How to Eliminate Bad Property Management Reviews

In today’s digital age, your business reputation is more fragile and valuable than ever before. Bad property management reviews can spread like wildfire, scorching your brand and leaving lasting scars. Not only do they tarnish your credibility, but bad reviews can lead to thousands in lost revenue.

In a world where consumers rely heavily on online reviews to make decisions, a slew of negative feedback can erode trust and drive potential customers away. It’s like a stain on your business’s reputation that’s hard to scrub off.

Think about it: if someone is on the fence about buying from you and they stumble upon a string of negative reviews, chances are they’ll look elsewhere.

Get Rid of Bad Property Management Reviews

At DoorGrow, we’ve worked with hundreds of property managers across North America, many of whom are plagued with bad reviews. The number one question we hear from these clients is easily, how do I get rid of bad property management reviews?

Let’s rip off the bandaid: in most cases, you can’t get rid of a published review. In some very specific instances of defamation, hate speech, or fake engagement from paid bots, companies like Google will intervene. (Take a look at their review policy here)

In the vast, vast majority of cases, however, Google, Yelp, and other sites won’t delete a comment just because it paints your business in a bad light. This is particularly frustrating when a review is misleading or flat-out false, but the position of these companies is clear; because each interaction is a he-said, she-said, they are not in the business of moderating feedback.

What to Do if You Are Plagued with Bad Reviews

So, if you can’t request that bad reviews be deleted, is your business destined to suffer? Not necessarily. Instead, you need to focus on proactively gathering positive reviews from your existing tenant and clients, while also using your bad reviews as a stepping stone to get more business.

How do you do that? Follow the seven simple steps outlined below to give your business the best shot at combatting negative property management reviews.

1. 1. Monitor Your Online Reputation

      When you operate like an ostrich with your head in the sand, you’re not ready to jump into action if someone says something bad about your business. A shockingly high number of entrepreneurs don’t pay much attention to their online review profiles and only learn that they’ve collected negative feedback when a client mentions it to them directly.

      Don’t find yourself caught off-guard. Instead, delegate review monitoring to a member of your team. It’s easiest if you use a property management reputation management tool, like GatherKudos; GatherKudos sends email notifications whenever a new review appears on your profiles.

      Of course, you can also monitor your reviews manually, but this will take a bit more legwork.

   2. Reach Out to Unhappy Customers

      So, someone had a bad experience with your team. What now?

      It may sound counterintuitive, but unhappy reviewers can actually be unsung heroes of growth. By reaching out to them, you have a golden opportunity to turn their negative experience into a positive one. Moreover, addressing unhappy customers demonstrates your commitment to excellence. This kind of customer-centric approach can set you apart in a sea of businesses that only care about the bottom line. This is your chance to go above and beyond to make a positive impression.

      Call the person and give them a chance to vent. Brainstorm potential solutions or tools your business could deploy to adequately address their criticisms; and, if you feel like you’ve satisfactorily resoled the issue, don’t hesitate to ask them to update their review. One deleted review is one less detractor to sway would-be clients away from you.

   3. Respond to Reviews Publicly

      If you aren’t successful in privately connecting with an unhappy reviewer, respond to their feedback publicly. Responding to bad property management reviews publicly showcases your commitment to customer satisfaction. It’s like standing up in the middle of a crowded room and saying, “We hear you, and we care.” This level of transparency can build trust and show potential customers that you take feedback seriously.

      Remember, it’s not just about the reviewer; it’s about the audience. Potential customers often read negative reviews more closely than positive ones. How you handle criticism can demonstrate your professionalism and dedication to improvement. Publicly responding to bad reviews is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength.

   4.  Safeguard Against Negative Reviews

      Remember the old adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?

      In other words, the best thing you can do for your online reputation is to put safeguards in place to prevent bad property management reviews from happening in the first place.

      By using reputation management  software like GatherKudos, you can funnel happy clients and tenants towards your online profiles, while also giving them a chance to speak to you directly if they are unhappy. This one-two punch helps you get more positive reviews while also cutting back on negative feedback.

   5. Initiate a Drip Campaign

      If your profiles are covered in bad reviews, there’s only so much you can do on your own to establish your credibility. Collecting new, positive reviews can do wonders in helping you to recover your online reputation.

      You can always ask people to leave you an online review directly, but it’s often best to create a path of low resistance for them. GatherKudos lets you initiate a drip campaign for all of your contacts, emailing them an invitation to leave feedback for you. Not only does this help you to gain new reviews, but it will also reveal any hidden discontentment among your client base and give you the opportunity to address it.

      Know what’s even better than asking once? Asking multiple times. People get busy in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and sometimes need a reminder. The GatherKudos drip campaign system automates the entire process for you, following up with those who haven’t left a review with a reminder to please provide honest feedback. This helps collapse time for you and your team, while maximizing your chances of getting a positive review.

   6. Publicize Your Review Profiles

      Finally, talk about your online review profiles every chance you get. You can consider putting a sign in your office with a QR code, inviting visitors to scan it and leave feedback.

      Tools like GatherKudos offer review widgets for your property management website and your email signature, too. These widgets invite those you interact with to chime in with their own thoughts.

      By continually spreading the word, you can help to ensure you receive the positive property management reviews your business needs to succeed.

In the entrepreneurial journey, negative reviews often feel like roadblocks, but a proactive reputation management strategy will help you turn them on their head. Embrace them, learn from them, and use them to build a stronger, more resilient business. Your ability to navigate and combat negative property management reviews can be a defining factor in your business’s long-term prosperity. Stay committed, stay positive, and watch your business rise above the digital noise.

Learn more about GatherKudos and how it can help you to combat negative property management reviews.