Landlords are happy with the high levels of occupancy Luxury Escapes Vacation Homes achieves. But they often ask our property managers for more good guest reviews.
Like landlords, we understand the importance of good reviews. They boost ratings, help build reputation, increase demand, occupancy rates and revenue.
However, in an era where consumers are experiencing ‘survey fatigue’, convincing guests to complete reviews presents challenges.
The Luxury Escapes Vacation Homes team implements best practices for obtaining authentic, unbiased positive guest reviews.
There are also some other ‘secret’ strategies we use. Preventative maintenance is one of those strategies.
Protecting Property Value and Returns
Landlords understand a regular maintenance schedule protects the value of their investment and helps avoid costly repairs down the track.
It ensures guest safety and compliance with standards for short-stay accommodation, as established by the Dubai Economic and Tourism Department.
Such maintenance includes AC servicing every three to six months to prevent breakdowns and improve air quality, regular pest control and annual fire safety checks of alarms and extinguishers.
Routine checks of plumbing and electrics help avoid leaks and outages, limit costly repairs and avoid periods of time where a property is unavailable due to rectification works.
If this kind of basic maintenance is not occurring routinely, landlords would be well advised to consider listing their property with a company like Luxury Escapes Vacation Homes.
Making the Difference
When they are unhappy, people are more likely to complain. It’s also true that few are motivated to provide reviews when an experience is satisfactory or simply meets expectations.
Attention to detail, to the less obvious, pleasantly surprises guests making the difference to reviews a property attracts.
This is especially true for discerning guests who stay in unique, luxury properties.
They ‘appreciate attention to detail’ ‘high quality amenities’ and ‘thoughtful touches’ that make them ‘feel right at home’.
Achieving high ratings and reviews that praise a property as ‘immaculate throughout’, ‘spotless and exactly as described’ with ‘great connectivity, modern appliances and smart tv’, ‘high quality amenities’ and ‘everything you need’ is achieved through combining excellent responsive service with an extra level of preventative maintenance.
The Secret
Our expert detail-oriented housekeeping and maintenance teams visit your property between every booking and perform less obvious preventative maintenance.
This includes appliance inspection to catch early signs of malfunction, testing to confirm a consistent internet connection, sealant and grout maintenance to prevent mould and water damage, paint touch-ups, and professional cleaning or replacement of worn or damaged furnishings.
Creating a lasting impression of a property as ‘pristine and beautifully decorated’ requires ‘seamless check-in’ too, so door lock inspections ensure guests are not locked out!
Request or Inspire Reviews?
Timely and respectful review requests, expressing appreciation for responses received (even the less-than-perfect ones) along with the right length, options for giving responses and design for accessibility to guests who speak different languages, are all part of best practice for gathering feedback and reviews.
A property which is ‘clean’ and ‘acceptable’ rarely inspires guests to respond to requests for reviews and high ratings.
Guests are more likely to provide reviews, rate a property highly and show appreciation through repeat custom when their expectations are exceeded and the vacation home adds enjoyment and relaxation to their holiday experience.
Preventative maintenance pushes a property to ‘exceptional’.