BedandBreakfast.com Review Program

[JBanczak]

Well, Dora and Diego definately do not have an Australian accent! Maybe she's seen Sponge Bob??.

That might be it actually! It comes on after Dora... and sometimes she sees a few minutes! LOL!
Now we can add child-care to the list of useful topics being discussed on the forum!

 

[Morticia]

Maybe THIS is my goal for this year - to be able to innkeep without ANY alterior motives. I do not want to sell, I do not want to hunt or gather, I just want to serve our guests and let them enjoy their stay. I declare "2009 the year of simple innkeeping." (Keeping an eye on the trends of course)
I am not trying to being anti-marketing here, I guess this just wears me out.
As BandB.com and others work harder and harder to get reviews going and all the other good things, I find myself just wanting to do my thing. I don't want those reviews on MY website, I only want content I TYPE IN and plaster on my website.
Am I wrong? Sorry John, I am not trying to be combative here.
I just don't want to chat up guests to get a review. The more I think of it the more I hate the idea.

.

Maybe THIS is my goal for this year - to be able to innkeep without ANY alterior motives. I do not want to sell, I do not want to hunt or gather, I just want to serve our guests and let them enjoy their stay. I declare "2009 the year of simple innkeeping." (Keeping an eye on the trends of course)

I like that...the year of simple innkeeping!

 

[cedarhouse]

We love your guest review program and feel it defintely brings us more guests due to the many positive reviews. We have the review cards and hand them out at check out and also have the badges on our web site.
Bottom line for us that the program works. I am surprised that we tend to be the only one in our market area that uses the review program. For example we have 60 reviews when the other inns have 2-15.

 

[JBloggs]

Your 60 reviews speak volumes. Good job on that! They don't come easy, we have to be fastidious to get great reviews. We all fight the 'stinking badges' and have to do what is best to market our inns. We have some of the directory folks on this forum and we appreciate the time they spend with us. Reviews were a big discussion a while back. We have to give the people what they want.

 

[Morticia]

Your 60 reviews speak volumes. Good job on that! They don't come easy, we have to be fastidious to get great reviews. We all fight the 'stinking badges' and have to do what is best to market our inns. We have some of the directory folks on this forum and we appreciate the time they spend with us. Reviews were a big discussion a while back. We have to give the people what they want..

Reviews are always a big discussion!

 

[Copperhead]

We love your guest review program and feel it defintely brings us more guests due to the many positive reviews. We have the review cards and hand them out at check out and also have the badges on our web site.
Bottom line for us that the program works. I am surprised that we tend to be the only one in our market area that uses the review program. For example we have 60 reviews when the other inns have 2-15..

Welcome Cedar House! Read your profile and think we will look forward to your posts about marketing.

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Your 60 reviews speak volumes. Good job on that! They don't come easy, we have to be fastidious to get great reviews. We all fight the 'stinking badges' and have to do what is best to market our inns. We have some of the directory folks on this forum and we appreciate the time they spend with us. Reviews were a big discussion a while back. We have to give the people what they want..

Reviews are always a big discussion!
.

"Reviews are always a big discussion!"
Yes they are, but rarely do I see the ethics (or lack there of) behind prodding, begging, reminding, pleading, etc. for them ever discussed. Nor is the lowering of their veracity and integrity of them if they are begged for by us innkeepers discussed.
I'm not naive and know that we fully benefit from all the great reviews we get on the various venues, but I've seen the whole review process and zeal to accumulate them morph into a distraction from us simply doing a great job and building our businesses from the ground up for the long haul.
The potential for abuse is very apparent and probably most of us have at least one competitior manipulating the system to their own ends while diminishing the overall objectivity and honesty that should be inherent to any consumer driven review process.
Eventually, the increasingly cynical and more and more skeptical consumer will see these recent developments as the thinly veiled, crass marketing attempts they really are.
Let's not forget that for every review card sent in, a mass mailing list is growing and is being used to broaden brand recognition of the host, not each individual B&B who received the review.
Frankly, I won't patronize local businesses that appear to be gilding the lily on reviews on TA, I won't refer guests I can't accommodate myself to competitors (can't call them colleagues anymore) who do so, and won't recommend restaurants, attractions to my own guests that do so.
I've tried to put myself in the shoes of a consumer who has only recently discovered these various travel resources. I honestly try to tell myself that the places with hundreds of reviews spaced just days or weeks apart are that much better than the places who seem to get them in what appears to be a more natural, unforced frequency.
It make work for a few, but somehow I suspect most will see right through it.

 

[Morticia]

Your 60 reviews speak volumes. Good job on that! They don't come easy, we have to be fastidious to get great reviews. We all fight the 'stinking badges' and have to do what is best to market our inns. We have some of the directory folks on this forum and we appreciate the time they spend with us. Reviews were a big discussion a while back. We have to give the people what they want..

Reviews are always a big discussion!
.

"Reviews are always a big discussion!"
Yes they are, but rarely do I see the ethics (or lack there of) behind prodding, begging, reminding, pleading, etc. for them ever discussed. Nor is the lowering of their veracity and integrity of them if they are begged for by us innkeepers discussed.
I'm not naive and know that we fully benefit from all the great reviews we get on the various venues, but I've seen the whole review process and zeal to accumulate them morph into a distraction from us simply doing a great job and building our businesses from the ground up for the long haul.
The potential for abuse is very apparent and probably most of us have at least one competitior manipulating the system to their own ends while diminishing the overall objectivity and honesty that should be inherent to any consumer driven review process.
Eventually, the increasingly cynical and more and more skeptical consumer will see these recent developments as the thinly veiled, crass marketing attempts they really are.
Let's not forget that for every review card sent in, a mass mailing list is growing and is being used to broaden brand recognition of the host, not each individual B&B who received the review.
Frankly, I won't patronize local businesses that appear to be gilding the lily on reviews on TA, I won't refer guests I can't accommodate myself to competitors (can't call them colleagues anymore) who do so, and won't recommend restaurants, attractions to my own guests that do so.
I've tried to put myself in the shoes of a consumer who has only recently discovered these various travel resources. I honestly try to tell myself that the places with hundreds of reviews spaced just days or weeks apart are that much better than the places who seem to get them in what appears to be a more natural, unforced frequency.
It make work for a few, but somehow I suspect most will see right through it.
.

I'm one of the lucky ones. No mass manipulation in my town. Judging from the lack of reviews overall, no manipulation at all. Yeah, we look to see what someone said about the other guys, but, hey, the way I look at it is this...they only have x rooms, once they're full (or I'm full) the referrals flow outward to the rest. It would be nice if guests did reviews of my place on the directories, but they don't. They didn't take the postcards, they haven't taken the biz size cards from iloveinns, they just don't care. I'd love a review that says I make the best (fill in a breakfast item here) but it'll never happen. We just don't wow the guests enough to encourage them to write. They like us, they tell us, they come back, that's it.
Now, I am not in a location with 30 other B&B/inns. Maybe if I was I wouldn't be so lacksadaisical about it. Yeah, I get wound up at times, but I cannot change what my guests do. If my competition gets guests to write reviews, oh well.
As an example, this year alone I have had a LOT of guests say they found us on bedandbreakfast.com. Something like 20 so far this year. I got one review on there this year. TA? I think I may have gotten 2 reviews this year. They just don't care. One review a month is about my speed.
And guess what? Some of the places with the worst reviews have the best occupancy. Guests coming here just don't read reviews. Or, if they do, this is what I hear, 'We thought your reviews sounded more real because you don't have 5 stars.' Whatever works.
The best one was a guest who stayed with me but wrote the review about somewhere else. Glad he loved his stay, too bad he didn't remember the name of the place. (He signed the review, that's how I know.)

 

[Don Draper]

Your 60 reviews speak volumes. Good job on that! They don't come easy, we have to be fastidious to get great reviews. We all fight the 'stinking badges' and have to do what is best to market our inns. We have some of the directory folks on this forum and we appreciate the time they spend with us. Reviews were a big discussion a while back. We have to give the people what they want..

Reviews are always a big discussion!
.

"Reviews are always a big discussion!"
Yes they are, but rarely do I see the ethics (or lack there of) behind prodding, begging, reminding, pleading, etc. for them ever discussed. Nor is the lowering of their veracity and integrity of them if they are begged for by us innkeepers discussed.
I'm not naive and know that we fully benefit from all the great reviews we get on the various venues, but I've seen the whole review process and zeal to accumulate them morph into a distraction from us simply doing a great job and building our businesses from the ground up for the long haul.
The potential for abuse is very apparent and probably most of us have at least one competitior manipulating the system to their own ends while diminishing the overall objectivity and honesty that should be inherent to any consumer driven review process.
Eventually, the increasingly cynical and more and more skeptical consumer will see these recent developments as the thinly veiled, crass marketing attempts they really are.
Let's not forget that for every review card sent in, a mass mailing list is growing and is being used to broaden brand recognition of the host, not each individual B&B who received the review.
Frankly, I won't patronize local businesses that appear to be gilding the lily on reviews on TA, I won't refer guests I can't accommodate myself to competitors (can't call them colleagues anymore) who do so, and won't recommend restaurants, attractions to my own guests that do so.
I've tried to put myself in the shoes of a consumer who has only recently discovered these various travel resources. I honestly try to tell myself that the places with hundreds of reviews spaced just days or weeks apart are that much better than the places who seem to get them in what appears to be a more natural, unforced frequency.
It make work for a few, but somehow I suspect most will see right through it.
.

I'm one of the lucky ones. No mass manipulation in my town. Judging from the lack of reviews overall, no manipulation at all. Yeah, we look to see what someone said about the other guys, but, hey, the way I look at it is this...they only have x rooms, once they're full (or I'm full) the referrals flow outward to the rest. It would be nice if guests did reviews of my place on the directories, but they don't. They didn't take the postcards, they haven't taken the biz size cards from iloveinns, they just don't care. I'd love a review that says I make the best (fill in a breakfast item here) but it'll never happen. We just don't wow the guests enough to encourage them to write. They like us, they tell us, they come back, that's it.
Now, I am not in a location with 30 other B&B/inns. Maybe if I was I wouldn't be so lacksadaisical about it. Yeah, I get wound up at times, but I cannot change what my guests do. If my competition gets guests to write reviews, oh well.
As an example, this year alone I have had a LOT of guests say they found us on bedandbreakfast.com. Something like 20 so far this year. I got one review on there this year. TA? I think I may have gotten 2 reviews this year. They just don't care. One review a month is about my speed.
And guess what? Some of the places with the worst reviews have the best occupancy. Guests coming here just don't read reviews. Or, if they do, this is what I hear, 'We thought your reviews sounded more real because you don't have 5 stars.' Whatever works.
The best one was a guest who stayed with me but wrote the review about somewhere else. Glad he loved his stay, too bad he didn't remember the name of the place. (He signed the review, that's how I know.)
.

That's interesting...we ARE in an area with 30+ b&b's and people just don't write that many reviews relative to the number of people who stay and seemingly have a great time.
I personally would never ask for a review or hand someone a card...from either side of the transaction is just feels tacky to me. As a business owner I totally get that people want to READ reviews...they just don't want to write 'em. The biggest irony is that the people who say they found us on Trip Advisor NEVER leave a review...even though they'll write a great note in the guest journal, send us a follow-up email to thank us for the stay, etc.

 

[JBloggs]

It is all apples and oranges. Our TA standing is #1 of 1 B&B's in our town. If we had a fierce market I would be forced to solicit reviews. We have discussed in the past the PUSH for reviews, and in fact if you search this forum or someone pop the thread # on here it was quite heated and got certain directories on the defensive. We said the same thing, let us innkeep, let us provide the best service and greatest place to stay for guests and let that be. "The year of simple innkeeping" was the motto I heard, not to stress over all the small stuff, over the TA monster and the little gremlins who wield it in their grubby paws.

 

[Morticia]

Your 60 reviews speak volumes. Good job on that! They don't come easy, we have to be fastidious to get great reviews. We all fight the 'stinking badges' and have to do what is best to market our inns. We have some of the directory folks on this forum and we appreciate the time they spend with us. Reviews were a big discussion a while back. We have to give the people what they want..

Reviews are always a big discussion!
.

"Reviews are always a big discussion!"
Yes they are, but rarely do I see the ethics (or lack there of) behind prodding, begging, reminding, pleading, etc. for them ever discussed. Nor is the lowering of their veracity and integrity of them if they are begged for by us innkeepers discussed.
I'm not naive and know that we fully benefit from all the great reviews we get on the various venues, but I've seen the whole review process and zeal to accumulate them morph into a distraction from us simply doing a great job and building our businesses from the ground up for the long haul.
The potential for abuse is very apparent and probably most of us have at least one competitior manipulating the system to their own ends while diminishing the overall objectivity and honesty that should be inherent to any consumer driven review process.
Eventually, the increasingly cynical and more and more skeptical consumer will see these recent developments as the thinly veiled, crass marketing attempts they really are.
Let's not forget that for every review card sent in, a mass mailing list is growing and is being used to broaden brand recognition of the host, not each individual B&B who received the review.
Frankly, I won't patronize local businesses that appear to be gilding the lily on reviews on TA, I won't refer guests I can't accommodate myself to competitors (can't call them colleagues anymore) who do so, and won't recommend restaurants, attractions to my own guests that do so.
I've tried to put myself in the shoes of a consumer who has only recently discovered these various travel resources. I honestly try to tell myself that the places with hundreds of reviews spaced just days or weeks apart are that much better than the places who seem to get them in what appears to be a more natural, unforced frequency.
It make work for a few, but somehow I suspect most will see right through it.
.

I'm one of the lucky ones. No mass manipulation in my town. Judging from the lack of reviews overall, no manipulation at all. Yeah, we look to see what someone said about the other guys, but, hey, the way I look at it is this...they only have x rooms, once they're full (or I'm full) the referrals flow outward to the rest. It would be nice if guests did reviews of my place on the directories, but they don't. They didn't take the postcards, they haven't taken the biz size cards from iloveinns, they just don't care. I'd love a review that says I make the best (fill in a breakfast item here) but it'll never happen. We just don't wow the guests enough to encourage them to write. They like us, they tell us, they come back, that's it.
Now, I am not in a location with 30 other B&B/inns. Maybe if I was I wouldn't be so lacksadaisical about it. Yeah, I get wound up at times, but I cannot change what my guests do. If my competition gets guests to write reviews, oh well.
As an example, this year alone I have had a LOT of guests say they found us on bedandbreakfast.com. Something like 20 so far this year. I got one review on there this year. TA? I think I may have gotten 2 reviews this year. They just don't care. One review a month is about my speed.
And guess what? Some of the places with the worst reviews have the best occupancy. Guests coming here just don't read reviews. Or, if they do, this is what I hear, 'We thought your reviews sounded more real because you don't have 5 stars.' Whatever works.
The best one was a guest who stayed with me but wrote the review about somewhere else. Glad he loved his stay, too bad he didn't remember the name of the place. (He signed the review, that's how I know.)
.

That's interesting...we ARE in an area with 30+ b&b's and people just don't write that many reviews relative to the number of people who stay and seemingly have a great time.
I personally would never ask for a review or hand someone a card...from either side of the transaction is just feels tacky to me. As a business owner I totally get that people want to READ reviews...they just don't want to write 'em. The biggest irony is that the people who say they found us on Trip Advisor NEVER leave a review...even though they'll write a great note in the guest journal, send us a follow-up email to thank us for the stay, etc.
.

That's interesting...we ARE in an area with 30+ b&b's and people just don't write that many reviews relative to the number of people who stay and seemingly have a great time.

OK, so you are in a prime tourist area, judging from the number of B&B's. I think Tim Toad's problem is that in other areas like yours there are OBVIOUS manipulations going on. One or two B&B's having 20-30 reviews every month when the other 28 places have the usual 2-3? Yeah, that's not great service, that's manipulation. Now, if a place has 20 rooms, they might get that number, but the smaller places just won't get that response. Then again, maybe I'm totally wrong and we don't get reviews because we have a lot of older couples whose mothers all told them, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.'

Even in season, if we get 3-4 reviews each month it's a lot. And that's around 100 different couples each month.

 

[Morticia]

It is all apples and oranges. Our TA standing is #1 of 1 B&B's in our town. If we had a fierce market I would be forced to solicit reviews. We have discussed in the past the PUSH for reviews, and in fact if you search this forum or someone pop the thread # on here it was quite heated and got certain directories on the defensive. We said the same thing, let us innkeep, let us provide the best service and greatest place to stay for guests and let that be. "The year of simple innkeeping" was the motto I heard, not to stress over all the small stuff, over the TA monster and the little gremlins who wield it in their grubby paws..

"The year of simple innkeeping"

Thanks. I needed that reminder. I should cross stitch it and hang it over my desk. Oh wait, the year of simple innkeeping...I'm not doing any cross stitch!

 

[Don Draper]

Your 60 reviews speak volumes. Good job on that! They don't come easy, we have to be fastidious to get great reviews. We all fight the 'stinking badges' and have to do what is best to market our inns. We have some of the directory folks on this forum and we appreciate the time they spend with us. Reviews were a big discussion a while back. We have to give the people what they want..

Reviews are always a big discussion!
.

"Reviews are always a big discussion!"
Yes they are, but rarely do I see the ethics (or lack there of) behind prodding, begging, reminding, pleading, etc. for them ever discussed. Nor is the lowering of their veracity and integrity of them if they are begged for by us innkeepers discussed.
I'm not naive and know that we fully benefit from all the great reviews we get on the various venues, but I've seen the whole review process and zeal to accumulate them morph into a distraction from us simply doing a great job and building our businesses from the ground up for the long haul.
The potential for abuse is very apparent and probably most of us have at least one competitior manipulating the system to their own ends while diminishing the overall objectivity and honesty that should be inherent to any consumer driven review process.
Eventually, the increasingly cynical and more and more skeptical consumer will see these recent developments as the thinly veiled, crass marketing attempts they really are.
Let's not forget that for every review card sent in, a mass mailing list is growing and is being used to broaden brand recognition of the host, not each individual B&B who received the review.
Frankly, I won't patronize local businesses that appear to be gilding the lily on reviews on TA, I won't refer guests I can't accommodate myself to competitors (can't call them colleagues anymore) who do so, and won't recommend restaurants, attractions to my own guests that do so.
I've tried to put myself in the shoes of a consumer who has only recently discovered these various travel resources. I honestly try to tell myself that the places with hundreds of reviews spaced just days or weeks apart are that much better than the places who seem to get them in what appears to be a more natural, unforced frequency.
It make work for a few, but somehow I suspect most will see right through it.
.

I'm one of the lucky ones. No mass manipulation in my town. Judging from the lack of reviews overall, no manipulation at all. Yeah, we look to see what someone said about the other guys, but, hey, the way I look at it is this...they only have x rooms, once they're full (or I'm full) the referrals flow outward to the rest. It would be nice if guests did reviews of my place on the directories, but they don't. They didn't take the postcards, they haven't taken the biz size cards from iloveinns, they just don't care. I'd love a review that says I make the best (fill in a breakfast item here) but it'll never happen. We just don't wow the guests enough to encourage them to write. They like us, they tell us, they come back, that's it.
Now, I am not in a location with 30 other B&B/inns. Maybe if I was I wouldn't be so lacksadaisical about it. Yeah, I get wound up at times, but I cannot change what my guests do. If my competition gets guests to write reviews, oh well.
As an example, this year alone I have had a LOT of guests say they found us on bedandbreakfast.com. Something like 20 so far this year. I got one review on there this year. TA? I think I may have gotten 2 reviews this year. They just don't care. One review a month is about my speed.
And guess what? Some of the places with the worst reviews have the best occupancy. Guests coming here just don't read reviews. Or, if they do, this is what I hear, 'We thought your reviews sounded more real because you don't have 5 stars.' Whatever works.
The best one was a guest who stayed with me but wrote the review about somewhere else. Glad he loved his stay, too bad he didn't remember the name of the place. (He signed the review, that's how I know.)
.

That's interesting...we ARE in an area with 30+ b&b's and people just don't write that many reviews relative to the number of people who stay and seemingly have a great time.
I personally would never ask for a review or hand someone a card...from either side of the transaction is just feels tacky to me. As a business owner I totally get that people want to READ reviews...they just don't want to write 'em. The biggest irony is that the people who say they found us on Trip Advisor NEVER leave a review...even though they'll write a great note in the guest journal, send us a follow-up email to thank us for the stay, etc.
.

That's interesting...we ARE in an area with 30+ b&b's and people just don't write that many reviews relative to the number of people who stay and seemingly have a great time.

OK, so you are in a prime tourist area, judging from the number of B&B's. I think Tim Toad's problem is that in other areas like yours there are OBVIOUS manipulations going on. One or two B&B's having 20-30 reviews every month when the other 28 places have the usual 2-3? Yeah, that's not great service, that's manipulation. Now, if a place has 20 rooms, they might get that number, but the smaller places just won't get that response. Then again, maybe I'm totally wrong and we don't get reviews because we have a lot of older couples whose mothers all told them, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.'

Even in season, if we get 3-4 reviews each month it's a lot. And that's around 100 different couples each month.
.

Yes, prime tourist area with a lot of competition...so you know the reviews are important (as the business owner)...but the people just don't want to take the time to write them. I have issues with all the review sites that don't require any kind of documentation that you actually even STAYED there. And we get tons of people (usually older) who haven't a clue what TA is, they found us thru word of mouth...these are some of my favorite kinds of guests.
There is definitely manipulation going on here as well, especially with places that have a lot of Staff members...built in reviews and you can tell when they all use the exact same wording. But the good bit is that it seems to be folks tooting their own horns versus writing negative things about others...thank goodness.

 

[JBloggs]

Let's not forget the places with 150 bed and breakfast.com 5 star reviews in a month who win the Best of B&B awards. I asked how one innkeeper did that and she told me off. Manipulation? Nawwwwwwwwwww

 

[Morticia]

Let's not forget the places with 150 bed and breakfast.com 5 star reviews in a month who win the Best of B&B awards. I asked how one innkeeper did that and she told me off. Manipulation? Nawwwwwwwwwww

.

Let's not forget the places with 150 bed and breakfast.com 5 star reviews in a month who win the Best of B&B awards. I asked how one innkeeper did that and she told me off. Manipulation? Nawwwwwwwwwww

Oh yeah, 3-4 rooms and 150 reviews in one month. Hmmm. You do the math.

 

[wendydk]

I find guests pretty willing to post reviews, but I send them a post-checkout email thanking them for their business, and asking them for their review. I even provide links to my review centers on three different sites. I like the b&b.com review center because guests don't have to "register" like they do on TA.

 

[Proud Texan]

We love the program and BedandBreakfast.com We have pulled in numerous reservations directly from there and the review program has worked great for us. The fact that those reviews now show up on Google ain't too shabby either. Our association has certainly boosted our ranking in Google.
What I have done to encourage reviews is to send an email message to the guest as soon as they have left to thank them for their visit and yada, yada yada. I then encourage them to leave a review to help their fellow travelers in making travel decisions with a link to B&B.com It seems to work great and so far we've only received positive reviews. I have since learned, from some recent bookings, that those reviews led directly to them making a reservation with us. I also utilize the "widget" to place the reviews right on my web page.
I've had much better results from this program than I ever did with TripAdvisor.
As for rate increases....the program pays for itself with increased bookings.

 

[egoodell]

Your 60 reviews speak volumes. Good job on that! They don't come easy, we have to be fastidious to get great reviews. We all fight the 'stinking badges' and have to do what is best to market our inns. We have some of the directory folks on this forum and we appreciate the time they spend with us. Reviews were a big discussion a while back. We have to give the people what they want..

Reviews are always a big discussion!
.

"Reviews are always a big discussion!"
Yes they are, but rarely do I see the ethics (or lack there of) behind prodding, begging, reminding, pleading, etc. for them ever discussed. Nor is the lowering of their veracity and integrity of them if they are begged for by us innkeepers discussed.
I'm not naive and know that we fully benefit from all the great reviews we get on the various venues, but I've seen the whole review process and zeal to accumulate them morph into a distraction from us simply doing a great job and building our businesses from the ground up for the long haul.
The potential for abuse is very apparent and probably most of us have at least one competitior manipulating the system to their own ends while diminishing the overall objectivity and honesty that should be inherent to any consumer driven review process.
Eventually, the increasingly cynical and more and more skeptical consumer will see these recent developments as the thinly veiled, crass marketing attempts they really are.
Let's not forget that for every review card sent in, a mass mailing list is growing and is being used to broaden brand recognition of the host, not each individual B&B who received the review.
Frankly, I won't patronize local businesses that appear to be gilding the lily on reviews on TA, I won't refer guests I can't accommodate myself to competitors (can't call them colleagues anymore) who do so, and won't recommend restaurants, attractions to my own guests that do so.
I've tried to put myself in the shoes of a consumer who has only recently discovered these various travel resources. I honestly try to tell myself that the places with hundreds of reviews spaced just days or weeks apart are that much better than the places who seem to get them in what appears to be a more natural, unforced frequency.
It make work for a few, but somehow I suspect most will see right through it.
.

I'm one of the lucky ones. No mass manipulation in my town. Judging from the lack of reviews overall, no manipulation at all. Yeah, we look to see what someone said about the other guys, but, hey, the way I look at it is this...they only have x rooms, once they're full (or I'm full) the referrals flow outward to the rest. It would be nice if guests did reviews of my place on the directories, but they don't. They didn't take the postcards, they haven't taken the biz size cards from iloveinns, they just don't care. I'd love a review that says I make the best (fill in a breakfast item here) but it'll never happen. We just don't wow the guests enough to encourage them to write. They like us, they tell us, they come back, that's it.
Now, I am not in a location with 30 other B&B/inns. Maybe if I was I wouldn't be so lacksadaisical about it. Yeah, I get wound up at times, but I cannot change what my guests do. If my competition gets guests to write reviews, oh well.
As an example, this year alone I have had a LOT of guests say they found us on bedandbreakfast.com. Something like 20 so far this year. I got one review on there this year. TA? I think I may have gotten 2 reviews this year. They just don't care. One review a month is about my speed.
And guess what? Some of the places with the worst reviews have the best occupancy. Guests coming here just don't read reviews. Or, if they do, this is what I hear, 'We thought your reviews sounded more real because you don't have 5 stars.' Whatever works.
The best one was a guest who stayed with me but wrote the review about somewhere else. Glad he loved his stay, too bad he didn't remember the name of the place. (He signed the review, that's how I know.)
.

That's interesting...we ARE in an area with 30+ b&b's and people just don't write that many reviews relative to the number of people who stay and seemingly have a great time.
I personally would never ask for a review or hand someone a card...from either side of the transaction is just feels tacky to me. As a business owner I totally get that people want to READ reviews...they just don't want to write 'em. The biggest irony is that the people who say they found us on Trip Advisor NEVER leave a review...even though they'll write a great note in the guest journal, send us a follow-up email to thank us for the stay, etc.
.

That's interesting...we ARE in an area with 30+ b&b's and people just don't write that many reviews relative to the number of people who stay and seemingly have a great time.

OK, so you are in a prime tourist area, judging from the number of B&B's. I think Tim Toad's problem is that in other areas like yours there are OBVIOUS manipulations going on. One or two B&B's having 20-30 reviews every month when the other 28 places have the usual 2-3? Yeah, that's not great service, that's manipulation. Now, if a place has 20 rooms, they might get that number, but the smaller places just won't get that response. Then again, maybe I'm totally wrong and we don't get reviews because we have a lot of older couples whose mothers all told them, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.'

Even in season, if we get 3-4 reviews each month it's a lot. And that's around 100 different couples each month.
.

[OK, so you are in a prime tourist area, judging from the number of B&B's. I think Tim Toad's problem is that in other areas like yours there are OBVIOUS manipulations going on. One or two B&B's having 20-30 reviews every month when the other 28 places have the usual 2-3? Yeah, that's not great service, that's manipulation. Now, if a place has 20 rooms, they might get that number, but the smaller places just won't get that response. Then again, maybe I'm totally wrong and we don't get reviews because we have a lot of older couples whose mothers all told them, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.'
Even in season, if we get 3-4 reviews each month it's a lot. And that's around 100 different couples each month.

We don't even get 3-4 a month. Of course we only have 2 rooms vs the others with 5 rooms. But I am just not comfortable begging for them. I'm forcing myself to add the link on thank you emails now. But I still dislike it. It' s like asking people to write my marketing for me.
Riki

 

[Proud Texan]

Your 60 reviews speak volumes. Good job on that! They don't come easy, we have to be fastidious to get great reviews. We all fight the 'stinking badges' and have to do what is best to market our inns. We have some of the directory folks on this forum and we appreciate the time they spend with us. Reviews were a big discussion a while back. We have to give the people what they want..

Reviews are always a big discussion!
.

"Reviews are always a big discussion!"
Yes they are, but rarely do I see the ethics (or lack there of) behind prodding, begging, reminding, pleading, etc. for them ever discussed. Nor is the lowering of their veracity and integrity of them if they are begged for by us innkeepers discussed.
I'm not naive and know that we fully benefit from all the great reviews we get on the various venues, but I've seen the whole review process and zeal to accumulate them morph into a distraction from us simply doing a great job and building our businesses from the ground up for the long haul.
The potential for abuse is very apparent and probably most of us have at least one competitior manipulating the system to their own ends while diminishing the overall objectivity and honesty that should be inherent to any consumer driven review process.
Eventually, the increasingly cynical and more and more skeptical consumer will see these recent developments as the thinly veiled, crass marketing attempts they really are.
Let's not forget that for every review card sent in, a mass mailing list is growing and is being used to broaden brand recognition of the host, not each individual B&B who received the review.
Frankly, I won't patronize local businesses that appear to be gilding the lily on reviews on TA, I won't refer guests I can't accommodate myself to competitors (can't call them colleagues anymore) who do so, and won't recommend restaurants, attractions to my own guests that do so.
I've tried to put myself in the shoes of a consumer who has only recently discovered these various travel resources. I honestly try to tell myself that the places with hundreds of reviews spaced just days or weeks apart are that much better than the places who seem to get them in what appears to be a more natural, unforced frequency.
It make work for a few, but somehow I suspect most will see right through it.
.

I'm one of the lucky ones. No mass manipulation in my town. Judging from the lack of reviews overall, no manipulation at all. Yeah, we look to see what someone said about the other guys, but, hey, the way I look at it is this...they only have x rooms, once they're full (or I'm full) the referrals flow outward to the rest. It would be nice if guests did reviews of my place on the directories, but they don't. They didn't take the postcards, they haven't taken the biz size cards from iloveinns, they just don't care. I'd love a review that says I make the best (fill in a breakfast item here) but it'll never happen. We just don't wow the guests enough to encourage them to write. They like us, they tell us, they come back, that's it.
Now, I am not in a location with 30 other B&B/inns. Maybe if I was I wouldn't be so lacksadaisical about it. Yeah, I get wound up at times, but I cannot change what my guests do. If my competition gets guests to write reviews, oh well.
As an example, this year alone I have had a LOT of guests say they found us on bedandbreakfast.com. Something like 20 so far this year. I got one review on there this year. TA? I think I may have gotten 2 reviews this year. They just don't care. One review a month is about my speed.
And guess what? Some of the places with the worst reviews have the best occupancy. Guests coming here just don't read reviews. Or, if they do, this is what I hear, 'We thought your reviews sounded more real because you don't have 5 stars.' Whatever works.
The best one was a guest who stayed with me but wrote the review about somewhere else. Glad he loved his stay, too bad he didn't remember the name of the place. (He signed the review, that's how I know.)
.

That's interesting...we ARE in an area with 30+ b&b's and people just don't write that many reviews relative to the number of people who stay and seemingly have a great time.
I personally would never ask for a review or hand someone a card...from either side of the transaction is just feels tacky to me. As a business owner I totally get that people want to READ reviews...they just don't want to write 'em. The biggest irony is that the people who say they found us on Trip Advisor NEVER leave a review...even though they'll write a great note in the guest journal, send us a follow-up email to thank us for the stay, etc.
.

That's interesting...we ARE in an area with 30+ b&b's and people just don't write that many reviews relative to the number of people who stay and seemingly have a great time.

OK, so you are in a prime tourist area, judging from the number of B&B's. I think Tim Toad's problem is that in other areas like yours there are OBVIOUS manipulations going on. One or two B&B's having 20-30 reviews every month when the other 28 places have the usual 2-3? Yeah, that's not great service, that's manipulation. Now, if a place has 20 rooms, they might get that number, but the smaller places just won't get that response. Then again, maybe I'm totally wrong and we don't get reviews because we have a lot of older couples whose mothers all told them, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.'

Even in season, if we get 3-4 reviews each month it's a lot. And that's around 100 different couples each month.
.

[OK, so you are in a prime tourist area, judging from the number of B&B's. I think Tim Toad's problem is that in other areas like yours there are OBVIOUS manipulations going on. One or two B&B's having 20-30 reviews every month when the other 28 places have the usual 2-3? Yeah, that's not great service, that's manipulation. Now, if a place has 20 rooms, they might get that number, but the smaller places just won't get that response. Then again, maybe I'm totally wrong and we don't get reviews because we have a lot of older couples whose mothers all told them, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.'
Even in season, if we get 3-4 reviews each month it's a lot. And that's around 100 different couples each month.

We don't even get 3-4 a month. Of course we only have 2 rooms vs the others with 5 rooms. But I am just not comfortable begging for them. I'm forcing myself to add the link on thank you emails now. But I still dislike it. It' s like asking people to write my marketing for me.
Riki
.

[OK, so you are in a prime tourist area, judging from the number of B&B's. I think Tim Toad's problem is that in other areas like yours there are OBVIOUS manipulations going on. One or two B&B's having 20-30 reviews every month when the other 28 places have the usual 2-3? Yeah, that's not great service, that's manipulation. Now, if a place has 20 rooms, they might get that number, but the smaller places just won't get that response. Then again, maybe I'm totally wrong and we don't get reviews because we have a lot of older couples whose mothers all told them, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.'
Even in season, if we get 3-4 reviews each month it's a lot. And that's around 100 different couples each month.

We don't even get 3-4 a month. Of course we only have 2 rooms vs the others with 5 rooms. But I am just not comfortable begging for them. I'm forcing myself to add the link on thank you emails now. But I still dislike it. It' s like asking people to write my marketing for me.
Riki

Earth to Riki. Isn't that exactly what a review is?

 

[egoodell]

Your 60 reviews speak volumes. Good job on that! They don't come easy, we have to be fastidious to get great reviews. We all fight the 'stinking badges' and have to do what is best to market our inns. We have some of the directory folks on this forum and we appreciate the time they spend with us. Reviews were a big discussion a while back. We have to give the people what they want..

Reviews are always a big discussion!
.

"Reviews are always a big discussion!"
Yes they are, but rarely do I see the ethics (or lack there of) behind prodding, begging, reminding, pleading, etc. for them ever discussed. Nor is the lowering of their veracity and integrity of them if they are begged for by us innkeepers discussed.
I'm not naive and know that we fully benefit from all the great reviews we get on the various venues, but I've seen the whole review process and zeal to accumulate them morph into a distraction from us simply doing a great job and building our businesses from the ground up for the long haul.
The potential for abuse is very apparent and probably most of us have at least one competitior manipulating the system to their own ends while diminishing the overall objectivity and honesty that should be inherent to any consumer driven review process.
Eventually, the increasingly cynical and more and more skeptical consumer will see these recent developments as the thinly veiled, crass marketing attempts they really are.
Let's not forget that for every review card sent in, a mass mailing list is growing and is being used to broaden brand recognition of the host, not each individual B&B who received the review.
Frankly, I won't patronize local businesses that appear to be gilding the lily on reviews on TA, I won't refer guests I can't accommodate myself to competitors (can't call them colleagues anymore) who do so, and won't recommend restaurants, attractions to my own guests that do so.
I've tried to put myself in the shoes of a consumer who has only recently discovered these various travel resources. I honestly try to tell myself that the places with hundreds of reviews spaced just days or weeks apart are that much better than the places who seem to get them in what appears to be a more natural, unforced frequency.
It make work for a few, but somehow I suspect most will see right through it.
.

I'm one of the lucky ones. No mass manipulation in my town. Judging from the lack of reviews overall, no manipulation at all. Yeah, we look to see what someone said about the other guys, but, hey, the way I look at it is this...they only have x rooms, once they're full (or I'm full) the referrals flow outward to the rest. It would be nice if guests did reviews of my place on the directories, but they don't. They didn't take the postcards, they haven't taken the biz size cards from iloveinns, they just don't care. I'd love a review that says I make the best (fill in a breakfast item here) but it'll never happen. We just don't wow the guests enough to encourage them to write. They like us, they tell us, they come back, that's it.
Now, I am not in a location with 30 other B&B/inns. Maybe if I was I wouldn't be so lacksadaisical about it. Yeah, I get wound up at times, but I cannot change what my guests do. If my competition gets guests to write reviews, oh well.
As an example, this year alone I have had a LOT of guests say they found us on bedandbreakfast.com. Something like 20 so far this year. I got one review on there this year. TA? I think I may have gotten 2 reviews this year. They just don't care. One review a month is about my speed.
And guess what? Some of the places with the worst reviews have the best occupancy. Guests coming here just don't read reviews. Or, if they do, this is what I hear, 'We thought your reviews sounded more real because you don't have 5 stars.' Whatever works.
The best one was a guest who stayed with me but wrote the review about somewhere else. Glad he loved his stay, too bad he didn't remember the name of the place. (He signed the review, that's how I know.)
.

That's interesting...we ARE in an area with 30+ b&b's and people just don't write that many reviews relative to the number of people who stay and seemingly have a great time.
I personally would never ask for a review or hand someone a card...from either side of the transaction is just feels tacky to me. As a business owner I totally get that people want to READ reviews...they just don't want to write 'em. The biggest irony is that the people who say they found us on Trip Advisor NEVER leave a review...even though they'll write a great note in the guest journal, send us a follow-up email to thank us for the stay, etc.
.

That's interesting...we ARE in an area with 30+ b&b's and people just don't write that many reviews relative to the number of people who stay and seemingly have a great time.

OK, so you are in a prime tourist area, judging from the number of B&B's. I think Tim Toad's problem is that in other areas like yours there are OBVIOUS manipulations going on. One or two B&B's having 20-30 reviews every month when the other 28 places have the usual 2-3? Yeah, that's not great service, that's manipulation. Now, if a place has 20 rooms, they might get that number, but the smaller places just won't get that response. Then again, maybe I'm totally wrong and we don't get reviews because we have a lot of older couples whose mothers all told them, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.'

Even in season, if we get 3-4 reviews each month it's a lot. And that's around 100 different couples each month.
.

[OK, so you are in a prime tourist area, judging from the number of B&B's. I think Tim Toad's problem is that in other areas like yours there are OBVIOUS manipulations going on. One or two B&B's having 20-30 reviews every month when the other 28 places have the usual 2-3? Yeah, that's not great service, that's manipulation. Now, if a place has 20 rooms, they might get that number, but the smaller places just won't get that response. Then again, maybe I'm totally wrong and we don't get reviews because we have a lot of older couples whose mothers all told them, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.'
Even in season, if we get 3-4 reviews each month it's a lot. And that's around 100 different couples each month.

We don't even get 3-4 a month. Of course we only have 2 rooms vs the others with 5 rooms. But I am just not comfortable begging for them. I'm forcing myself to add the link on thank you emails now. But I still dislike it. It' s like asking people to write my marketing for me.
Riki
.

[OK, so you are in a prime tourist area, judging from the number of B&B's. I think Tim Toad's problem is that in other areas like yours there are OBVIOUS manipulations going on. One or two B&B's having 20-30 reviews every month when the other 28 places have the usual 2-3? Yeah, that's not great service, that's manipulation. Now, if a place has 20 rooms, they might get that number, but the smaller places just won't get that response. Then again, maybe I'm totally wrong and we don't get reviews because we have a lot of older couples whose mothers all told them, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.'
Even in season, if we get 3-4 reviews each month it's a lot. And that's around 100 different couples each month.

We don't even get 3-4 a month. Of course we only have 2 rooms vs the others with 5 rooms. But I am just not comfortable begging for them. I'm forcing myself to add the link on thank you emails now. But I still dislike it. It' s like asking people to write my marketing for me.
Riki

Earth to Riki. Isn't that exactly what a review is?
.

Earth to Riki. Isn't that exactly what a review is?

Riki back: yes. and I don't like asking my guests to do my marketing work for me.