We totally get it. Awkward situations, can be well… awkward. Waving to someone who wasn’t waving at you, saying, “you too”, to the waiter when they say, “enjoy your meal”, the barista grossly misspelling your name on a coffee cup. As an Outdoorsy owner — we aren’t immune to these situations. Sometimes it can be awkward and uncomfortable navigating how exactly to ask your renters for positive reviews.
You work hard to prepare the RV and onboard the renter to use it. You stay in touch with them during their trip and meet with them afterwards. They are gushing about their adventures, and your RV!
Yet, you’re faced with an inevitable internal dilemma. You know asking for a positive review could greatly help your business and expand your renter visibility. But you may also feel it’s awkward and bad manners to have renters complete “homework”.
So, should you? For our most successful owners in the Outdoorsy RV Owner group, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”.
“I ask them when they pickup and remind them when they drop off,” Class C owner Jeff Whalen says. “I also mention that their good review helps me get more reservations.”
“I send them a message within 24 hrs of the return thanking them again, telling them that I have issued the return of their deposit and ask them to please write a review.” Class B owner Kimbrell Saleeby Frazier said. “They usually end up writing a review.”
Below, we’ve compiled best tips, practices and tests you can run to get more positive reviews.
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s dive in…(no awkward belly flopping though).
The best way to get reviews: Ask in person
There is no better way to ask for reviews than in person, after their trip. You’re meeting them at their final destination, asking them how their trip went. They’ve enjoyed the care and attention that you put into your RV. Be upfront about asking for feedback. The renter talking about their trip is the perfect time to ask.
Here is an example on how to phrase the question. “Is there anything that we can talk about that might keep you from giving me a five-star review? I’d love to talk to you about it in-person so I can improve the experience for the next renter.”
We’ve found that those who ask for reviews in-person are seven to eight times more likely to get a postive review than those who don’t ask.
Class C owner Sigrid Anderson even asks for all 5-stars. “Yes, I ask them for a “5* review”. Upon return I always ask how their vacation went and they’re usually gushing, which is the perfect time to ask them for it!” she says.
Even if your renter says they’ll leave a review in person, be sure to follow up through your Outdoorsy message thread.
The “More Business” trick
One trick is to be transparent about why you want the review. Outdoorsy is a platform that is built on trust — the owners with higher ratings get more bookings. Let your happy travelers know that reviews help your business!
You’ve worked to ensure every renter has a wonderful experience, and people sometimes want to tip you for your hard work. This strategy gives customers an easy way to tip someone who provided a great service, and can drastically accelerate the number of reviews that come in.
How to ask for a review from a dashboard after the rental
Navigate to your dashboard. In your inbox, go to “Completed”.
Navigate to a previous renter whom you want to ask to leave a review and send them a reply.
Draft a message asking your renter to leave a review. With our new messaging tools, you can even save a draft message that you can use repeatedly.
What does the renter have to do to leave a review?
Renters can leave a review by going to “My Trips” then “completed trips”, then “Booking Details”.
The renter can then click “Review this RV” to start the process. This works on desktop and the mobile app.
You have the right to ask!
The simple act of asking for reviews starts to put the power back into your hands. Owners may feel like throwing their hands up and saying they don’t want to deal with it. But those who do ask for reviews say it’s empowering and helps to foster a transparent relationship with the renter.
With this step-by-step guide, asking for reviews doesn’t require any special tools or technology, just a commitment to see it through.
Learn more valuable Outdoorsy information in our Help Center.
