How to Turn Your Online Reviews into an Asset
Opinions are like armpits, we’ve all got ‘em and we don’t pay attention to them unless they stink. So what happens when someone else’s stinky opinion of your carrier company, the company you’ve worked hard to cultivate and grow, is published online for all the world to see?93% of consumers say they look at and consider online reviews before deciding on a company. Don’t let negative reviews cut into your revenue. Here’s how to take control of your online reputation and build it into an asset for your company.
How to Find Your Reviews
There are many websites where people can leave a review for your company. Even if there is not an existing profile or listing for your company on the website, anyone can make one for you. It’s important to track these pages and “claim” them to provide other people seeking your services with correct information.Here are some websites to check:
After locating each of your pages on these websites, you will want to begin the process of “claiming” the page as your own. The procedure for completing this will vary based on the website you’re on, but you may need to provide a company email or legal documents proving your company ownership.
How to Understand Your Star Rating
Is 5-stars really the best? According to studies, today’s educated consumer is weary of a perfect 5-star review. It feels inauthentic. Consumers also said they trust 1-star reviews the most, as most people know that if a customer is dissatisfied, they are going to tell people about it. However, you do want to ensure your average star rating stays above a 4.There is also benefit to quantity of reviews. The more total reviews left on a website, the more trustworthy a consumer finds them. According to studies, consumers read an average of 10 reviews before deciding on a company to build a relationship with. Having a higher quantity of reviews can also help your business rank higher in searches.
How to Gain More Reviews
Your customers are 21% more likely to leave a review after a negative experience than a positive one. So, how do you counteract these inevitable negative reviews with ones from happy customers? Simple: just ask them to leave you a review.70% of consumers who were asked to leave a review, did so. While every platform has different rules for gaining reviews, simply asking after a completed transaction is still the most commonly accepted method.When asking for reviews, keep in mind that Yelp forbids sending customers a link to your page to leave a review. Also, Google dissuades and may remove reviews it believes were left using a filtering software. They feel these methods result in unauthentic results, and they have tools that can tell when you’ve used methods to try to help you boost your reviews.
How to Address Negative Reviews
Perhaps even more important than adding positive reviews to your pages is addressing negative reviews left. While it may be impossible to get a customer to remove a negative review, addressing it publicly (which is an option on almost all platforms) can negate its effects on potential customers seeking information from these reviews.Over half of consumers who leave a review, expect the business to respond. When responding, keep in mind the following:
- Be diplomatic. Keep in mind that other potential customers will be seeing your response, and it’s important to remain professional. Arguing or attempting to prove the customer is incorrect is not going to benefit you in the long run.
- Keep your response simple. Simply offering an apology that they did not enjoy the experience, a sincere request for more information, as well as a valid contact within the company they can speak with may suffice.
- Respond quickly. To be most effective, responding within 7-days (or less) is ideal.
How to Grow Your Star Rating & Your Business
There is a strong correlation between revenue and star ratings, especially in service-based businesses. Monitoring platforms where reviews are left, asking customers to leave you a review, and responding to negative reviews is vital to growing your business.As an eTrac Partner, after an introduction is made to a potential shipper or 3PL customer, it is up to your company to complete the sales process and market your business to them effectively. While we will bring you opportunities to grow your business, once the shipper is provided a list of Carrier Partners who can fulfill their requirements, they may look into reviews, your website, and other resources to find information on your company. It’s important to put your best foot forward!Learn more about how eTrac can help grow your business here.