BedandBreakfast.com Review Program

[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?
.

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.
.

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.

Then your losing money by ignoring a valuable resource.

 

[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.
.

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.

Then your losing money by ignoring a valuable resource.
.

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

I'm not ignoring it. I'm using it carefully. I do send the link to those who appear they want to review, but I don't like to do it. But I'm not accosting all my guests to do so. So long as I have a reasonably recent review then I'm fine with it. With all of us only allowed 5 rooms in my county, there is no way that I will accummulate enough to be up there with those who have 350 reivews so I refuse to play the numbers game. I have something like 11 on TA and 13 on Yahoo Travel, and a couple on B&B so I'm okay with that.
RIki
Riki back: yes. and I don't like asking my guests to do my marketing work for me.

Then your losing money by ignoring a valuable resource.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

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.
.

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.

You shouldn't feel that way! Putting something in your email regarding a review serves as a reminder to people like me who leaves reviews, since I might have forgotten!

 

[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.
.

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.

You shouldn't feel that way! Putting something in your email regarding a review serves as a reminder to people like me who leaves reviews, since I might have forgotten!

.

You shouldn't feel that way! Putting something in your email regarding a review serves as a reminder to people like me who leaves reviews, since I might have forgotten!

Thank you for your input, GeorgiaGirl, I'll try and put it in my thank you notes. I just can't get over feeling like I'm asking for a tip. I just don't like it.
Riki

 

[Copperhead]

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.
.

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.

I am sure you are always hoping for your guests to spread the word - sharing their experience with their friends, family etc... well this is not much different, except it is in writing for all to see.

 

[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.
.

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.

I am sure you are always hoping for your guests to spread the word - sharing their experience with their friends, family etc... well this is not much different, except it is in writing for all to see.
.

I am sure you are always hoping for your guests to spread the word - sharing their experience with their friends, family etc... well this is not much different, except it is in writing for all to see.

Oh I'm always HOPING that they will write. And they often tell us they will review us. Some tell us they are in inline business and they understand how important the reviews are. But we all know, if they had a great time they often forget to do the review, and since they have to register, many don't.
We had a review come up recently, for example, from a couple who stayed wtih us on Valentine's Day! I'm amazed that they did it this far after! We were thrilled.
I just hate fishing for them, that's all. I don't like pushing people to review us.
Riki