According to a recent ReportLinker report, 78% of individuals consider online reviews to be at least moderately dependable. Additionally, the report highlights that 59% of online shoppers perceive these reviews as equally credible to those given by friends.
According to Erna Alfred Liousas, a Forrester analyst specializing in B2C marketing professionals, our research indicates that 84% of online adults in the US read reviews while conducting online research for products and services. Additionally, Liousas mentioned that this behavior is not limited to the US as 80% of consumers in metro China and India also read comprehensive reviews posted by other individuals before making a purchase.
Liousas emphasized that business leaders cannot ignore reviews as they effectively communicate consumer perception and influence customer buying decisions. It is important to acknowledge and respond to reviews, as deemed appropriate.
Best Practices for Managing Online Reviews
1. Proactively request feedback
Owner of Digital+, LLC, Alex Bungener suggests that proactive feedback from customers is one method to effectively handle online reviews.
He stated that there exist multiple platforms through which businesses can send emails or texts to customers, inquiring about their willingness to refer the business to their acquaintances. The customers also have the option to leave comments. Depending on the responses received, the program will subsequently prompt the customer to share their positive comments on a review site, with the business offering a selection of up to three possible options.
According to Bungener, if the feedback turns out to be negative, the program will guide the customer to a different location to express their dissatisfaction, thereby facilitating the business owner in handling the matter.
Pat Ahern, director of traffic generation at Junto, stated that utilizing this approach could enhance current online reviews.
Ahern’s preferred approach to obtaining reviews involves compiling a roster of existing Twitter followers. Each week, he carefully selects and reaches out to around 10 to 20 followers, requesting their candid feedback on the company. He accompanies this request by sharing a bit.ly link to a renowned review platform like Google My Business, Yelp, or Facebook.
According to Ahern, individuals who respond are considerably more inclined to give positive reviews instead of negative reviews because following a business on social media indicates a person’s support for the brand. This approach has been particularly effective for restaurants, but it can be utilized by any type of business.
According to Mark Tuchscherer, president of Geeks Chicago, if you are aware of having satisfied customers, you should not hesitate to inform them about your presence on review websites. He suggests telling people that leaving a review can greatly benefit your company in the long run if they genuinely want to show their appreciation. This approach has proven to generate more reviews for most companies.
2. Respond to every review
According to Ryan Erskine, a senior brand strategist at BrandYourself, many business owners become fearful of negative reviews and choose to avoid acknowledging them. However, it is crucial to always respond to reviews, particularly those that are negative.
Erskine stated that the majority of individuals seek to have their opinions acknowledged and are inclined to alter their perception of your company when provided the opportunity. If you fail to initiate reconciliation, you deprive them of that chance.
According to Tuchscherer, when a company actively involves everyone, it displays concern and a willingness to address any problems that arise, which can mitigate the impact of negative reviews.
According to Michaela Prouzova, community engagement manager at Nimble, Inc., our team ensures that they respond to every review, regardless of whether it is positive or negative. We maintain a document containing all the feedback and make an effort to update our reviewers once a feature they were looking for is added or when we implement their suggestions. These actions help to foster trust and give our brand a human touch. This is vital because people tend to purchase from individuals they are familiar with, like, and trust.
Matthew Pugh, vice president of Weiss PR, Inc., emphasized the importance of not allowing reviews, especially negative ones, to be neglected. He stressed the need to promptly address reviews, stating that it is crucial to respond to them as swiftly as possible.
When negative reviews are posted, they tend to circulate quickly. Taking immediate action, whether it involves leaving a reply or contacting the customer directly, can significantly help in reducing any harm to one’s reputation and preventing further negative reviews.
Mike Tortorice, marketing manager at Infront Webworks, mentioned that responding to positive reviews is an art that is frequently disregarded. Tortorice advised expressing gratitude to the customer, informing them about any available discounts or promotions, and extending an invitation to return. These actions help foster a sense of community around your business.
3. Establish a systematic review monitoring process
It is crucial to stay updated with reviews that can occur anytime and through multiple online platforms like Facebook, Google, Yelp, and others. To accomplish this, set up a procedure for consistently checking various online review platforms for incoming reviews. It is worth mentioning that a monitoring tool can be extremely useful in this regard; further details will be provided later.
4. Personalize responses
To ensure an effective response to public reviews, it is important to tailor your replies to the particular individual and details mentioned in the review. Whenever possible, address the reviewer by their name and avoid using generic or automated responses. These types of responses can create a negative impression of your brand. By personalizing your responses, you demonstrate a sincere concern for customer feedback, convey the importance you place on it, and show appreciation for your customers.
5. Maintain a positive tone
No matter what feedback or tone the customer uses, it is important to always respond with a positive and constructive tone. It is crucial to avoid becoming defensive or argumentative, and instead, focus on finding a solution and demonstrating a willingness to address concerns and improve products, services, and processes.
6. Take the conversation offline
It is generally recommended to suggest continuing any discussion or resolution offline if a review necessitates it.
To ensure privacy and a personalized response, it is recommended to provide contact information or suggest reaching out to a designated representative for addressing any concerns privately. This approach helps protect confidential and irrelevant feedback, benefiting both customers and your organization.
7. Ask customers for their feedback
Customers, even those who are extremely satisfied, rarely leave reviews unless they are specifically requested to do so. Asking customers for reviews is the most effective method to receive excellent feedback. It is important to choose the right moment, after customers have experienced a positive experience, and ensure that the process of submitting a review is as convenient as possible.
Maintaining a step-by-step approach, ensure that every extra step is avoided as it can lead to friction and discourage happy customers from submitting a review, even if they have the intention to do so. Instead, provide individuals with simple links and instructions to facilitate the process. Having a consistent influx of positive reviews can effectively counterbalance any negative feedback and improve your overall online reputation.
8. Create other avenues for feedback
In order to enhance online products, improve service, and elicit better online reviews, seek alternative ways to gather feedback from customers beyond formal review processes. This can be achieved through surveys and customer service interactions, enabling your organization to identify and address constructive feedback before it escalates into a problem.
9. Monitor information in listings
In search results, reviews are occasionally combined from various platforms, highlighting the significance of regularly updating and ensuring accuracy in your online listings for branch locations, ATM locations, hours, and other crucial statistics.
Platforms may prompt users to verify information such as hours and location to ensure accuracy. However, if users provide inaccurate information, it can also cause your online listing to become inaccurate. This can result in issues and negative reviews, making it crucial to promptly and consistently address any inaccuracies.
10. Leverage social media listening and keyword monitoring
Financial brands can track mentions, keywords, and hashtags related to their institution, products, and services by using social media listening and monitoring tools.
Financial brands can proactively address misinformation, negative sentiment, or emerging trends that may affect customer behavior or reputation by monitoring social media commentary across all major channels. Furthermore, being informed and actively engaged in social media conversations can enable financial brands to identify ways to enhance customer experience.
