Great reviews can be the key to a steady stream of new customers especially if you run a local business. And while offering quality services is the first step to getting great reviews, there are other things you should be doing so that your customers are willing to make the effort to actually leave positive thoughtful comments on your site. Focusing on some of these action items in your customer relations will help increase the likelihood of getting good reviews.
Be Authentic and Honest
One of the best ways you can really win customers over is by being totally upfront with them throughout the entirety of your interaction. If, for example, you run a company performing various home renovations or remodeling, try to give a completely honest estimate at the beginning and continue to keep your customers involved and updated through the course of the project.
When your clients feel that you are trying to keep them up to date and when they can recognize that you are being totally honest about the situation from start to finish, they’ll sense your reliability and will be more likely to give you solid reviews.
Manage Your Online Reviews
In addition to giving great service when you interact with your customers, you should also work to respond to and demonstrate your value. Make sure you take a look at reviews posted on your website and Google.
Positive reviews reveal trust in your business. And when individuals take the time to demonstrate that trust, it’s important that you validate it. This will send a signal to potential clients that you value your customer experience.
Follow Up
One of the best things to do to ensure that your customers have a great experience is to follow up with them after the service is complete. For example, if you run a collision repair shop, consider reaching out to your customers after repairs have been made to see if they have noticed any issues since receiving their car back.
This kind of follow-up will be incredibly helpful to your customers and will help them feel like you really care about their experience, about the quality of the repair, and that you are committed to doing only the best work for them. After following up and ensuring things are working properly, customers will be much likelier to both take your survey and give you a rave review.
While it’s essential that you do things like follow up with your customers and respond to their reviews, don’t neglect the main work of giving quality services. If you’re in a situation where you have a lot of bad reviews and are trying to reestablish your credibility, try to make small steps in your current customer interactions. Focus on the main issues that surface in reviews and go from there.
Read this next: What You Need to Build Better Trust Among Your Customers