Slowly over the past year, there has been a significant shift in how the apartment industry views ApartmentRatings.com. The initial reaction was to somehow attempt to ignore or discredit them, but ultimately, that strategy failed miserably because it really only mattered that prospects WERE using it. So we are now seeing a shift of acceptance (to a certain point) and the realization that it is something we should deal with in some way.
 

I believe with any type of social media, the best solution is to address it head-on. Although I do not believe one should pay for reviews, I think it's wise to nudge the rating in your favor using open and transparent methods. Today, I got an email from Fandango asking how my movie experience was. (And yes, my fiancee did have me go see Harry Potter with her...)
 

 

Now granted, the review isn't of Fandango, so this isn't an exact Apples to Apples comparison, but it shows the proactive approach to participation and feedback. Why not take this same approach and apply it to all new residents after one month of staying in the community? They are still fresh enough to take the time to review, and if you are doing your job, they will be satisfied overall.
 

Now what about the bad reviews? Well, if you did a poor job with the new resident, they are going to write a review ANYWAY! (And besides, you can always filter them out of the email to begin with) ApartmentRatings.com is already stacked against you, so why not do some things to even the score? It takes a little effort, but it's definitely worth it!
 

(By the way, on a recent trip to Mexico, almost every single service provider asked us to fill out a survey. This includes the small, supposedly authentic Mayan restaurant in the middle of nowhere. If a restaurant that is surrounded by shanty's in the middle of Mexico can survey and get feedback from their customers, there is no reason that an apartment community in the U.S. can't do the same!)