3 Simple Steps for Responding to Online Reviews of Your Senior Living Business
When a reviewer shares their experience with your senior living community by writing an online review, they typically fall into one of two categories: they want to share their appreciation of how wonderful your community is or they would like to voice some concerns. In either scenario, the reviewer hopes the community is taking note of what they’ve written and will either keep doing what they’re already doing right or address the issues the reviewer views as problematic. Regardless of whether the review is positive or negative, by reading and responding to the review, you are showing the reviewer that you are willing to listen and hear their feedback.
However, it’s common for many people to get writer’s block when it comes to responding to their online reviews, so we’re here to help you with some simple guidelines. Bookmark this post and come back to it whenever you need some help getting started writing your response.
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Thank the reviewer for their feedback, be it positive or negative.
This is always a great way to start your response – by showing the reviewer you appreciate them taking the time and effort to share their thoughts with you. If the review is negative, you may also want to apologize for their bad experience.
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Acknowledge their experience or concerns.
In positive reviews, thank them for pointing out a great thing about your community and reiterate why it’s so great. In a negative review, acknowledge their experience and explain how you plan to or have already fixed the issue.
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Invite the reviewer back, if appropriate.
In positive reviews, you could invite them to join you for the next upcoming event (this is a great way to catch the eye of future prospects who are already reading your reviews and considering your community). If the review is negative, invite them to come back and see how you fixed the problem.
Below are two fictional example reviews, one positive and one negative, with sample responses based on our 3-step process.
Negative Example Review:
Positive Example Review:
Want to see how other communities are handling their reviews? Learn from your peers and check out these Response Rockstars!
Silvercreek Senior Living in Olive Branch, MS
Victory Centre of Bartlett in Bartlett, IL
Premier Senior Care in Irvine, CA
What has been your experience responding to reviews of your senior living community? Let us know in the comments!
Amelia Willson
Based in Austin, TX, Amelia is the former Content Marketing Manager for SeniorAdvisor.com. When she’s not writing about online reputation management, online reviews, and social media in the senior living space, she enjoys yoga and running with her dog Rockefeller. She graduated from Wellesley College cum laude with a dual degree in English and Medieval/Renaissance Studies.
3 Comments
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You deny honest negative reviews from being posted, you are doing a disservice to the elderly and are just another site that is misleading to consumers.
How do you sleep at night knowing that these people deserve respect and should get the truth?
Please stop with the glazing over the facts and become part of the solution not part of the problem. This is elderly neglect if you don’t allow them to hear the truth about failing senior living centers. Remember, someday you’ll wish you helped turn this around.
