Six seconds. That’s how long the average online consumer takes to decide whether to click or swipe away. And given that over 90% of online shoppers consult customer reviews during their decision process, it’s easy to see how powerful a single review can be.
Surprisingly, even businesses that carefully curate their online presence often fail to manage their customer reviews as effectively. But these reviews hold powerful opportunities and some important cautions for those willing to dive in and do a little work.
What is Review Management?
Review management falls under the larger rubric of reputation management. We most often hear of reputation management when a large corporation is facing a crisis or pivoting away from one. Its essential purpose is to help rebuild brands whose public reputations have been damaged.
Reputation management is not just for global corporations or oil spills. For local businesses that rely on maintaining a strong position within their communities, reputation management can be a make-or-break issue. And managing your customer reviews on platforms such as Google and Facebook is one way to help your business grow.
Benefits of an Effective Review Management Program
There are some clear advantages to having a cohesive review management strategy in place.
- Broaden your reach. Having an array of positive reviews can improve your rank in local searches.
- Learn from your customers. You can learn a lot simply by listening to your customers. Reviews are a great way to gauge consumer preferences, pain points, and things they’d like to see in the future.
- Put out brush fires now. Small problems, if left untreated, have a way of ballooning into major crises. Look for patterns in your reviews, especially pain points, and see what you can do to better address them.
- Boost your bottom line. Effective review management, when combined with a cohesive marketing plan, can help build trust, increase exposure, and generate buzz.
Costs of Neglecting Review Management
Businesses that fail to address their online reviews are paying a silent cost. Here are a few ways an ineffective review management strategy may be hurting your bottom line.
- Negative reviews scare off potential customers. With consumers making split-second purchasing decisions, even one negative review can make your brand not worth the risk to some potential customers. How much business are negative reviews costing you?
- One negative review attracts more. Let’s face it, there are lots of spam reviews out there posted by everyone from competitors to pranksters. When combined with some legitimate customer concerns, these fake reviews can add up to trouble.
- Reviews are hard to remove. A bad review, even if unfounded, can damage your company’s reputation for years. And once a comment has been posted, it’s often difficult to get it removed or bumped to a lower rank.
- You may be scaring away top talent. Job seekers, like consumers, use customer reviews to evaluate your business as a potential workplace. If they see negative or questionable reviews, they may apply elsewhere.
- You’re missing out on learning opportunities. Every customer review is a chance for you to learn something about your clientele and your business. Even a bad review offers you the opportunity to take an honest look at what works (and what doesn’t) within your business.
Managing Your Online Reviews
So, what is the best way to tackle your customer reviews? If this is your first foray into the world of reviews, you’ll want to get your business listed on platforms like Google, Facebook, as well as any social websites specific to your industry. The more sites you’re on, the more consumers will have the chance to review your business, which adds up to great exposure for you.
Don’t be afraid to collect reviews from customers. While soliciting positive reviews can seem awkward, it can help you connect with customers and generate repeat business. Ask for feedback from your customers who’ve posted recent positive reviews and do it while the experience is still fresh in their minds. You’d be surprised how willing people are to share their experiences.
Reaching out to consumers via emails or texts also adds a personal touch to your company’s customer care program. Remember, if you’re looking to grow your business, you’ll want to respond to all reviews, even the not-so-great ones, as this reinforces your visible commitment to quality customer service.
Responding to Negative Customer Reviews
Responding to individual reviews can be tricky. As a business owner, you want to achieve a balance between serving your customers and protecting your company. Sometimes a less-than-stellar review can be awkward to address. Here are a few tips…
Negative reviews can be hard to read. But they can also offer opportunities for learning and growth. When addressing a reviewer’s negative comments, you’ll want to acknowledge their experience, and take responsibility for any factors within your control. It’s a good time to remind your customers that your business prides itself on delivering top-quality service and that their comments are important to you. You may opt to discuss planned improvements to your systems or to offer a perk or discount on future purchases as a way of rebuilding trust.
Responding to Spam Reviews
Not all negative reviews are equal. Spam reviews can damage your reputation too, even if their claims are entirely false. But how can you tell the difference between real and fake posts?
- Fake posts usually make some outlandish claims.
- Fake posts often use incorrect info (e.g., complaining about the steak at a vegan restaurant).
- Fake posts often appear identically on many review sites.
- Fake posts are most often created by people who have not patronized your business. Check your records to see if a poster is a former customer or a spammer.
You can address fake posts by challenging posters on inconsistencies in their claims, while keeping your tone polite and professional.
Partner with a Pro
Building an effective review management program from scratch takes time, money, and attention to detail. Why risk-taking key employees away from mission-critical tasks to manage your company’s social media comments?
When you partner with the professionals at Click Canyon, you’ll be assured of quality service, individualized customer care, and expert guidance. Want to learn more? Give us a call!