How to Navigate Your Bed & Breakfast's Customer Reviews

Every customer review holds tremendous power when it comes to any business’ livelihood. Bed and breakfasts are not exempt from the importance of customer feedback and its effects. Anyone in the market for a place to stay is going to do their research, which includes reading the reviews. Like most things in life, we want to know what others’ thoughts and feelings about the service or product to determine whether it’s a good fit for us as a consumer.

All feedback, whether positive, constructive or negative, is beneficial. Reviews provide you with a better idea of what guests enjoyed versus what needs improvement. When navigating the world of reviews for your business, keep these tips in mind.

Guest Reviews Truly Matter for Your Inn

It’s no secret that word of mouth is the best marketing for a business. Your website may have beautiful photos, a virtual tour, videos and engaging copy, but online guest reviews are the most important factor for bookings. Though it’s easy for potential guests to picture themselves staying at your inn through your stunning collection of photos, they put their trust in other guests' experiences to determine how they view your inn.

Guest reviews have a direct impact on your revenue and the amount of booked reservations. If you want your inn to be at the top of their list, managing guest reviews is crucial.

How to Easily Get Guest Reviews

There's nothing more powerful than a guest-given review. Ask previous satisfied guests to post reviews on your social media pages, google listing or website during and after their stay. Here are a few ideas of how to entice your guests to leave a review:

• Request feedback from your guests at the end of their stay or within a day of their departure through email or booking site.
• Provide excellent service with great communication. Be personable and respond promptly to their questions and comments.
• Send a thank you note after their stay.

How to Respond to Guest Reviews

Keeping things simple is key. If you choose to respond to a review, even if it’s just to say “Thank you,” be friendly and to the point. Often, a positive and timely response can make the guest feel more connected to your inn.

If concerns are brought up, even if you made a mistake during their stay, apologize and, most importantly, address it. Having confidence in yourself and your property will be detected in your comment. It’s always admirable when someone owns up to a mistake or shortcoming.

Moving Forward from Bad Reviews

You may have gone above and beyond to provide a 5-star stay at your inn and still received a bad review. While it may feel defeating at the time, you can move forward and possibly reverse the long-term effects of a negative review.

This may seem obvious, but remember to never respond to a less than positive review when you’re mad or upset. It’s easy to beat yourself up and take the review personally. Responding while upset or panicking may cause you to overthink and be unreasonable. Take a minute to breathe and acknowledge the review. Try to understand it from their point of view.

Don’t feel like you must rush the response out of fear that potential guests will steer away from your inn because you did not answer immediately. If you need time to understand what happened and respond appropriately, do so but still within a reasonable time frame; a good rule of thumb is within 24 hours. Even if the guest was in the wrong, your response can have a lot of power over how other potential guests view your inn.

5-Star Service Guaranteed

Protecting your bed and breakfast’s reputation is always top of mind. Whether ensuring a safe stay or communicating with guests, you’ll need adequate protection to save your business from the unforeseeable. From insurance tips to ideas on how to mitigate potential risks, connect with a team member today at CBIZ Innkeeper Insurance.

This blog may contain scenarios that are provided as examples only. Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy issued. The information provided is general in nature and may be affected by changes in law or the interpretation of such laws. The reader is advised to contact a professional prior to taking any action based upon this information.

Increase Your Inn's Bookings with Google Hotel Ads Must Read Fireplace Safety Tips for Your Inn