Customer Reviews: How to Get the Best Ones and Correct Not So Pleasant Ones

In today’s social media driven society, people are willing to share their customer service experiences, both good and bad. They might take to Twitter, post something on Facebook, or even visit a review site like Yelp to leave their feedback about your business.

As a business owner, you need to be aware of what others are saying about your products, services, and employees. You should make a point to strive to get the best reviews by providing your customers with outstanding customer service, each and every time.

Getting Started: Claim Your Business Listings

Most review sites and certain social media sites will have listings for businesses for customers to post reviews. You need to claim your business on these sites so you can interact with your customers and respond to their feedback.

TIP: Initially focus on only two to three sites your customers are using the most.

Responding to Reviews: Thank Everyone

Once you have claimed your business listings, you are now able to respond personally to customer feedback. It is important to thank everyone who took the time to leave feedback, regardless of whether it was positive or not so pleasant.

Address Less Than Favorable Reviews

Even though these types of reviews can be upsetting, it is important to put yourself in the place of the customer before responding. Read through the review to try to get to the heart of the matter and see why they left a poor review.

Make yourself accessible to the customer by offering to call them to discuss their situation further. Once the matter has been resolved, invite the customer to give your business another opportunity.

TIP: Never offer refunds, freebies, or other incentives in a public response, as this could result in more people leaving poor reviews.

Soliciting Customer Reviews

There are several things you can still do to get customers to leave you feedback, including:

• Use signage in your business to show what review sites you are featured on.
• Write messages on receipts requesting customers leave you feedback along with the website.
• Use the “tip” method, where you ask for the review face-to-face and tell the customer you reward your employees for outstanding customer service with bonuses.

Your objective should be to encourage reviews while customers’ experiences are still fresh in their minds.

TIP: You can reward your customers with a special incentive for leaving the review, like a monthly drawing for a gift card, free shipping, free bonus product/service with purchase, etc.

To summarize, always take the time to provide exceptional customer service, as this can lead to great reviews. Do not forget to monitor review sites, thank your customers, and respond to less than stellar reviews.

Here at Prudential Overall Supply, our work uniform company works hard to deliver the highest levels of customer service for all of our clients while providing them with cost-effective and affordable work uniform, apparel, and facility services. Please feel free to contact us at (800) 767-5536 today for more information!