Your online reputation can make or break your property management business. In today’s digital world, online reviews are often the first impression potential clients and tenants have of your company.
Even one bad review can hinder your business. This becomes even more challenging when negative reviews stem from situations that are not entirely within your control, such as conflicts between tenants and owners or a vendor being late to an appointment.
But here’s the good news: you can take control of your responses to negative reviews and turn them into opportunities for improvement. Here’s how to do it effectively.
The Emotional Challenge of Negative Reviews
It’s natural to feel frustrated, upset, or defensive when you receive a negative review, especially when you feel like you’ve done your best to manage the situation. However, it’s critical to remember that reacting emotionally to reviews can do more harm than good. Responding professionally helps maintain your company’s reputation and proves to potential tenants and owners that you handle criticism with maturity and professionalism.
Before crafting your response, it’s important to separate your personal feelings from the situation and focus on the best course of action for your business.
Professional vs. Emotional Responses
When faced with a negative review, emotionally charged responses can quickly escalate the situation and hurt your credibility. Here’s how to ensure you keep your cool:
- Avoid personalizing the review: Remember, reviews are a reflection of a tenant’s experience, not a personal attack on your character or your company.
- Respond objectively: Stick to facts and avoid emotional language or defensiveness. Always approach the review with a mindset of finding a solution.
- Delegate the task: If you find yourself too emotionally involved, ask a colleague or a team member not connected to the situation to handle the response. This helps to maintain objectivity.
The Power of Private Communication
Whenever possible, first respond privately to negative reviews. Whether through a phone call or email, a private response shows the reviewer that you genuinely care about resolving the issue.
Why private responses work:
- It allows for a deeper conversation: You can truly address the issue without the pressure of public scrutiny.
- It prevents unnecessary escalation: Mentioning the review during a conversation can sometimes encourage the reviewer to double down or escalate the issue.
- It shows professionalism: A personal, direct response helps you demonstrate your commitment to improving tenant satisfaction.
Best Practices for Private Communication:
- Start with empathy: Let them know you understand their frustration and are committed to resolving the issue.
- Address the issue directly: Don’t mention the review or make it about the public opinion. Focus on solving the problem at hand.
- Keep it positive: Be polite, and offer a concrete solution. If applicable, schedule a follow-up to ensure the issue is fully resolved.
By resolving the problem privately, many tenants may choose to amend their reviews or leave new, positive feedback later on without the need for public confrontation.
If they don’t update their review, we do recommend responding publicly to show any readers that you’ve reached out. Depending on the issue and how the private conversation went, you might respond with something like this:
“Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad we had the opportunity to resolve the issue you raised and appreciate your patience throughout the process. While we understand your initial concerns, we want to reassure you that we are always here to support our tenants and ensure a positive living experience. If you ever need anything in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We appreciate having you as a tenant!”
How to Handle Public Responses
Sometimes, private communication doesn’t work, or you don’t have their contact information, and a public response becomes necessary. Public responses can be an excellent opportunity to showcase your professionalism and willingness to resolve issues. But there are risks: public arguments can escalate quickly, damaging your reputation further.
Here’s how to respond publicly:
- Keep it short and professional: Acknowledge the feedback, apologize for their experience, and offer a way to resolve the issue. Keep the tone neutral and avoid going into details about the complaint.
- Don’t engage in public arguments: If the review turns into a back-and-forth debate, don’t escalate the situation. Simply offer an invitation to continue the discussion offline.
- Use a template for consistency: A simple, professional response could be:
“We’re sorry to hear about your experience. My name is [Your Name], and I’m the [Your Role]. Please contact me directly at [Phone Number] so we can work together to resolve this matter. We appreciate your feedback and value the opportunity to improve our services.”
This approach shows potential tenants that you care about tenant concerns while avoiding unnecessary back-and-forth debates that could damage your reputation.
The Risks of Engaging in Public Arguments
Engaging in public arguments with tenants over reviews is not only unprofessional, but it also creates a spectacle that everyone can see. It’s the same as holding a shouting match outside your office in front of a crowd.
Avoid the following when responding publicly:
- Long, detailed arguments: Don’t dive into specifics in your public response. This opens the door for continuous public disagreements.
- Being defensive: This may make you appear unprofessional and unwilling to listen.
- Escalating the situation: If things start to get heated, it’s time to step away and invite the conversation offline.
Always remember that the goal is to move the conversation away from public view as quickly as possible.
Turning Negative Reviews into Opportunities
It’s essential to see negative reviews as opportunities for growth. When handled correctly, a complaint can turn into a testimonial for how well you handle tenant concerns.
Here’s how to turn a negative review into a positive:
- Resolve the issue swiftly: Address the concern behind the review directly, and ensure the tenant is satisfied with the resolution.
- Follow up with the tenant: After the issue is resolved, kindly ask the tenant to update their review, or leave a new positive one.
- Request reviews from happy tenants: For every negative review you receive, aim to get multiple positive ones to balance the overall feedback.
When tenants see that their concerns are addressed professionally and quickly, they’re more likely to become loyal, long-term renters, and positive reviewers.
Reputation Management Tools for Streamlining Responses
Using reputation management software can simplify the review response process. These tools help you automate and track reviews, making it easier to manage your online presence effectively.
Key benefits of reputation management tools:
- Automated review requests: Send follow-up requests to tenants to leave reviews automatically after key interactions.
- Negative review filters: These tools can flag negative reviews so you can address them before they go public.
- Improved tracking: Monitor tenant feedback across various platforms, and respond quickly to maintain your reputation.
Final Thoughts
Responding to negative reviews isn’t just about damage control. It’s about showing potential tenants and owners that you care about their experience and are committed to improving. By handling negative reviews with professionalism and following up with the necessary changes, you can turn negative feedback into a tool for growth.
The most successful property management companies understand the value of managing their online reputation proactively. If you’re struggling to manage negative reviews or just need help with reputation management, contact Fourandhalf. We specialize in helping property managers like you improve their online reputation and grow their business.
