How to Generate Stellar Reviews on Short Term Rentals
Today, individual companies like Airbnb.com and crowd-sourced review websites like Yelp.com make it easy to gauge the desirability of a short-term rental. One poor review can compromise your whole short-term rental operation, making it near impossible to generate a return on investing in Kona property for sale. Likewise, even just a few positive reviews can go a long way in attracting short-term renters.
The online global market for short-term rentals has become incredibly competitive in recent years. Competition is even greater in tourist destinations like Kona. Thus, ensuring that you receive positive reviews is absolutely crucial for marketing your rental to vacationers. Below we discuss the tactical steps you can take to ensure that you get good reviews from renters.
Be Prepared
As an investor in Kona property for sale, you don’t want to spend all of your time catering to vacationers’ unmet needs and desires. Likewise, your renters don’t want to have to hunt you down just to ensure that their basic needs are met. Both the investor’s and renter’s objective is to minimize contact so the renter can enjoy their stay.
In order to minimize contact, you must be prepared. Equip your property as if you were readying it for your most high-maintenance guest. Always ensure that basic supplies, like toiletries, towels, cooking supplies, and bedding are available and easy to find. Try to anticipate the personal needs of your guest—for example, batteries for a personal electronic device, menus for local restaurants, or directions to popular tourist attractions or convenience stores. You might even want to provide a number for a local locksmith, as renters far too often lock their keys inside of their rental vehicles.
It’s also important to anticipate potential emergencies, such as inclement weather or power outages. If your property is in a Tsunami evacuation area, alert your guests to proper tsunami protocol. Keep candles, matches, and flashlights on hand for potential power outages. Makes your guests feel comfortable knowing that they have everything on hand that they could need in the event of an emergency.
Get, and Stay, in Contact
Short-term renters regularly contact multiple landlords at once. The properties they are looking to rent are typically similar in price, size, and quality, so responsiveness can play a huge role in differentiating your rental from the others. Simply replying to an email can determine how lucrative your investment in Kona property for sale will be.
It’s crucial that you respond to inquiries as soon as possible. Doing so not only provides instant gratification to your potential renter; it also demonstrates your commitment to running your business effectively and responding to the desires of your renters. If you respond quickly, potential renters will trust that you will also be responsive if they have any special needs during their stay.
Be sure to make yourself as accessible as possible to renters. Give them a phone number where you can be reached at all times and encourage them to call if they have any concerns. Check in within the first 24 hours of their stay to make sure their needs are being met. Be clear in communicating check-in and check out procedures. Lent renters know that you would be happy to recommend dining venues and attractions based on their desires. Being communicative and available helps you provide for your renter, encouraging them to leave a positive review.
Clean, Clean, and Clean Again
Cleanliness can have a huge impact on the value of a short-term rental. Even a spacious property with modern appliances will receive poor reviews if there is dirt or dust in its nooks and crannies. Even worse, mold and dust could trigger allergic reactions for sensitive guests. Investors in Kona property for sale must be wary of mold during the wet season, as it develops rapidly and is particularly insidious for tiled floors or counters and infrequently used cooking supplies. No one wants to eat off of a moldy plate.
It is crucial that you investigate local cleaning services to determine if some are more effective than others. Encourage your cleaning team to focus heavily on kitchen and bathroom areas. Make sure to have your property cleaned before and after every guest stay. If you have guests staying 5 days or more, you may even want to schedule a cleaning during their stay.
If you are purchasing Kona property for sale with intent to put it on Airbnb.com or another online rental service, consider repairing or remodeling. Old floors, countertops, sinks, and toilets often appear dirty even when they’re clean. Investing in a cleaning service will do you no good if your property chronically looks dirty.
Provide Free Extras
Providing free extras, like snacks, hair driers, and toiletries, adds a lot of value with minimal cost and effort. One-time investments like water heaters, Keurigs, hair driers, and irons promise a considerable return on investment, as they allow you to list your rental at a higher price. They will also save your guests on purchases and trips to the store, which will in turn inspire them to leave a positive review.
Providing guests with free extras demonstrates a desire to go above and beyond in order to make guests comfortable. The surprise of walking in to see a nice arrangement of snacks, coffee, and even fresh flowers will create a positive impression from the beginning of your guests’ stay. These small aesthetic impressions can increase returns on your investment in Kona property for sale.
Note: When providing snacks and beverages, be sure to anticipate your guests’ needs. Be wary of providing snacks containing common allergens like peanuts. If you really want to outdo your competition, inquire as to whether your guests have any dietary preferences or special requests before they arrive.
Fix Instead of Apologizing
Oftentimes, landlords of short-term rentals offer an apology and a refund for broken amenities or guest complaints. Of course, the first line of defense against these situations is to follow the aforementioned steps and completely prepare your property. However, in the event that your guest issues a complaint, an apology and a refund are unlikely to be enough to generate a positive review.
Instead, do your best to fix the problem immediately. If guests break an appliance, replace it. If your guests run out of toilet paper or paper towels, replenish them as soon as possible. Broken TV or internet? Fix it, or find someone who can. Seeing that you are committed not just to your bottom line but to the comfort of your guests will encourage them to overlook the problem itself and rave about your accommodative attitude.
Encourage Reviews
Even if you follow all of the aforementioned protocol, not all guests will be inclined to post a review. Technically dis-inclined or busy guests might not think to leave a review, or they might just decide it’s not worth their time.
It’s a good idea to incentivize a review without appearing demanding. Instead of sending guests follow-up emails once they’ve returned to their daily lives, provide them with a small gift and a note on their last day, thanking them for staying with you and requesting a review.
Before sending a gift or note, email your guest with link(s) to your preferred forum of review. Then, when you give them your gift, you can let them know in the note that you have already sent them an email. That way, the review will be quick and effortless for them.
Finally, ask them in your note to provide you with any feedback or suggestions for improvement. In so doing, you demonstrate that you’re not just exhibiting generosity for the sake of improving your online ratings, but that you genuinely care about the experiences of your guests.