You’ve heard it time and time again. Reviews are a vital part of any flooring business’ success. But they hold more power than you may realize; they provide feedback on the quality of your work, build credibility, and distinguish you from competitors. Most significantly, they boost your online visibility to help you drive more business.
Online reviews can come from a variety of digital sources (Google Business Profiles, Facebook and other social media, etc.), and they play a big factor in the way that search engines like Google rank your business in their search results. They are essential in helping homeowners find your business online and reach out to you instead of the competition. In this article, we’ll discuss why responding to reviews is important, how you should navigate responding to them in the most impactful way, and provide some best practices and tools you can use for the future.
Why You Should Respond to Reviews
According to BrightLocal, 98 percent of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. That means consumers also will read how your business is responding to reviews, whether positive or negative. Potential customers appreciate businesses that engage in active discussion with their customers.
By responding to a negative review, you acknowledge a customer’s issues and show that you are willing to resolve problems. By responding to positive reviews, you build stronger relationships with customers and, in return, open up the possibility for repeat business and referral business. When a potential customer is looking to invest money into a floor remodel or repair, they want to work with a business that is invested in their customers’ satisfaction because it shows that you will provide great service.
How to Respond to Negative Reviews
It happens. There will be times when a customer expresses frustration or anger in an online review. This really is an opportunity for you to learn and resolve conflict by addressing their issues and taking the necessary steps to improve your business. When responding to negative reviews, keep these practices in mind:
Respond ASAP. Respond fast and provide your personal contact information in your message. Always be kind and understanding of the customer’s situation. This will show the customer and outside audiences that you take this matter seriously and are willing to work together to reach a solution.
Thank them for the review. While this may seem a little odd, getting negative reviews can help you identify weaknesses in your business. If you keep receiving the same type of feedback, it can help you improve operations and provide a way for your business to set new measures in place that result in better jobs and happier customers.
Confirm that they are a customer. Sometimes homeowners give feedback for the wrong business or do not give accurate details about their interaction. You can show that there may be an error by saying, “Hello [name], We’re unable to find your information in our customer records. Can you please contact us at [business number] so we can research this further?”
Take it offline. Invite the reviewer to contact you directly to resolve the issue. Demonstrate that you are sincere in wanting to resolve matters but don’t make specific recommendations in the public space.
How to Respond to Positive Reviews
Generating positive reviews is a sign that your business is doing the right thing. While it’s important to respond to negative reviews, it’s still just as important to respond to positive ones. Letting positive reviews sit without any engagement could make outside audiences think that the review wasn’t important. You should always engage with positive reviews, and here’s how:
Respond quickly. By responding in a timely manner, it will make customers feel appreciated and reinforce that your company cares about every single customer, no matter the review.
Thank them in a personal way. Every customer is a real person. You always should take that approach when communicating with them. Personalizing your message of gratitude will mean a lot to the customer. Include their name, and if you can, include any personal details from the job itself. That will go that extra mile and show potential customers that you are invested in each and every customer.
Invite them to share their experience to invite future business. If a customer has taken the time to review your work on one platform, the chances are higher that they are willing to share other reviews on other platforms and review sites. By doing this, you are helping boost your visibility across multiple platforms and online visibility overall.
Best Practices
Here are some helpful reminders when responding to reviews:
- Try to respond within 48 hours of each review.
- Always address them by their first name.
- Be concise when crafting your message. Aim for two
to three sentences. - Always be action-oriented when resolving a problem
or inviting future work. - Ask questions if necessary.
- Be professional and friendly.
Responding to reviews can help to build and maintain your company’s online reputation and help you drive more business. Always ask for reviews from each of your customers because
they are an essential tool in growing your business.
Michael Craddock is the content marketing expert at Signpost. He can be reached at mcraddock@signpost.com. To download Signpost’s in-depth guide to getting Google reviews, visit signup.signpost.com/partner/nwfa/.
