How to Maintain ***** on Airbnb. Read Till the End for a Bonus Tip!

Getting reviews on Amazon is hard. Thankfully, Airbnb is a totally different animal when it comes to getting reviews. Whereas the average review rate on Amazon is about 1-3%, Airbnb is about 80%. 

The reason is simple, staying in someone's home for a few days is more of an intimate experience than buying a $10 toothbrush. 

The trick is how to maintain high ratings on Airbnb. 

Of course, you want to provide 5-star service, however, you are inevitably likely to slip up every now and then. Here are some tips to get the good reviews coming while keeping out the bad ones.

1.

This one is obvious. Should the guest reach out during their stay and report an issue, make sure you act on it right away. This will likely contribute to earning 5 stars as they will hold you in high regard for taking care of their concern asap. For example, as of this writing, my guest reported that the water in the hot tub looks cloudy. I called my pool care guy who said he'll be right over. This will result in an extra service charge from my pool guy, but I know that this will eventually score me a 5-star review. 

2.

Make sure you really all along during their stay that you expect a 5-star review and you want them to report any issues they might have so that you can earn it.

Here is a message I send my guests the first morning of their stay:

"Hi (first name),

I hope that you have settled in alright and that you are enjoying your stay.

Please let me know if there is anything you need or if I can assist you in any way! I hope we can earn your 5-star review!

All the best and enjoy your stay!

Jacob

Tip#3 

This is unavoidable but you will chance upon a guest (they are thankfully far and few between) who will spend their vacation trying to aggravate you. It's almost as if they want your company during their stay. 

(Your first reaction is to feel bad for their spouse. They don't have it easy. They most likely are embarrassed by their partners' behavior. Go ahead and feel bad for them as well. Generally, people act towards others as they act towards themselves. They are probably impatient, unforgiving and unkind with themselves). 

Acknowledge their issues. Apologize that they are having such an uncomfortable stay. Try to magnify their discomfort more than they are communicating so that they feel heard. 

Caser in point, I once had a guest who did not stop complaining. I commiserated and mentioned, "you must have had a really bad vacation, I'm so sorry". she replied, Oh it wasn't really so bad, it's just that...."

Whatever.

You do not want these people leaving reviews, no matter what. Even if you make it up to them in the form of compensation, generally speaking, you are safer if they don't leave a review than if they do. 

Proceed to offer them an attractive discount for a future stay. 

After they leave, they will think twice about leaving you a review as they don't want to put their discount in jeopardy. No one likes hurting their hosts' rating and then come groveling back to take advantage of a promised discount.

Make sure that you do not leave a review either. This will encourage them to respond with one and heaven knows what they will write. Pain and frustration will come pouring out. They might even employ their therapist to write a review. 

If you cannot avoid responding with a review, then wait for the last minute when the 14-day review window closes and post it at the last minute. Hospitable.com has a delayed review feature that will post a review 20 seconds before the review window closes. You can write a review draft, click the ratings, and even put a thumbs down indicating to Airbnb that you would prefer not to host these guests again. Hospitable will automatically post it 20 seconds before the review window expires. 

Bonus Tip!

This one I got from Daniel Rusteens' book "Optimize Your Airbnb".

It's as simple as its genius.

Create the WIFI password to be:

Drum Roll 

pleaseleavea5*review

How's that for a tip?

Please comment below with any more insight on how to maintain 5* ratings on Airbnb.