In 2017, I decided to test the waters of running an Airbnb. I had a condo that I did not stay at on a full time basis. This started me on a journey to discover a new appreciation of being able to work for myself.
After almost a year of hosting on Airbnb, I decided to sell the property in exchange for one that was located closer to my work. It was not until 2019 before I decided to list that property on Airbnb as well. This lasted for about a year before I decided to opt out due to the regulatory hassles as well as the pandemic lockdowns.
During my first stint, I achieved a 4.8 stars rating across 30+ bookings. During my second stint I was able to improve to a perfect 5.0 star rating across 60+ bookings!
I Want to Share Some Of My Tips To Help You Maximize Your Score!
The thing with trying to keep a perfect score is that it only takes one bad review for you to lose that perfect score. But when you have hundreds of bookings, it is nearly impossible to maintain! Many of us have all seen this review before:
"Best stay ever! Host was friendly and thought of everything, couldn't ask for more! I will definitely stay here again! 4 stars!"
As a host, this feels extremely frustrating. But the reality is that everyone has different benchmarks and there will be people who will just never give perfect scores.
I want to make one thing clear. While you should absolutely aim to for that perfect score on each booking, it is important to not obsess over a few less than perfect reviews. If one in five guests gives you 4 stars, you still have a 4.8 overall rating which ranks you amongst the Superhosts, far ahead of the competition!
Remember, the top homes that are marketed as the model Airbnb home are floating between 4.85 and 4.95 star ratings. In fact there are only a handful of homes with over 40+ reviews that have a 4.95 or higher rating!
What Did I Learn To Help Improve My Score? Here are 5 things that you can start doing immediately without incurring any significant costs!
The most obvious way to get a 5 star review is to ask your guest directly! This may seem off putting, but it is the mental barrier that is hard to break. What I learned is that when you ask your guests, it will more likely give you a good review.
"But it might feel awkward" you say. That is indeed very true, but think of it as communicating expectations with your guest. You may always feel some sort of discomfort before asking, but that is perfectly fine, you just have to push through.
This may be the hardest hurdle to jump over for anyone, because it feels the most brazen. But the reality is, there is a BIG improvement in results when asking for a 5-star review compared to only asking for a review.
When someone sees the works "5-star review" they will psychology be more inclined to leave you a 5 star rating. In fact, your guest may be the one to feel a bit shy about leaving you a 4 star rating.
I've developed the practice to ask each of my guests twice, both when they check in and check out.
It is so important to bring it to your guest's attention early on to set the expectations. You are telling your guest that you want to EARN that 5 star review, and you are opening a path for them to reach out if they don't believe any different.
A typical way I would communicate this is through a message on the Airbnb app. Here is a template that you can save as your automated Airbnb check-in message:
Hi {guestname},
Welcome to my home! Thank you for choosing my Airbnb for your stay in {cityname}. I hope that you are satisfied with your experience so far. I am aiming to earn a 5 star review from you so if you have any concerns or questions, don't hesitate to reach out. Please also reach out if you need any assistance, your safety is very important to me. ....{additional information about your Airbnb}
Thank you and enjoy your stay!
{yourname}
Make sure you send a farewell message once your guest leaves and reiterate that you are looking for that 5-star review.
The first idea I want to convey to my guest is that by leaving a 5-star review, it would help me grow my business. This will allow the guest to feel good knowing their review has helped you out.
Secondly, you want to highlight that by leaving a review, they are helping connect like minded guests and travelers in sharing their experience. This makes it more personal, and reinforces to the guest that others are also helping them find the best places to stay as well.
Lastly, (and this is especially important if you are shy about asking so directly) mention that the 5-star review should be earned. This removes the appearance of you asking for an unjustified 5 star review. As your guest is writing their review, they will be thinking, "If I am giving 5 stars, I should write something positive to justify that rating".
Here is a template that you can use for your checkout message:
Hi {guestname},
Thank you again for choosing my home for your stay. I hope that you had a comfortable experience and enjoyed your time here! When you get a chance, please help me out by leaving a 5-star review if you were satisfied by everything. It would also help out inform future guests just like yourself! ....{any additional items related to after the checkout}
Thank you and have a safe trip back,
{yourname}
The check-in process is so important because this is when the guest compares their first impressions to their expectations.
Airbnb has the tools to help you create a check-in guide within the app. Guests can access this prior to their arrival date. So make sure to use this to your advantage!
A good check-in guide should be clear and concise. Don't worry if it is a bit long or if it includes multiple options (self check-in or meet-up). It should be easy to follow live when your guest is checking in. Each step should be separated appropriately and in the correct order with legible presentation.
Every property is different and will have their own challenges. Your Airbnb might be in the middle of nowhere, or in a dense urban jungle with building security. The puzzle to get into your Airbnb is only made more difficult if guests have to do self check-in.
When guests need to find a hidden lock box in the corner of a building, or drive past an oddly shaped rock in the middle of the field, they need to be aware ahead of time. Highlight the most difficult parts in your guidebook and add a little humor along the way. The last thing you want is for your guest to feel like they won't be able to make it through the front door.
One other very important thing about the check-in is to have a mutually understood expectation of when your guest is arriving. If your guest is running late, early or completely changes their arrival time, they should understand that it may pose challenges for the host to accommodate. This will cause if difficulties with the check in that shouldn't be attributed to the host.
As an example, guests often arrive while I was in a work meeting. I would need to buzz them in using my phone, which poses a challenge if I am busy. I would inform them ahead of time if there was a chance they may have to wait a few extra minutes. This is especially important if they arrive early or late.
It is not uncommon for guests to be arriving outside times they initially specify. You may not have the flexibility to be able to perfectly accommodate everyone. Most hosts are also not on the property full time. So whether you need to exchange a physical key, buzz in a guest or just to send a timely welcome message, it is vital to properly communicate the check-in time.
Under Promise and Over Deliver! A widely used strategy. But to be taken with a grain of salt because don't underestimate the value of marketing. At the end of the day, it is about managing expectations.
This is especially effective when you are already operating at full capacity, as you have less pressure on attracting new bookings. Be sure to use it to your advantage to boost up your ratings.
For example, in my listing there is no mention of any water or snacks for the guest. But once they arrive, they will be welcomed with a small treat of snacks and drinks at minimal costs to myself.
A common request from guests is an earlier check-in time. I will communicate to them that it is not the norm, but they may drop off their bags ahead of time while cleaning service is working. On the arrival day, which is usually possible (especially if the prior guest has an early check out), I will try to schedule the cleaning service a bit earlier (this depends on the flexibility you have with your cleaners). Then I would communicate to the arriving guest that the place will be available ahead of schedule just for them. I am also helpful to keep open a larger window for the cleaning service and turnaround time.
Remember, the key is not to under promise what is already expected, but to ensure you get the recognition for going above and beyond. You don't want your work to only been seen as the status quo.
Mistakes are inevitable and they will eventually occur one way or another. This doesn't mean you need to get a lower rating on your review though. The key is to have a plan set up to handle these situations so that you are not scrambling.
One time I had a guest try to buzz into my Airbnb for their check-in while I was in transit. This limited in my ability to help them out in. It ended up taking them over 20 minutes to complete the check-in process. Needless to say, they felt a bit frustrated.
I apologized immediately for the inconvenience while informing them about my circumstance. Later I brought them a few extra snacks (which was already budgeted in), and still received a 5 star review.
When you budget in these situations, it not longer is an extra cost or hassle to you. Think of it like when you buy insurance.
A hands off example that you can implement without even needing to meet your guest is to set up a secure box within your Airbnb with a few bottles of inexpensive wines and other goodies. Whenever you need, instruct the guest to access the box and take one of them to make up for any inconveniences. The cost of this is very low as these situations occur very infrequently.
It is not necessary to be meeting with everyone one of your guests, but if you don't have to go out of your way, it could be a good strategy to consider.
This can especially be effective for you if live nearby or on site. Some hosts even market the meet and greet as part of the entire experience package!
If you are not able to meet your guests, think of an idea to add personal touch for the guest.
With my Airbnb I had a cork board on a wall with sticky notes and an HP Spocket Printer (Amazon) so guests can connect their phones, customize and print pictures of their travels to share. I have seen other hosts who have included a journal that guests can sign and write in after each visit.
Personal elements make guests feel like they are welcome and part of a much bigger community which will result in more and better reviews!
