10 Must Do Tips on Using Customer Reviews to Boost Your SME

With the extreme popularity of social media among consumers, more and more people are turning to peer reviews to make decisions about which businesses to work with. Thus, it is critical that your business respond to customer reviews in an effective manner in order to maintain your organisation’s online reputation. One bad review doesn’t have to break your business, but not handling that review well can have serious implications for the level of trust customers have in your organisation. Read on for 10 tips to help your business get more customer reviews and use those reviews to your advantage.

It is amazing how many businesses neglect to follow this important step. Your customer will be searching for your business on review sites like Yelp or Google Reviews, so be sure to claim your business’s page as your own. This will enable you to edit or update the information displayed. You want to make sure that potential customers have access to the most accurate information about your business. Claiming your page can also give you access to notifications when new reviews are posted.

Always respond to reviews as quickly as possible, whether positive or negative. A simple thank you is all that is needed for a positive review. Negative reviews, on the other hand, require a much more careful response. Always be diplomatic, and resist the urge to argue or get defensive. Do the best you can to apologise to the customer, and try to rectify the situation wherever possible. In many cases, a disgruntled customer will leave with a more positive impression of your business after you have fixed an issue than if they had had a positive experience in the first place.

Rather than simply sourcing your reviews from major review websites, you may want to consider allowing customers to leave reviews on your own site. Not only is it good marketing for your business, but it can also help prospective customers find your business’s website. When they search for reviews for your product or service, they will be brought directly to your website, rather than a review aggregator. This way, they are already right where they need to be to make a purchase.

This may seem obvious, but sometimes your customers need a bit of a reminder to post a review about your product or service. Don’t be too pushy, but kindly suggest to your customers that they write a review in any follow-up emails you send them after they have made a purchase. For service businesses, let your customers know how much you appreciate their business and that you would really appreciate it if they could write a review for you.

Customers are more inclined to leave positive reviews for businesses whose products or services wowed them. To create a truly memorable experience for your customers that they will want to share, try to go above and beyond their expectations. One of the best ways to do this is to personalise your service to each individual customer. This way, they’ll feel like your business truly cares about them and that they are not just a number to your company.

Keep an eye out for any trends in your reviews. For example, if you notice several reviews complaining about the same aspect of your service, this is probably an area that you need to pay more attention to. Likewise, a steady stream of positive reviews is a sign that your business is on the right track. Don’t sit back and relax, though; your business needs to constantly change and grow in order to stay on top.

This might seem obvious, but this is the most important thing you can do with regard to the customer reviews you receive. While you don’t need to take into consideration every single comment you receive, it is important to take note of common complaints and make adjustments accordingly. Not only will it improve the reviews you receive in the future, but it will also show your customers that you value their feedback. Make sure to publicise it when you make changes to keep your customers updated.

A testimonials page on your website can highlight the key aspects that your customers love about your business. Using customer reviews as testimonials gives their comments more credibility than if it were your business claiming that customers love it. Pull great quotes out of customer reviews to fill your testimonials page. Be sure to update it on a regular basis so the reviews reflect the current state of your business.

If you are struggling to generate a consistent flow of reviews, you may want to consider offering your customers some kind of incentive for posting their thoughts. This could be a coupon for a future visit, free company merchandise, an invitation to an exclusive sale or any other reward that is suitable for your business. Be sure to communicate to your customers that you still expect them to be honest in their reviews, even though they are receiving an incentive.

More and more people are using their mobile phones to search for and write reviews, so make sure that your business’s website is mobile responsive. It should display just as clearly on a mobile phone or tablet as it does on traditional desktop or laptop computers. Sites that are not mobile responsive often lose viewers to competitors’ sites that make it easier for them to find the information they need on any device.

With these tips, your business should be well on its way to successfully obtaining and managing customer reviews. The most important thing is to engage with your customers. Show them how much your business cares about them, and they will reciprocate by sharing their positive comments about your business.

With these tips, your business should be well on its way to successfully obtaining and managing customer reviews. The most important thing is to engage with your customers. Show them how much your business cares about them, and they will reciprocate by sharing their positive comments about your business.