Online Reputation – Apartment Communities
Apartment ratings can be a good indication of the quality of life and service an apartment community provides its residents. It makes sense that good communities would garner positive ratings, and in most cases this is true.
Property managers are able to monitor the positive and negative feedback from residents within their communities and take steps to increase the consistency of positive interactions. Studies show that out of 100 interactions with residents, 17 negative interactions have as much online rating activity as the remaining 83 positive interactions. What is going on here? It turns out that a dissatisfied resident is 6 times more likely to rate your organization or community in the event of a negative interaction as compared to a positive one. This would mean that to achieve a neutral rating (50%), a manager would have to deliver 6 times (600%) more positive interactions than negative. To achieve a rating of 90%, a property manager would have to deliver almost 1,100
% more positive interactions than negative interactions!
Given the propensity to publicly post negative interactions, property managers must manage the online reputation of their communities. Managers should help all residents describe their interactions through online ratings.
The level of service we provide is very important to us. We welcome you to share details of your interaction online at the following link- Apartment Ratings
If a resident feels slighted, he/she may feel that a poor rating may be a form of retribution…and it is. In general, apartment communities with poor ratings have higher vacancy and lower rent rates. If a resident’s sink was repaired properly and efficiently, the resident may not be as likely to shout it out to the online world. By offering all community members the opportunity to rate their interactions online, a more accurate depiction and rating of the community is created over time.
Property managers must be vigilant in monitoring online ratings and reviews. There are a plethora of online rating sites and services that are as much of a marketing tool for your communities as they are a sounding board for residents to express their experiences. Some of the ratings sites and services include:
Apartment-Specific Rating Sites
ApartmentRatings.com
Rent.com
ApartmentGuide.com
ApartmentFinder.com
Rating Sites for All Businesses
Yahoo! Local
Glassdoor.com
Google Places
Yelp
Insider Pages
Bottom line: Listen to the needs of those in your communities and deliver the highest level of service possible. Be vigilant and give everyone an opportunity to comment on their experiences you have provided and good things will happen.