By Jim Clanin
Online reviews are used by 90% of consumers. This statistic means that your business needs to be online, watching what people say about the products or services your brand offers. Customers use online reviews to decide what to purchase and what services are best for them. If you don’t monitor your online reviews, you could be missing the critical information you need to take your business to the next level. Even if you have the best reputation management service, you should still be active in the communities that support your business.
There are some things you can do when monitoring your online business reviews that will increase your profits and keep your customers happy.
1. Respond
Responding to reviews is essential. This shows your customers that you are interested in what they have to say and that you record their feedback. Customers take the time to leave a review and like to see that it is noticed. If you have an unhappy customer, address the situation online. Your potential customers will know how you deal with negative situations, and your loyal customers will probably still support you.
2. Don’t Panic
If you get negative reviews, apologize to the customer and try to fix the problem that they have with your business. Don’t respond to reviews if you are angry or upset, this will come out in your response, and the backlash will be worse.
3. Feedback is Useful Data
Record the feedback from customers, so that you can improve your products or services. This is an excellent way to make sure you are giving the public exactly what they want from your business. Customers enjoy giving suggestions and being heard. If you have feedback that is split, try doing a poll on social media to gather the numbers and see if you should make a change.
4. Promote Your Good Reviews
You should make it a priority to share the reviews you get and celebrate the success of your business. You can share your reviews on social media, your website, or even in print mailers. Your customers will love seeing what they wrote on other sites and featured on your website. Your potential customers will appreciate the access to your reviews in numerous locations.
Monitoring all of your reviews may be difficult at times, but keeping up with them can make all of the difference in how customers view your business ethics. Become a part of a community that appreciates and celebrates each other’s opinions. Having conversations with the public about your business can bring suggestions that may give you good ideas for the future. Listening and responding are both great qualities to showcase when you monitor your online reviews.
