April 30, 2018
If you run your own campground, then you know like with any type of business, customer service is important and the online campground reviews of your RV park are equally important. Here is how to handle online campground review sites to your advantage and make the most out of what your customers have to say.
If you go to any of the campground review sites like RVParkReviews, Campendium, RVBuddy, Google, or Trip Advisor, do a search for your own campground and then claim it. For instance, if you go to Campendium, you can either submit your campground or claim one that is already on there. You do this by going to their contact doc and submitting the information. On RVParkReviews.com, you find your campground and then claim it by using the “claim your business button,” then following the prompts.
Do not forget about mobile – app-based review sites like RVParky and AllStays. Campers will often use these apps while on the road when they do not have access to a computer.
Always pay attention to what campers are using because new websites and apps could pop up at any time and become popular very quickly and you do not want to miss out on the benefits of claiming your campground on the site.
Most campgrounds spend a good chunk of money on advertising but are missing out on online advertising that is often free. Many sites allow you to claim your listing so that you can update missing information and do more to entice a customer to visit. Your online presence is crucial, and most people go to the internet first when doing a search for a campground.
Claiming your site gives you advantages like managing your listing, adding photos, replying to reviews.
Not everyone knows how to handle online reviews. Sure, it’s all well and good when you’re getting good campground reviews but how about when you get a bad one? According to Business.com there are four things to do in your reply to a bad review:
Let the customer know you appreciate that they took the time to let you know what was wrong, say that you are sorry they had a bad experience, promise that it won’t happen again, and try to fix whatever happened to them in the first place. This shows people who are reading the reviews that you care about your customer.
This strategy assumes that there was something actually amiss with the persons stay. Sometimes you will get people who leave bad reviews for no reason (or a silly reason), but don’t lose your temper — just try to keep the situation under control. I have heard of negative reviews related to rules or other issues that you are required to do by law. In these cases, it is good to apologize that they are unhappy with the rule, but explain that the rules are there for a reason (i.e. safety, etc.). The important thing is to show other readers of the review that you care about their opinions. I have actually seen cases, where other readers will gang up on the poor reviewer who they think, was unfair in their review. Be sure to not to that yourself though. Being negative or rude back will only be viewed as negatives in the eyes of the readers.
Bonus Tip: One great way to find out about online reviews is to set up a Google Alert with your campground name (and variations of its name). Google will send you an email whenever anything new is posted that meet the criteria that you set-up in the Alert. This allows you to follow anything that is posted about your campground so you can address it as soon as possible.