One problem I see with online reviews is that a business owner could pose as a “customer” and give himself a good review. Who would know, right? This is also an issue I have with blogs as well. Over here at Customers Are Always I sometimes get comments about a company or service from a so-called “customer” when in actuality I think that it’s someone in their marketing department trying to make the company look good.
Anyhow, Ilana Debare provides some tips at the end of the article. Here are some noteworthy ones:
-- Use reviews to improve your operations. Some negative reviews are off the mark, but most provide at least a kernel of truth about problems in your business. Take steps to fix these problems.
-- Respond to unhappy customers. Some sites allow you to send a personal message to reviewers; others let you post a public response. If a reviewer has a legitimate gripe, e-mail him or her with an apology. Consider making amends for their bad experience with the offer of a free or discounted service. If the site allows a public response, try to explain your side of the story without sounding defensive or angry. Avoid getting into a cycle of hostile accusations.
-- Encourage your customers to post reviews. Mention these review sites to your regular customers, and tell them how much you would appreciate them posting an honest review about you.
An online review is a great source for customer feedback - what’s so great about it is that it’s free information. You don’t have to pay anybody to conduct a survey for you. Also, customers are likely to be more honest because they have chosen to do the review instead of being asked.
Related Post:
Are You Gathering Feedback From Your Customers?
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