
It's pretty clear that customer feedback, especially on sites like Google Business and Yelp, have a significant impact on what people decide to buy and which businesses to patronize. It's essential to recognize the power these platforms have and take charge of your online reputation management. The good news is that you can shape your digital brand however you want! By responding thoughtfully to all reviews and comments – whether they're positive or negative – you can control the story that's being told about your business and add a personal touch to your online presence.
This approach helps build trust and loyalty with customers, which can ultimately lead to more sales and growth. For example, a hotel that quickly responds to a negative review with an apology and a solution shows it really cares about its customers, and that can improve its online reputation. Here are some tips to help you figure out when and how to respond to reviews, so you can make the most of this chance to shape your business's online persona.
What reviews should you respond to?
Try to respond to all reviews, regardless of their tone. This demonstrates your appreciation towards customers who had a positive experience while also allowing you to mend any strained relationships with dissatisfied customers. By responding to all your reviews, you enhance your business's reputation by showing pride in your work, commitment to customer service, and dedication to continuous improvement.
Using Customer Feedback to Improve Your Business
While customer feedback will automatically boost your SEO rankings and improve your reputation online, reviews give you the opportunity to improve other areas of your business, too. This free insight into your customers’ point of view makes it possible to ensure nothing slips through the cracks or gets overlooked on your end.
By proactively responding to customer feedback surveys and reviews, strategically and thoughtfully choosing your words, and genuinely using the info given in reviews to refine your business, you’re showing your customers you truly care about their input. Here are a few ways to leverage reviews to improve your business:
Use a Feedback Tracking System
There’s only so much you can do with reviews when you only read them once and forget about them from there. With Google Reviews, you can easily claim your business with your Google account; from there, you can track all your previous reviews, get notifications about new reviews, and respond directly from Google. Plus, asking for reviews on Google will boost your SEO ranking even further!
If you’d prefer a different system, there are plenty of other software options that allow you to easily track customer feedback, publish a response, and even to elicit more positive reviews and improve your overall ratings and rankings. Some options even include reports and historical data so you can tangibly see how you’ve grown.
Find Common Themes
It’s true that people often use the internet as a place to air their grievances or be offensive; however, many reviews contain valuable, honest feedback from people that genuinely want to see your business succeed or get better. If you see a pattern emerge across multiple reviews, it’s likely a common opinion and a sign that it may be time to change something.
Boost Employee Morale
When you receive a positive review, share the good news! Many businesses encourage their employees to ask for responses to customer feedback surveys by using financial incentives. This could look like a small bonus after an employee’s name is mentioned in a positive review or a quarterly contest to see which employee can encourage the most reviews. Not only can this boost employee morale – and foster some friendly competition – but it can also help you recognize your high performers as you consider team raises and promotions.
Gain Social Proof
Research shows that a substantial 93% of consumers factor in customer feedback when making purchasing decisions. When you think of social proof, word-of-mouth is probably the first thing that comes to mind. That’s because it was the first form of advertising and often was the primary reason businesses were able to grow before the marketing we know today. Now, positive reviews are one of the easiest and most accessible forms of social proof that – if published in the right places – can do the work for you! Additionally, you can share your positive reviews on social media, in advertisements, and on your website to fully use customer feedback to your advantage.
Responding to Your Reviews
Try to respond to all reviews, regardless of their tone, rating, etc. It shows you care about the customers who had a good experience, and it also gives you a chance to fix things with the ones who weren't happy. When you respond to every review, you're making a strong statement about your business. You're saying you're proud of what you do, you're committed to serving your customers well, and you're always trying to get better.
When to Respond
Once you've decided to respond to a review, aim to respond within 24 hours as this helps you actively monitor and maintain control over your online reputation. The quicker you address customer feedback, the more prompt your customers will think you are and the less overwhelming your reputation management becomes. Plus, a quick response always makes it easier to mitigate any potential damage from a negative review.
Additionally, if there are concerns raised by customers about your business operations or services, it is essential that these issues are brought to your attention promptly so that you can mitigate the problem before they decide to seek alternatives elsewhere. Reviews can contain insights that help you improve your business so it’s important to stay on top of them.
How to Write Your Response
When it comes to responding to reviews, maintaining a professional tone is crucial, regardless of the review’s sentiment. Here are some guidelines for crafting responses to each of the different kinds of customer feedback surveys.
Positive Reviews
Positive customer feedback can be invaluable for the many reasons we've touched on here, so it's important to show your thanks appropriately. Express gratitude to customers for their positive feedback and reinforce their sentiments by echoing their words. Personalize your response by using the reviewer’s name. This approach can be applied to any review, regardless of sentiment, to enhance personal connections and foster loyalty. For example:
"Thank you, Raj! We’re so glad you loved using your new ABC Vacuum. We look forward to seeing you again soon.”
Negative Reviews
When you’re working on your reputation management, negative reviews are a bit more tricky. They can be disheartening, but as a business owner, it's important not to take them personally. Responding constructively allows you to address any concerns and maintain your reputation.
Creating a template for negative review responses can ensure consistency in your approach when emotions run high. Keep in mind, reviewers have the opportunity to update their reviews if their issues are resolved. Also, don’t forget that every response you provide is visible not only to the reviewer, but also to potential customers. That means it’s essential to convey professionalism and empathy in your responses. Here are some tips for crafting your responses to negative reviews:
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Keep your response concise and to the point. Avoid getting into too much detail about the situation in your response.
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When necessary, apologize for any mistakes made by your business. However, only apologize if you were truly at fault.
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Avoid arguing with the customer. It's counterproductive and will have a negative impact on how others perceive your business.
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Take the conversation offline by inviting the customer to visit your shop or giving them a call. This allows for further discussion to resolve the issue and make things right. If you plan to reach out to them, let them know you’ll do so in your response. That shows to the public that you are addressing the issue. During this conversation, actively listen to their concerns and ask questions to fully understand their perspective.
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Sign off with a personal touch by including your name or initials in the review response. This shows that you are giving individual attention to address their concerns.
Take a look at this response example to get an idea of how to put these tips into practice:
“Ms. Lin, we appreciate you bringing this to our attention and we're disappointed you had this experience with our shop. We pride ourselves on our customer service and it sounds like we fell short. We’d like to make things right. Please give me a call at [phone number] and we’ll get this sorted out. – Michael Scott, Manager”
Neutral Reviews
Neutral reviews are just as valuable because they give potential customers a realistic idea of what to expect from your business. When someone leaves a neutral review, be sure to thank them for their feedback and point out any positive things they mentioned. Let them know you'll take their criticisms to heart and use them to make your services or products better. If someone leaves a neutral review (3 stars), thank them for their feedback and invite them to come back – you want to blow it out of the water next time. Here’s an idea of how you could respond to a neutral customer feedback survey:
“Thanks for your feedback, Carla! We're so glad you enjoyed your meal and appreciate your feedback about the volume of the music. We want to provide all our guests with a comfortable experience, so we promise to use your feedback to improve. We hope we have the opportunity to serve you and your family again!”
Grow Your Small Business Marketing with AlphaGraphics
Whether you’re ready to revamp your brand or you want a partner in your corner to get an expert perspective on small business marketing, AlphaGraphics is here for you. Find the center nearest you to boost your marketing efforts and put your customer feedback to good use today.