Reputation management is an important activity throughout the multifamily industry, but nowhere is it more critical than in the student housing sector.
The youngest of the millennial generation live their entire lives online, and reviews drive their decision-making. In a survey from property management software company Entrata, 63 percent of students said online reviews significantly affect their student housing decision-making process. In addition, the survey found that for 38 percent of students think a three-star rating is too low and remove those communities from consideration.
Veronica Romney, director of marketing suite products for Entrata, offers these six tips for responding to online reviews.
1. Don’t copy and paste. This advice is true for all reputation management, but authenticity is particularly valued by younger consumers.
2. No corporate speak. Responses don’t need to be pandering, but an informal tone is likely appropriate.
3. Respond quickly. Students will not tolerate a long lag time in the response to a complaint.
4. Make them feel heard. Address any of the specific complaints the student mentioned in your response, ensuring that your response doesn’t seem canned.
5. Fix the problem. In your response, explain how you will take care of the problem and in what time frame. Reach out directly to the reviewer, if the situation warrants.
6. Ensure good reviews are authentic. Fake positive reviews inevitably come off as inauthentic. This will immediately turn prospective students away from your community. Refrain from incentivizing good reviews.