Responding to Online Reviews: The Positive Sandwich Method

[JBloggs]

Responding to Online Reviews: The Positive Sandwich Method - Revinate
This goes against the grain of responding to every insult, and trying to show how wrong they were on TA (which here we say "letting everyone else know how wrong they were and they were just bad guests". But for some of the reviews we have that are mostly positive and have one or two small negatives in them, but still gives us a high ranking...
But have a read and see what pops out at you.
1. Thank the guest
Address the guest by name and thank him or her for taking the time to write a review.
2. Highlight the positive comments
Express delight that the guest had a good experience with some aspects of his or her stay. This personalizes the message, and reminds the reader that the guest said good things about the hotel.
read the rest here

 

[Arks]

Yes, it's very common for an overall positive review to contain one or two things that are negatives, and we innkeepers tend to focus on those negatives and ignore the positives. We expect the positives. The negatives burn us up.
Good points to a) state that you plan to fix things that need fixing and b) invite them back so readers know you don't punish reviewers who aren't 100% positive.
Even though we sure WANT to punish them!!

 

[TheBeachHouse]

good to read this morning as I got a 5 star review calling my house a 'home away from home.' Pretty much the exact mood we are going for. But then she complained that the curtains let light in.
Glad I read this before I responded. It's light, for goodness sake. It's morning! Get up! Enjoy !!!

 

[Morticia]

good to read this morning as I got a 5 star review calling my house a 'home away from home.' Pretty much the exact mood we are going for. But then she complained that the curtains let light in.
Glad I read this before I responded. It's light, for goodness sake. It's morning! Get up! Enjoy !!!.

good to read this morning as I got a 5 star review calling my house a 'home away from home.' Pretty much the exact mood we are going for. But then she complained that the curtains let light in.
Glad I read this before I responded. It's light, for goodness sake. It's morning! Get up! Enjoy !!!

We get that one quite a lot (not online but in person). Then we go to clean the rooms and see they had the blinds closed so they let the light in. It doesn't help that the sun is UP at 4 AM, either.
I've been trying to follow this way of responding. It does help. Helps me see the good and also, never repeat the guest's bad comments because that's what gets picked up when the algorithm searches for commonly used phrases. Whenever we get that 'shared bath' comment I always reply with 'private bath'.

 

[undersea]

I think a good use of time, would be for us to review the negative comments about B&Bs on places like TA or yel p.
You will see recurring issues that bother people. Then go through your place, and address such things. For example, light blocking curtains should probably be available on all windows in bedrooms; they then have the option to open the curtains for light.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

I think a good use of time, would be for us to review the negative comments about B&Bs on places like TA or yel p.
You will see recurring issues that bother people. Then go through your place, and address such things. For example, light blocking curtains should probably be available on all windows in bedrooms; they then have the option to open the curtains for light..

I have read all the negative reviews of all the inns in town. Believe me, I'm careful to never bang on the guests' doors in a drunken rage. (yes, that was in a review.)

 

[Joey Camb]

I liked the fact the blogger responded with some good example ie breakfast at 3pm or early check in
I would personally have put something like "For future guests if you require an early check in it is necessary to make us aware of this at the latest the night before so we can make sure your room is cleaned and ready for you when you arrive, if you do not let us know we cannot make sure your room is cleaned first and so there may be a delay."

 

[happykeeper]

One of the best hospitality strategies we use is to move right past the challenges and continually bring guests to the positives. Over and over, we have reminded our room managers that we do not apologize to guests. We correct and move on with positives until the negative is a long lost thread in the memory banks.