A Little Yelp from My Friends
Have you checked your Yelp rating lately? How about Angie’s List? These are just two of the numerous websites on which customers can review, rate, and share their experiences with your company — both good and bad. And what your customers are writing can have a measurable impact on your bottom line, whether you like it or not.
For instance, the other day, I was trying to look up the number for a nearby pet store, and the first thing that popped up in my online search was a directory listing that included their Yelp rating (five stars). I read a few of the reviews and decided to go there instead of the big box pet store a few miles down the street. Not only did the staff at the store exceed my expectations, but the experience was so great that I went home, signed up for Yelp, and posted my first (five-star) review. Because of Yelp, they got my business and loyalty.
But monitoring your Yelp and Angie’s List listings isn’t the only thing you can do. Tactfully responding to online reviews, especially the poor reviews, can turn a dissatisfied customer into a repeat customer. If they had a bad experience with an installation, apologize politely and ask for more information. Engage, listen, and offer a solution, if possible. If they know someone is listening, that can make a world of difference.
You can also encourage customers to review your business. You can create a QR code that links directly to your listing and add it to your brochures or business cards, and you can include links to review sites on your website. Also, including some of those customer reviews on your website helps give your business even more credibility.
If you’re not on Angie’s List, Yelp, Google, etc., checking and responding to your customers’ reviews, you are missing a valuable opportunity to engage your satisfied customers, mend ties with your dissatisfied customers, and help boost your reputation as a business that is focused on its customers.
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