Reviews hold too much useful information to simply ignore and responding to reviews can be an uneasy experience, but focusing on the 3 p’s will allow you to have confidence in responding to positive and negative reviews. Remembering the review is completely a reviewer’s opinion and not personal. Focus on the ability to filter the junk comments from the good ones in order to improve your community presence.
The 3 P’s of review responses: Be Prompt. Be Personal. Be Professional.
1. Prompt
Responding to reviews within two hours if a negative review and a response within 24 hours if a positive review. This ensures the experience is fresh in the reviewer’s mind and provides a new touch point which may generate referrals or repeat visits. Being prompt also shows the renter that the community has outstanding customer service and cares about the communities reputation.
2. Personal
Mention the reviewer by name, and/or reference something from the review. Address the reviewer’s specific questions and/or concerns. When each question and/or concern is addressed the reviewer and future renter feels the community is not hiding anything, but willing to tackle the questions directly.
3. Professional
Avoid petty references, personal attacks and rants. Stick to answering the questions or concerns of the review. Convey empathy, and share how the community can be helpful in resolving their concerns. Engage in the positive reviews and show excitement in the positive aspects of the review.
According to SatisFacts’ 2019 Today’s Online Renter Study, when an apartment community staff member responds to an online review by a resident, renters feel:
- Communities have great customer service
- The community really cares about their residents
- Renters trust the property management company.
Understanding customer service is so important to a renter and responding in 24 hours is a must, regardless of whether the review is positive or negative. Short on time throughout your day, our Review Responder service guarantees custom responses in just 24 business hours! Make your customer service number one!
