Corp Level Account with apartmentratings.com?

Has anyone had any experiences (or luck) with setting up a corporate level account with apartmentratings.com they are willing to share? We are currently working on a company policy and would like to begin responding to reviews from a corporate level, but they require a unique email address for each community, plus 180.00 a year and a 100.00 setup fee per community. We have decided to pay the fee for the ones that need the most damage control, but we are stumped on how to setup the Manager Center account under one email or name. I'm hoping someone has figured out a way around this.

Would also love feedback on your "Ratings and Reviews Best Practices" such as whether anyone is allowing their on site teams to respond. We've decided to keep it at a corporate level to control the message. I feel like most of the reviews are normally complaints about the management and that causes the on site staff to take it personally and to respond accordingly.

Our approach is to draft the response while working with the manager to get any details that we can provide to shine some light on the issues. We also have the benefit of contacting our construction and development groups to get more information about the land, quality of unit materials or code issues so that we can respond intelligently. We then plan to post a response as the manager with his or her blessing.

Thanks in advance,

Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,

As far as the unique email issue. You email provider or administrator should be able to get you unique forwarding addresses that all forward to the same place.

I think its a good idea to test how monitoring and responding to your apartmentratings profiles can really work for you. You may really find you can turn negatives around just by being responsive.

Good luck!

-Jackie

Hi Jennifer,

I have a solution that is free and is being used by two large national multifamily companies -- but due to rules cannot discuss openly on these chat boards. Please send me a note at [email protected] if interested in learning more.

Thanks!

Leigh

Jennifer, there are other reviews options built for the multifamily industry by the multifamily industry.

Reviews Done Right and Wiki-Share are tools developed using research akin to Nielson Ratings that demonstrates consumers are truly looking for reviews/advice from friends and other consumers.

Heck...everybody pretty much now knows that the adage "Google before you Tweet" is akin to the "Think before you Speak" frame of reference.

Naysayers crop up in blogs about the value of reviews-but this cracks me up-they are publicly venting about...public venting. :woohoo:

The Demographic between the ages of 18-34 ARE reading and contributing to product reviews - apartments are not immune from that practice. If your property caters to this specific demo, they're reading your reviews wherever they may be.

Choosing to not respond IS a response, so good for you for fishing where the fish are.

As my RentWiki buddy, WikiWiley says, "The GRAVY to responding to reviews comes in watching that bad reviewer turn around and commend you for taking action by writing a follow-up review.
When prospects see how management handles negative circumstances it just may influence them to want to live there."

You may want to group with Wiley for more info.