Help and Support: 11 Ways to Encourage Honest Reviews

People have a tendency to speak their mind online. More specifically, they have a tendency to review products and services without being afraid of retribution, despite the fact that this is typically frowned upon by the organization in question. That’s right – people are honest reviewers, but they’re also honest consumers, which means companies are just as likely to get bad reviews online as good ones.

So what should you do? 

The best advice provided by https://cleanersj.com/ is: Make your customers happy! Offer them top-notch customer service that exceeds expectations and provides them with what they paid for in full. This way, you’re less likely to receive negative reviews.

Best suited for:

Local business owners and entrepreneurs who want to know ways they can make their customers happy and less likely to receive bad reviews.

Benefits:

A sales person’s job is hard enough without having to worry about negative comments online. But certain actions you take could eliminate this problem altogether. Here are some tips on how local business owners can encourage honest reviews through customer service, while improving the overall experience of the customer.

1) If you have a phone system that is difficult to understand, involve customers in the design process while showing them how it works before you install the system at their office.

Benefit:

Having a phone system that doesn’t match the customer experience will only make them more disappointed, especially if they are not informed of how it works. If you leave the decision up to them, though, you could still sell the phone system while demonstrating its different features at the same time.

Follow through with what your reputation suggests

2) If you are in an industry that requires clients to pay for their services upfront – i.e., cleaning businesses or healthcare offices – follow through with what your reputation suggests.

Benefit:

A customer who pays up front expects to be served in a timely manner. If they are not, there is no reason for them not to voice their disappointment online. In this case, offer something in return for their loyalty – a discount on services or a prize.

Charge an up-front fee

3) If you have to charge an up-front fee, let your clients know ahead of time.

Benefit:

In many cases, customers don’t realize they’ve been charged more than they bargained for until it is too late. Try giving them extra attention during the transaction so this doesn’t happen. By informing them of the extra cost upfront, you will encourage them to be more satisfied with their experience next time around.

Moving to a new location

4) If you are currently in the process of moving to a new location, give them an opportunity to provide you with feedback.

Benefit:

Moving companies often ask for reviews from customers after they have been relocated. If you make your customers feel special by asking for their honest feedback before the move, they will be more likely to write a positive review after everything is done and dusted.

Encourage your clients to leave feedback

5) It’s important to encourage your clients to leave feedback on your website as soon as possible after purchasing a product or service.

Benefit:

By encouraging honest feedback online, you will increase the chance that customers will realize that they were not satisfied with their purchase and thus be willing to leave a review. It’s simple. Tell them, “Leave a review on our site and get $5 off your next purchase.” Next thing you know, you’re getting honest reviews instead of having to pay for fake ones.

Restaurant business

6) If you are in the restaurant business, ask about how the food was prepared.

Benefit:

If you allow your customers to provide feedback, they will feel appreciated by the fact that their opinion matters to you. This is especially important if they shared any concerns about the food with your staff – now is their chance to make things right! It is also an opportunity for you to gain insight on where your business can improve.

Flexible payment options

7) If possible, offer flexible payment options like monthly plans or discounts for early payments.

Benefit:

If you can offer a discount or allow for more convenient monthly payments, your customers will be more likely to enjoy their experience and less likely to write a bad review online. The best part? You will take away one of the major reasons why people leave bad reviews (i.e., “I was not satisfied with my purchase because I paid too much.”)

Business of renting out items

8) If you are in the business of renting out items, ask for feedback on how the customer found their experience.

Benefit:

If they had any problems or concerns, now is their chance to voice them before the transaction is complete. And while you are asking for feedback, be sure to ask them if they were satisfied with the item they rented, too.

Telephone answering service

9) If you have a telephone answering service, encourage your customers to leave a message so you can answer their questions in a timely manner.

Benefit:

Many people do not review businesses because they have issues with customer service. However, people who do leave reviews usually note that the company answered their call/message within a reasonable time frame. If you can provide excellent customer service yourself, taking away this reason for not providing reviews will surely help your business grow.

Free return shipping

10) If you are in the business of selling products online, offer free return shipping.

Benefit:

If your company offers free return shipping, people will be more likely to purchase something from your site. And who wouldn’t be swayed by an offer like that? Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily have to only offer free return shipping on products you’ve sold – if you are running a real estate business, for example, where homes are rented out for short periods of time , you can still offer this option.

Business of selling products

11) If you are in the business of selling products, ask if they would like to see samples prior to purchasing to see if the product is what they were searching for.

Benefit:

If your business offers free samples, customers will be more likely to buy from you because they will feel confident that the product is exactly what they wanted. If it comes packaged with a seller’s discount or a VIP membership for future purchases, it will only make them want to continue their relationship with your website and shop more.