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gillumhouse

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Had an e-mail this morning from bandb that they are doing the reward to us again for up to 10 reviews between Aug. 29 and Oct. 31. I think they are trying to out-review TA.
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com.
If they're finding you through the B&B directories, they'll probably take the time to read your reviews. But I agree, most people are looking at Trip Advisor and the reviews on Google business or Yahoo travel.
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com.
If they're finding you through the B&B directories, they'll probably take the time to read your reviews. But I agree, most people are looking at Trip Advisor and the reviews on Google business or Yahoo travel.
.
John here from BedandBreakfast.com. Reviews have become our most-trafficked pages. Are we as big as Trip Advisor? No. But it seems that all we hear are complaints from B&B's about TA. Until we as an industry work to create some competitors to TA, then they are all we have.
We are doing everything we can to have a review program that works for innkeepers, with innkeepers. Hopefully it will get enough critical mass that consumers will take notice. And we do feed every one of our reviews to Google the same way Trip Advisor does as well...
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com.
If they're finding you through the B&B directories, they'll probably take the time to read your reviews. But I agree, most people are looking at Trip Advisor and the reviews on Google business or Yahoo travel.
.
John here from BedandBreakfast.com. Reviews have become our most-trafficked pages. Are we as big as Trip Advisor? No. But it seems that all we hear are complaints from B&B's about TA. Until we as an industry work to create some competitors to TA, then they are all we have.
We are doing everything we can to have a review program that works for innkeepers, with innkeepers. Hopefully it will get enough critical mass that consumers will take notice. And we do feed every one of our reviews to Google the same way Trip Advisor does as well...
.
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com.
If they're finding you through the B&B directories, they'll probably take the time to read your reviews. But I agree, most people are looking at Trip Advisor and the reviews on Google business or Yahoo travel.
.
John here from BedandBreakfast.com. Reviews have become our most-trafficked pages. Are we as big as Trip Advisor? No. But it seems that all we hear are complaints from B&B's about TA. Until we as an industry work to create some competitors to TA, then they are all we have.
We are doing everything we can to have a review program that works for innkeepers, with innkeepers. Hopefully it will get enough critical mass that consumers will take notice. And we do feed every one of our reviews to Google the same way Trip Advisor does as well...
.
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
.
I haven't done a review in a while, but I never had a limit on characters when I have done them. I have seen some really long ones on there..so something must be different where you are posting.
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com.
If they're finding you through the B&B directories, they'll probably take the time to read your reviews. But I agree, most people are looking at Trip Advisor and the reviews on Google business or Yahoo travel.
.
John here from BedandBreakfast.com. Reviews have become our most-trafficked pages. Are we as big as Trip Advisor? No. But it seems that all we hear are complaints from B&B's about TA. Until we as an industry work to create some competitors to TA, then they are all we have.
We are doing everything we can to have a review program that works for innkeepers, with innkeepers. Hopefully it will get enough critical mass that consumers will take notice. And we do feed every one of our reviews to Google the same way Trip Advisor does as well...
.
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
.
I haven't done a review in a while, but I never had a limit on characters when I have done them. I have seen some really long ones on there..so something must be different where you are posting.
.
Well, I just go to bedandbreakfast.com, then click on "review a B&B", type in the name of the place I am looking for and then click on "write a review". I just wrote a review about 30 minutes ago and it was too long and I had to delete info that I really wanted posted. This has happened to me several times.
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com.
If they're finding you through the B&B directories, they'll probably take the time to read your reviews. But I agree, most people are looking at Trip Advisor and the reviews on Google business or Yahoo travel.
.
John here from BedandBreakfast.com. Reviews have become our most-trafficked pages. Are we as big as Trip Advisor? No. But it seems that all we hear are complaints from B&B's about TA. Until we as an industry work to create some competitors to TA, then they are all we have.
We are doing everything we can to have a review program that works for innkeepers, with innkeepers. Hopefully it will get enough critical mass that consumers will take notice. And we do feed every one of our reviews to Google the same way Trip Advisor does as well...
.
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
.
I haven't done a review in a while, but I never had a limit on characters when I have done them. I have seen some really long ones on there..so something must be different where you are posting.
.
Well, I just go to bedandbreakfast.com, then click on "review a B&B", type in the name of the place I am looking for and then click on "write a review". I just wrote a review about 30 minutes ago and it was too long and I had to delete info that I really wanted posted. This has happened to me several times.
.
I ws just looking at my friends reviews there and he has some very long ones. I have never posted one there, so don't know But I went in like I was going to post one and it gave no mention of how many characters. Maybe John can tell you something
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com.
If they're finding you through the B&B directories, they'll probably take the time to read your reviews. But I agree, most people are looking at Trip Advisor and the reviews on Google business or Yahoo travel.
.
John here from BedandBreakfast.com. Reviews have become our most-trafficked pages. Are we as big as Trip Advisor? No. But it seems that all we hear are complaints from B&B's about TA. Until we as an industry work to create some competitors to TA, then they are all we have.
We are doing everything we can to have a review program that works for innkeepers, with innkeepers. Hopefully it will get enough critical mass that consumers will take notice. And we do feed every one of our reviews to Google the same way Trip Advisor does as well...
.
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
GG- 2000 characters is more than 200 words! If you REALLY have to say that much, leave out the spaces after the commas and periods. That gives you a few more characters. I would edit the review if I were you. Most people won't read that much...
You can also leave out some modifiers like 'my' as in 'daughter & I enjoyed' instead of 'my daughter and I enjoyed'.
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com.
If they're finding you through the B&B directories, they'll probably take the time to read your reviews. But I agree, most people are looking at Trip Advisor and the reviews on Google business or Yahoo travel.
.
John here from BedandBreakfast.com. Reviews have become our most-trafficked pages. Are we as big as Trip Advisor? No. But it seems that all we hear are complaints from B&B's about TA. Until we as an industry work to create some competitors to TA, then they are all we have.
We are doing everything we can to have a review program that works for innkeepers, with innkeepers. Hopefully it will get enough critical mass that consumers will take notice. And we do feed every one of our reviews to Google the same way Trip Advisor does as well...
.
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
GG- 2000 characters is more than 200 words! If you REALLY have to say that much, leave out the spaces after the commas and periods. That gives you a few more characters. I would edit the review if I were you. Most people won't read that much...
You can also leave out some modifiers like 'my' as in 'daughter & I enjoyed' instead of 'my daughter and I enjoyed'.
.
I'm trying to get better at not using extra words! 200 words is really not much...your reply was (if I counted right..) 69 words, not including spaces, so 200-300 words isn't too much when you want to tell someone why you liked or didn't like something. I also have to try to decide what I think is the most important info that someone who's looking to stay would be interested in, I want to put it all down, but I can't
confused_smile.gif

How is the weather up in Maine today?
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com.
If they're finding you through the B&B directories, they'll probably take the time to read your reviews. But I agree, most people are looking at Trip Advisor and the reviews on Google business or Yahoo travel.
.
John here from BedandBreakfast.com. Reviews have become our most-trafficked pages. Are we as big as Trip Advisor? No. But it seems that all we hear are complaints from B&B's about TA. Until we as an industry work to create some competitors to TA, then they are all we have.
We are doing everything we can to have a review program that works for innkeepers, with innkeepers. Hopefully it will get enough critical mass that consumers will take notice. And we do feed every one of our reviews to Google the same way Trip Advisor does as well...
.
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
GG- 2000 characters is more than 200 words! If you REALLY have to say that much, leave out the spaces after the commas and periods. That gives you a few more characters. I would edit the review if I were you. Most people won't read that much...
You can also leave out some modifiers like 'my' as in 'daughter & I enjoyed' instead of 'my daughter and I enjoyed'.
.
I'm trying to get better at not using extra words! 200 words is really not much...your reply was (if I counted right..) 69 words, not including spaces, so 200-300 words isn't too much when you want to tell someone why you liked or didn't like something. I also have to try to decide what I think is the most important info that someone who's looking to stay would be interested in, I want to put it all down, but I can't
confused_smile.gif

How is the weather up in Maine today?
.
These are all good points. To be quite honest, I don't know why we would have to cap it - so I'm checking with my tech guys. Most people will not write that much, but I can't imagine it would be that hard to expand it to 5,000 or even 10,000 for that matter.
Let me check on it and get back to you guys - appreciate the input! And the detailed reviews!
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com.
If they're finding you through the B&B directories, they'll probably take the time to read your reviews. But I agree, most people are looking at Trip Advisor and the reviews on Google business or Yahoo travel.
.
John here from BedandBreakfast.com. Reviews have become our most-trafficked pages. Are we as big as Trip Advisor? No. But it seems that all we hear are complaints from B&B's about TA. Until we as an industry work to create some competitors to TA, then they are all we have.
We are doing everything we can to have a review program that works for innkeepers, with innkeepers. Hopefully it will get enough critical mass that consumers will take notice. And we do feed every one of our reviews to Google the same way Trip Advisor does as well...
.
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
GG- 2000 characters is more than 200 words! If you REALLY have to say that much, leave out the spaces after the commas and periods. That gives you a few more characters. I would edit the review if I were you. Most people won't read that much...
You can also leave out some modifiers like 'my' as in 'daughter & I enjoyed' instead of 'my daughter and I enjoyed'.
.
I'm trying to get better at not using extra words! 200 words is really not much...your reply was (if I counted right..) 69 words, not including spaces, so 200-300 words isn't too much when you want to tell someone why you liked or didn't like something. I also have to try to decide what I think is the most important info that someone who's looking to stay would be interested in, I want to put it all down, but I can't
confused_smile.gif

How is the weather up in Maine today?
.
These are all good points. To be quite honest, I don't know why we would have to cap it - so I'm checking with my tech guys. Most people will not write that much, but I can't imagine it would be that hard to expand it to 5,000 or even 10,000 for that matter.
Let me check on it and get back to you guys - appreciate the input! And the detailed reviews!
.
JBanczak said:
These are all good points. To be quite honest, I don't know why we would have to cap it - so I'm checking with my tech guys. Most people will not write that much, but I can't imagine it would be that hard to expand it to 5,000 or even 10,000 for that matter.
Let me check on it and get back to you guys - appreciate the input! And the detailed reviews!
For my dislike of one line reviews, too lengthyof a review are just as bad. Please do not expand it to unlimited amount of words. No innkeeper wants their review section filled up with just one enormous review.
 
Sorry it aint goina happen. TA is it! Everyone goes there first...most wouldn't even think to check reviews at bandb.com.
If they're finding you through the B&B directories, they'll probably take the time to read your reviews. But I agree, most people are looking at Trip Advisor and the reviews on Google business or Yahoo travel.
.
John here from BedandBreakfast.com. Reviews have become our most-trafficked pages. Are we as big as Trip Advisor? No. But it seems that all we hear are complaints from B&B's about TA. Until we as an industry work to create some competitors to TA, then they are all we have.
We are doing everything we can to have a review program that works for innkeepers, with innkeepers. Hopefully it will get enough critical mass that consumers will take notice. And we do feed every one of our reviews to Google the same way Trip Advisor does as well...
.
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
I have a question/comment for you as a traveler posting reviews. When I leave a review I can only have 2000 characters. So when I type up my review and click submit it tells me my review is too long...but it doesn't tell me how many characters I have used. So then I have to start reading my review over and trying to take out words here and there then if that doesn't work then I have to take out whole sentences, loosing information that I really wanted to put in the review. Isn't there a way to make it possible for someone to post more than 2000 characters??
GG- 2000 characters is more than 200 words! If you REALLY have to say that much, leave out the spaces after the commas and periods. That gives you a few more characters. I would edit the review if I were you. Most people won't read that much...
You can also leave out some modifiers like 'my' as in 'daughter & I enjoyed' instead of 'my daughter and I enjoyed'.
.
I'm trying to get better at not using extra words! 200 words is really not much...your reply was (if I counted right..) 69 words, not including spaces, so 200-300 words isn't too much when you want to tell someone why you liked or didn't like something. I also have to try to decide what I think is the most important info that someone who's looking to stay would be interested in, I want to put it all down, but I can't
confused_smile.gif

How is the weather up in Maine today?
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
How is the weather up in Maine today?
Cold. Sunny. Fall-like.
Really GG, read JBJ's comment...no one wants even a really GOOD review to go on for that length.
I'm thinking of getting this book I just read about...4 word movie reviews. One example:
"Tense. Intense. In tents." A review for The Blair Witch Project.
There are also 6 word short (obviously) stories. An example:
"For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn." (Supposedly by Ernest Hemingway.)
 
I suppose it would get a little bit long if we didn't cap them. Although going through the site - very few reviews even use the space that we have currently allocated. So maybe the length we have in there is long enough already?
 
I just got another packet of review cards (like Josh just mentioned).
John- a suggestion...at this point, I think you can probably track which B&B's are getting reviews from the review cards. I don't think a single guest has taken the review cards I leave in the rooms or on the check-in desk. So, given I have not handed out a single one of the originals, I don't need 100 more. Please save yourself the time and money and only send them to the B&B's that are obviously getting reviews from them, and ofcourse, folks who have just become bandb members.
 
I just got another packet of review cards (like Josh just mentioned).
John- a suggestion...at this point, I think you can probably track which B&B's are getting reviews from the review cards. I don't think a single guest has taken the review cards I leave in the rooms or on the check-in desk. So, given I have not handed out a single one of the originals, I don't need 100 more. Please save yourself the time and money and only send them to the B&B's that are obviously getting reviews from them, and ofcourse, folks who have just become bandb members..
I looked into the length of the reviews, and it is extremely rare to go over the alloted space. Based on the overall feedback, it seems to make sense to keep it where it is at.
On the review cards, point well-taken. Believe me - I'd much rather not print them up then have folks throw them away. I believe this will be the last automatic promo we do as they are very expensive to send out. We've measured innkeepers who have reviews vs. those who do not and found that those who have 4-10 reviews have seen a big shift in traffic towards their inns, and those with 10+ even more. Seems like getting 10 is the magic number for now, although could be more - it is too inconsistent to check.
We have enough data in properties of similar size, membership level, location, price with/without reviews to make a good analysis - and it is clear that they help out on a 2-3X basis... so I'd certainly encourage you to try and get customers to use them!
 
I just got another packet of review cards (like Josh just mentioned).
John- a suggestion...at this point, I think you can probably track which B&B's are getting reviews from the review cards. I don't think a single guest has taken the review cards I leave in the rooms or on the check-in desk. So, given I have not handed out a single one of the originals, I don't need 100 more. Please save yourself the time and money and only send them to the B&B's that are obviously getting reviews from them, and ofcourse, folks who have just become bandb members..
I looked into the length of the reviews, and it is extremely rare to go over the alloted space. Based on the overall feedback, it seems to make sense to keep it where it is at.
On the review cards, point well-taken. Believe me - I'd much rather not print them up then have folks throw them away. I believe this will be the last automatic promo we do as they are very expensive to send out. We've measured innkeepers who have reviews vs. those who do not and found that those who have 4-10 reviews have seen a big shift in traffic towards their inns, and those with 10+ even more. Seems like getting 10 is the magic number for now, although could be more - it is too inconsistent to check.
We have enough data in properties of similar size, membership level, location, price with/without reviews to make a good analysis - and it is clear that they help out on a 2-3X basis... so I'd certainly encourage you to try and get customers to use them!
.
JBanczak said:
I looked into the length of the reviews, and it is extremely rare to go over the alloted space. Based on the overall feedback, it seems to make sense to keep it where it is at.
On the review cards, point well-taken. Believe me - I'd much rather not print them up then have folks throw them away. I believe this will be the last automatic promo we do as they are very expensive to send out. We've measured innkeepers who have reviews vs. those who do not and found that those who have 4-10 reviews have seen a big shift in traffic towards their inns, and those with 10+ even more. Seems like getting 10 is the magic number for now, although could be more - it is too inconsistent to check.
We have enough data in properties of similar size, membership level, location, price with/without reviews to make a good analysis - and it is clear that they help out on a 2-3X basis... so I'd certainly encourage you to try and get customers to use them!
John,
Other than handing them out at breakfast with a pen and a box to put them in, there's not much I can do. They are in the rooms, they are in the dining room where the brochures, etc are laid out. I know what you are saying is true because my competition that has more reviews (heck, everyone has more reviews if I have none!) DO get more bedandbreakfast.com guests staying there than I do. (When we all compare notes on where our bookings come from, they consistently have more bandb.com guests.)
Being featured inn for a couple of months brought me a DROP in hits from your site to mine. Ouch! But, definitely, I know the reviews do help.
While you're here, let me ask you this...if family stays in the inn (and they are paying guests) is it ok if they send in reviews? I don't want them to do anything wrong but they were the only guests who asked what they should do with the review card! I told them I'd try to find out what the rules are about that.
 
One thing we've heard works really well is that some innkeepers are attaching them with a paperclip to their checkout folios/receipts. Another thing that works well is that innkeepers using RezOvation can schedule an automatic email to go out any time after check-out (1,2, 3, X days after) that includes a link to reviews. I agree that handing them out at breakfast is a little rough, but I was just at an inn with my wife, and they handed them to everyone after checkout and just simply said "thanks for staying with us. I'm sure you've seen how important online reviews are - if you have a minute, here is an easy way to do one for our property. Just fill it out and drop in mail." They did this to the two couples checking-out in front of us, and both couples completely understood and said they would fill them out (although I didn't find out if they did or not).
Either way it boils down to this... If your guests would react or think like this every time you gave them a review to fill out... "Oh sure - I'd love to. I love this inn and I understand how important it is. Sure I have 2 minutes to do it - no problem - thanks for asking..." Then it would seem everyone would want to hand them out all the time! I'll call this person the happy guest.
If the reaction was "no way I'm wasting my time filling out that card for this lousy inn - how dare you ask me to do anything for you at all. Just because of this I am never coming back..." then I'm guessing no one would ever hand these out. This person is the grumpy guest.
So what do you think it will be for your guests? I think 95% of guests are going to be closer to the happy guest than the grumpy guest. Ideally you can spot the two and don't bother ole' grumpy with the cards. Even if you do bother ole' grumpy - is that really the kind of person you want back? Maybe it isn't such a big deal to bother them in the first place? Ultimately for each review you get... you can probably expect to get additional customers... if you get 10 reviews - maybe you get an extra 2-3 rez/month... so if, in the rare instance you do upset a customer enough that they will not come back - you know you probably have that many more quality customers as a result.
It also isn't the type of thing where you need to do this forever. I've told innkeepers to make it a goal to get up to 10 reviews as quickly as they can, then make sure you get 1 review/month - that's it. Twelve months from now you'll have over 20 reviews, and you will keep getting them to be more and more current... Seems like a pretty easy threshold.
As far as extended family members, as long as they are payin guests, there is nothing against the rules on this, nor would any website be able to police it. My advice to them would be to be honest - that consumers can often see through glowing/flowery reviews that may appear to good to be true... honestly is certainly the best policy!
 
One thing we've heard works really well is that some innkeepers are attaching them with a paperclip to their checkout folios/receipts. Another thing that works well is that innkeepers using RezOvation can schedule an automatic email to go out any time after check-out (1,2, 3, X days after) that includes a link to reviews. I agree that handing them out at breakfast is a little rough, but I was just at an inn with my wife, and they handed them to everyone after checkout and just simply said "thanks for staying with us. I'm sure you've seen how important online reviews are - if you have a minute, here is an easy way to do one for our property. Just fill it out and drop in mail." They did this to the two couples checking-out in front of us, and both couples completely understood and said they would fill them out (although I didn't find out if they did or not).
Either way it boils down to this... If your guests would react or think like this every time you gave them a review to fill out... "Oh sure - I'd love to. I love this inn and I understand how important it is. Sure I have 2 minutes to do it - no problem - thanks for asking..." Then it would seem everyone would want to hand them out all the time! I'll call this person the happy guest.
If the reaction was "no way I'm wasting my time filling out that card for this lousy inn - how dare you ask me to do anything for you at all. Just because of this I am never coming back..." then I'm guessing no one would ever hand these out. This person is the grumpy guest.
So what do you think it will be for your guests? I think 95% of guests are going to be closer to the happy guest than the grumpy guest. Ideally you can spot the two and don't bother ole' grumpy with the cards. Even if you do bother ole' grumpy - is that really the kind of person you want back? Maybe it isn't such a big deal to bother them in the first place? Ultimately for each review you get... you can probably expect to get additional customers... if you get 10 reviews - maybe you get an extra 2-3 rez/month... so if, in the rare instance you do upset a customer enough that they will not come back - you know you probably have that many more quality customers as a result.
It also isn't the type of thing where you need to do this forever. I've told innkeepers to make it a goal to get up to 10 reviews as quickly as they can, then make sure you get 1 review/month - that's it. Twelve months from now you'll have over 20 reviews, and you will keep getting them to be more and more current... Seems like a pretty easy threshold.
As far as extended family members, as long as they are payin guests, there is nothing against the rules on this, nor would any website be able to police it. My advice to them would be to be honest - that consumers can often see through glowing/flowery reviews that may appear to good to be true... honestly is certainly the best policy!.
JBanczak said:
One thing we've heard works really well is that some innkeepers are attaching them with a paperclip to their checkout folios/receipts. Another thing that works well is that innkeepers using RezOvation can schedule an automatic email to go out any time after check-out (1,2, 3, X days after) that includes a link to reviews. I agree that handing them out at breakfast is a little rough, but I was just at an inn with my wife, and they handed them to everyone after checkout and just simply said "thanks for staying with us. I'm sure you've seen how important online reviews are - if you have a minute, here is an easy way to do one for our property. Just fill it out and drop in mail." They did this to the two couples checking-out in front of us, and both couples completely understood and said they would fill them out (although I didn't find out if they did or not).
Either way it boils down to this... If your guests would react or think like this every time you gave them a review to fill out... "Oh sure - I'd love to. I love this inn and I understand how important it is. Sure I have 2 minutes to do it - no problem - thanks for asking..." Then it would seem everyone would want to hand them out all the time! I'll call this person the happy guest.
If the reaction was "no way I'm wasting my time filling out that card for this lousy inn - how dare you ask me to do anything for you at all. Just because of this I am never coming back..." then I'm guessing no one would ever hand these out. This person is the grumpy guest.
So what do you think it will be for your guests? I think 95% of guests are going to be closer to the happy guest than the grumpy guest. Ideally you can spot the two and don't bother ole' grumpy with the cards. Even if you do bother ole' grumpy - is that really the kind of person you want back? Maybe it isn't such a big deal to bother them in the first place? Ultimately for each review you get... you can probably expect to get additional customers... if you get 10 reviews - maybe you get an extra 2-3 rez/month... so if, in the rare instance you do upset a customer enough that they will not come back - you know you probably have that many more quality customers as a result.
It also isn't the type of thing where you need to do this forever. I've told innkeepers to make it a goal to get up to 10 reviews as quickly as they can, then make sure you get 1 review/month - that's it. Twelve months from now you'll have over 20 reviews, and you will keep getting them to be more and more current... Seems like a pretty easy threshold.
As far as extended family members, as long as they are payin guests, there is nothing against the rules on this, nor would any website be able to police it. My advice to them would be to be honest - that consumers can often see through glowing/flowery reviews that may appear to good to be true... honestly is certainly the best policy!
I have done this with TA reviews (asked guests to give us a review in my 'thanks for staying' email). The % so far this year is about 2% of guests have done the review when asked. More like 5% have emailed back and said they had a lovely time but that they don't do reviews online. Anything that requires giving an email address they will not participate in. So, that leaves something along the lines of 93% of guests who never responded in any way at all. I could try handing the review cards directly to them with their credit card receipt and send them to bandb.com instead. It might be a bit tricky as most of them just grab their receipt right as they sign it and don't wait for me to offer it to them. (It's a tough crowd around here...)
I think you may misunderstand the review mentality...if I handed the card to someone who had a lousy time, they'd take it gladly and figure out how to cram 'War and Peace' onto that card just to tell everyone how lousy the place is.
wink_smile.gif

Of course you don't know my family, but believe me, they don't gush. I wouldn't get flowery praise from them on a bet (or the chance to win a GC!) Thanks for letting me know it's ok for them to review.
 
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