a negative Airbnb review, here are some of our top tips:
Don’t take it personally
The first step to any negative review is to not take it personally. While it is natural to feel upset and defensive, take a deep breath and a step back and use this as an opportunity to gain valuable feedback on how you can enhance the guest experience.
Respond promptly and professionally
The key to turning a negative review into a potentially positive moment is to address the review promptly and thoroughly. This demonstrates your attentiveness and willingness to resolve any issues that guests might face. Make sure you start by thanking the guest for their feedback and apologizing for any inconvenience they experienced, providing a brief explanation of what happened and how you are planning to address it so it doesn’t happen again.
Don’t be accusatory
When we’re attacked in a negative review, it can be very tempting to respond in a similar fashion. However, resist this urge and ensure that you keep the message neutral in tone.
Offer solutions
Responding to a negative Airbnb review by offering practical solutions will demonstrate your commitment to ensuring guest satisfaction. If the negative review highlights a legitimate issue, then offering a partial refund or discount on a future stay shows you are willing to make amends and can often see guests consider returning to your property.
Encourage positive Airbnb reviews
While negative reviews are a challenge for any Canmore Airbnb host, they can be negated with positive reviews. Encourage satisfied guests to leave reviews by asking them to share their experiences. This not only helps to improve your overall rating but also gives you a clear track record of providing excellent service. This allows guests to see that whatever issues the guest leaving the negative review had, it was clearly a one-off.
A chance to grow
Although it can be very disheartening to find a guest leaving a negative review, responding correctly can help you turn that experience around into a positive. Use this feedback to learn which areas you can improve on to ensure that you can continue to deliver exceptional experiences for guests.
You should also make sure that you are regularly monitoring your reviews, as this will allow you to respond quickly to any potential issues and highlights to new guests that you care about their stay.
Need help managing your Canmore Airbnb?
Here at Canmore Co-Host, our mission is to help you remove the stress and worry of Airbnb hosting, supporting you to ensure that your guests have a wonderful stay every time. Whether it is 24/7 guest management, housekeeping and maintenance, or pricing optimization, we know exactly what it takes to deliver exceptional guest experiences, so get in touch today to learn more about how we can help you!
