As a short-term rental property owner and manager, I know the importance of earning 5-star reviews. I monitor our property reviews daily and have learned that it’s essential to earn glowing reviews, but even more important to prevent a negative review. Maintaining a 5-star rating keeps properties rented consistently throughout the year, not just during the busy season, encourages repeat stays and expands my reach to new guests.
For example, I recently had a family from North Dakota staying at a beach property and they left a strong 5-star review. After returning home, they told their friends about their stay and the friends immediately booked one of the last open weeks in 2023. On top of that, the family who stayed at the property booked a return trip for next year, as well. This was the first time I had someone from North Dakota book a stay and I now have two additional bookings.
Attracting and retaining business is dependent on providing an excellent guest experience. Here are a few things to take into consideration to grow your short-term rental business and earn those 5-star reviews:
1. Provide excellent customer service: Respond immediately to guest inquiries and be available to answer any questions or concerns they may have throughout their stay. Products like LiveSwitch Contact allow hosts and property managers to respond to guests within minutes of their original inquiry. After entering a guest’s phone number into the LiveSwitch Contact dashboard, the guest is automatically sent a text with a link to join a video call. The property manager can review any issues or requests and take appropriate action live with the guest. Plus, if maintenance teams are needed at the property, LiveSwitch Contact can be used again to review the work and confirm it’s been completed to guest standards.
2. Go the extra mile: Take a small amount of time to learn about the guests and incorporate that personalization into your communications with them. Consider leaving welcome gifts, which can also be an opportunity to support other local businesses. Lastly, clearly explain the operations of the home including things like air conditioning, pool features, sound systems, lighting and more.
3. Ensure your properties are clean and well-maintained: Hire a professional cleaning service to clean your properties thoroughly before and after each guest stay. This has always been important but has become an area of extreme focus over the past couple of years. Again, products like LiveSwitch Contact allow property managers to personally confirm quality cleaning has been performed. Plus, the asynchronous recording feature means videos previously recorded can be uploaded and stored for record keeping. Regular maintenance should also be performed to ensure everything is in working order and matches property descriptions. Lastly, consider investing in high-quality bedding, towels and other amenities to enhance the guest experience.
4. Be transparent in your listings: Provide accurate and detailed descriptions of your properties, including photos and information about the surrounding area. For example, I always include clear maps of the beach and highlight where the private beach lounges are set out each day. Make sure guests know what to expect before they arrive so they are not disappointed or surprised.
5. Communicate clearly with guests: Provide clear instructions for check-in and check-out, and communicate any rules or expectations for the property. Respond promptly to any questions or concerns.
6. Ask for feedback and act on it: Encourage guests to share feedback with you in real time during their stay. This allows you to remedy any issues and makes it more likely that you will receive a positive review upon check-out. Actively ask guests to leave reviews about both the property and customer service they received. In my experience, getting to know the guests and communicating consistently throughout their stay makes them more likely to proactively leave a review.
By implementing these strategies, you can capitalize on the growing vacation rental market and the rise of “bleisure,” the combination of business and leisure travel provided by remote work flexibility. Create a positive guest experience and earn consistent 5-star reviews for your short-term rental properties as an owner and manager.