I Left a Negative Review on Airbnb and the Guest Wants Me to Change It

About to Become a Bad Review? Hither's What You lot Need to Do.

Baronial 6, 2020
Advanced guides, STR Life

By Rowan Clifford

Author of Airbn'b'Smart and Hospitable user

Accept you ever had ane of those guests that just keep nit-picking at everything?

You lot know the ones, they scrutinize every little particular of your place from top to bottom, and naught you can do is ever enough.

If you lot answered yep, then y'all're not alone.

These are the types of guests that'll go out of their manner to exit you a bad review; in fact, they'll probably relish the opportunity.

But, does that mean you've merely got to suck information technology upwards and take information technology on the mentum?

Or, is there something you tin do nigh it?

Well, in truth, it'due south a niggling from column A and a little from column B.

Unfortunately, there's no foolproof way to avoid bad Airbnb reviews, simply there is a way to mitigate the harm (more on that in a minute).

In this article, I'chiliad going to give you a few tips and tricks for neutralizing potential bad Airbnb invitee reviews to go along your reputation intact.

Setting the scene

A booking comes through, and the questions start immediately:

"Tin can I check-in early on?"
"Tin I have a tardily cheque-out?"
"Where can I park my car?"
"Can I leave my baggage in the business firm subsequently I cheque-out?"

There's plain nothing wrong with these questions – they're quite normal actually – but you can simply tell from the tone of voice in the messages that this particular invitee is going to be difficult work.

They arrive at your property, and the nit-picking begins…

"There's a hair in the shower. A stain on a cushion. Lipstick on a wine glass. There's grit on a window-sill. Where'southward the canteen opener? The WiFi is wearisome!".

It's but one thing after another. Cipher y'all can do is enough.

These are the types of guests that will leave you a bad review, regardless of everything that you've done to try to make their stay as good equally possible.

Then, in these circumstances, what should you practise?

Outset with making certain you haven't made whatever of the popular hosting mistakes. Nosotros compiled a list for you that you tin can download hither. If yous ticked any of those boxes, make certain to address those issues the earlier the better.

Now let's accept a look at your options to resolve the conflict.

Can you remove a review from your page on Airbnb?

You tin't actually "hide" a bad review. The but style to remove information technology is to prove Airbnb that the guest violated their content policy. For instance, such actions of your invitee every bit enervating something for a good review or revealing the exact location of the listing are the grounds for review removal.

If the review is abusive or completely unfair, you should definitely study information technology to Airbnb. In this way, you lot tin save other potential hosts the problem of having a bad guest in the hereafter.

What to practise if you go a bad review on Airbnb

Option ane. The Refund Route

You lot tin probably sense information technology from the tone in their letters that what these types of guests are actually later is a refund. Just, is giving them a refund the correct matter to do?

Now, in that location'south no right or wrong answer to this one, but hither's how I manage this personally.

If what the guest is complaining well-nigh is a genuine complaint (I'm talking well-nigh something that genuinely influences the quality of their stay), and then I will offer a class of refund.

Depending on the severity of the issue, I take two dissimilar paths.

Full refund

If something major happens, and it'south had a massive impact on their trip, and at that place's nothing I tin do in the curt time to rectify it, I'll give a full refund as standard. I'd rather not take the money in these instances.

Partial refund

If something non-major, but still genuine occurs, I'll offer a partial refund. But here's the trick…

Rather than offering a numerical value, e.m., a $100 refund, instead, offer a refund as a percentage, e.g., a 15% discount.

Refunds as a percentage (up to a sure point) have a higher perceived value over their numerical counterparts.

*Fifty-fifty though you may give your guests a refund, they still get the opportunity to review their stay regardless.

Choice 2. Fight Burn With Fire!

This is what we all actually want to do, am I correct?

If yous know they're going to leave a bad review, and then you know what, you're going to leave a dirty review to them too!

But every bit tempting as it is, is information technology really the right approach?

Information technology hurts, I know, but fighting fire with burn down only serves to escalate the problem. There's no winner with this approach.

On Airbnb, you've got a rep to protect, then I urge you to rise above this and take the moral high basis in this battle. It's better in the long run, I promise.

Pick 3. The Diplomat!

The to the lowest degree sexy of the iii options is "The Diplomat."

This is where you lot take every complaint on board (no thing how ridiculous). You take farthermost ownership of it, you use tactical empathy with your guest, and you go above and beyond (in fact, I recommend going overboard) to make amends.

Hither'southward an case:

Guest: "I've had a horrible stay at your house. The bed was so uncomfortable I couldn't sleep, the tap kept dripping, and there was a stale olfactory property in the firm. NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!! Geraldine".

Host: "Hey, Geraldine. What can I say, I'm and then, and so deplorable that you oasis't enjoyed your stay at the house. This makes me feel terrible, it actually does.

I put my heart and soul into making my place immaculate for each and every guest that arrives, and I take total ownership of everything that you've mentioned, and I am fully responsible for y'all not enjoying your stay. For that, I am deeply sorry.

I sincerely hope that the issues you've experienced at the property haven't taken away from your stay at %Your_Location% entirely, and they haven't completely ruined your trip.

I take feedback like this extremely seriously and volition brand certain information technology never happens again.

One time again, massive apologies.

Kindest regards,

Rowan."

The Diplomat approach aims to diffuse the situation. By taking extreme ownership of whatsoever problems, and even escalating and over-dramatising the state of affairs, helps neutralize the charged negative emotions.

Oftentimes, using this approach you'll find your guests bankroll down, and even getting to a point where they're telling y'all "it's non that bad after all".

Hither's What I Recommend

Depending on the situation, in almost all circumstances, you're best off going with "The Diplomat", and occasionally sprinkling in a little refund here or in that location.

This approach has served me well in the past and has enabled me to keep my reputation on Airbnb intact.

And, as enticing every bit it is to fight fire with fire, I'd avoid this route at all costs.

Sneaky Hacks For Bad Review Prospects

So, now that we know how to deal with an aroused invitee to pacify the situation as much as possible, there are too a few tricks you can exercise to neutralize the state of affairs further.

The Dark-brown-Olfactory organ Check-Out Message

This is a message sent to your guests usually a few hours later they've checked out. This message can be used to "offering an olive branch" to your guests as a gesture of reconciliation and understanding.

Your message could look something like this:

"Hey, Geraldine.

What tin I say, give thanks you and then much for your understanding and patience throughout your stay, you've been incredible!

And also, a massive thank you for beingness so respectful of our dwelling, and for leaving it and then neat and tidy on your departure (information technology's much appreciated).

Wishing you a safe journey on your manner dwelling.

Safe travels,

Rowan."

Withal not sending a "thank you lot" bulletin to ALL of your guests?

That's a lot of work, you're saying? Not anymore! Smarbnb does everything for you.

Review Delay Fourth dimension

Time is the biggest healer.

All charged emotions get diffused over time, which is why I recommend delaying the writing of your review until the very last minute.

Allow me explain.

Airbnb gives you 14 days to get out a review. Once one side of the party (either host or guest) has left a review, the other side will exist notified and prompted to exercise the same.

This is what you want to avoid.

Also, there is the possibility of your guest forgetting to leave a review, and this is something we desire to allow to happen without getting in the way.

If you lot're using an automation tool (like Hospitable) to automate reviews on your behalf hither'southward what yous demand to do:

Locate Awaiting reviews, find the troublesome guest in question, and click Edit.

Switch the Bad review toggle to ON and click Salve.

With this characteristic enabled, your review will be delayed until the very last minute.

If, on the other hand, you handle your reviews manually, just make a notation of the review cut-off point and human action accordingly.

You lot Always Become The Final Discussion

On Airbnb, you lot, every bit the host, e'er go to have the terminal word by responding to your guest reviews. You have 30 days in which to do so.

If you haven't taken advantage of this nonetheless, here's how to do it:

From a web browser, go to your Reviews
Select Reviews About You
Find the review y'all'd like to answer to and select Get out a Response

Here's what it looks like in exercise:

Time to implement all of that sweetness

If yous're nonetheless not a Hospitable user, it's the right time to sign-up.
Commencement with a 14-day no-strings-fastened gratuitous trial

I recommend leaving a response to all reviews every bit a default. Information technology shows that as a host you lot care, especially in a circumstance where you receive a negative review.

Leaving a thoughtful response to a bad review will ensure future guests know your side of the story.

Decision

Getting a bad review on Airbnb is a foregone conclusion. It's going to happen at some betoken, then you lot might as well be prepared.

So here's my recommended game plan:

Use the Diplomat technique, plus offering a pct based refund (when needed).
Transport a 'Brown-Nose' thank you message a few hours after check-out.
Don't get out a review until the very last minute.
Exit a public response to voice your side of the story.

There you go, you now have a game-plan for when such a state of affairs arises to glide through it with as little friction as possible.

Recall that avoiding the conflict is always better than resolving it. Make certain you don't do whatsoever of the pop hosting blunders.

And, with the tips I've given you lot here, yous should be able to navigate the state of affairs with every bit niggling collateral damage as possible and keep your hosting reputation intact.

Peace out.

Rowan.

Airbnb Host Reviews & How To Automate Them!

Writing host reviews is not a rocket science. It's a fourth dimension-stealer, though. In this article, you lot volition go plenty of useful templates for your reviews. Even better: we'll teach you to automate the whole process.

Join the all-time!

300,000+ backdrop
from 140+ countries
grow with Hospitable

START NOW

Get started with a free trial now.
No credit card needed.

Get STARTED Gratis

ousleyqueent.blogspot.com

Source: https://hospitable.com/about-to-get-a-bad-review-heres-what-you-need-to-do/