Why are reviews so important for your field service business? Reviews are a crucial element of your online presence because they help consumers make informed decisions.
More than half of consumers say they will avoid businesses with ratings under four stars. Consumers see reviews as being more trustworthy than advertising, and the internet makes it easy to look for ratings and reviews and compare different businesses.
Getting more field service reviews for your business should be a part of your growth strategy since it will help you acquire new customers. Here are some steps you can follow to increase positive online reviews.
- Set Up Profiles on Review Sites
Start by claiming your business listings on different review sites and joining different social media platforms. Here are some platforms where you should create profiles:
• Google
• Facebook
• Yelp
• Yellow Pages
• Manta
• Foursquare
• Angie’s List
• Better Business Bureau
Claiming your business listings on these different sites gives you the possibility to respond to reviews. You can also add content to your business listing, including a link to your website and your contact information. Popular review sites like Yelp can become an effective lead-generation tool once you complete your profile!
Keep in mind that some users will write a Facebook post or a tweet rather than rate your business on Google or Yelp. You need to monitor social media along with review sites. - Request Reviews from Your Customers
Seeing positive reviews from your existing customers will build your social proof. However, you can offer an amazing service and experience, and a lot of your customers still won’t take the time to review your business.
Don’t hesitate to ask your customers to write a review. A survey found that 74% were asked to write reviews by a business, and 68% of them took the time to write a review. A majority of your customers will probably write a review if you ask them to do so.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when asking for reviews:
• Do it at the right time. It makes sense to ask for a review after a transaction, but don’t rush your customers. Make sure customers don’t need any additional help and have received answers to all their questions before asking for a review.
• Send an email a couple of days after a field visit to thank customers for their business and ask for a review.
• Make it convenient. Share links to different sites your customers can use to write reviews.
• Explain how customers can rate your business and leave reviews. Explain how Google Reviews work and why they matter for your business.
• Use the right channels to ask for reviews. You can use emails, or send a message via Facebook Messenger if a customer likes your page on Facebook. Asking for reviews in person is another great way to encourage customers to write reviews. - Offer Incentives
Online reviews can help with customer acquisition. Positive reviews send a strong signal that your business is trustworthy. Think about offering incentives if you have few online reviews or if most of your reviews feel old. Customers are more likely to trust businesses with recent reviews and with a large number of positive reviews.
You can get more reviews by offering incentives like a coupon code customers can redeem the next time they use your services. Customers can also get an entry into a contest or a free item for writing a review.
Make it clear that the ratings and reviews should be genuine. Don’t offer incentives to influence what customers say about your business. - Monitor Online Reviews
The importance of Google Reviews can’t be understated since it’s one of the first things customers see when they look up local businesses online. However, 59% of consumers will look at two or three review sites before making a decision. You need to monitor all the review sites we listed above and keep an eye on mentions of your business on social media.
When monitoring online reviews, pay attention to the star rating and overall sentiments expressed in the reviews. Keep track of which platforms customers use to write reviews.
If you use customer satisfaction surveys, add a question about which sites customers used to find reviews. You can also ask that question in person.
Take the time to respond to reviews. If the review is positive, thank the customer for choosing your business and writing a review. If you receive three or four stars, reach out and ask what you could have done better. - Reply to Negative Reviews
Bad reviews can hurt your business since they will make customers hesitate about choosing your business over other options. It’s essential to develop a strategy for addressing negative reviews.
Monitor reviews and social media posts about your business and respond right away if you see anything negative.
The best way to respond to a bad review is to apologize for the bad experience and acknowledge the issues mentioned in the review. Don’t use a script when apologizing. Write a heartfelt response that feels genuine.
There is no need to go into detail when responding to a bad review. Instead, encourage the customer to contact you via another channel so you can find out more and find a resolution. Follow up with the customer later to make sure they are satisfied with the resolution.
If a negative review reveals a problem with your services, make some changes. - Use Feedback to Take Action
You can use online reviews, surveys, and conversations with your customers to learn more about their experience and look for ways to improve the quality of your services.
Tracking your star rating on different review sites is a good indicator of overall customer satisfaction, but you should read each review and reach out to customers to ask more questions to get a better idea of how you can improve the services you offer.
Think about supplementing reviews with interviews and focus groups. You can ask open-ended questions and find out more about what customers expect from your business and how you can improve.
WorkWave Agency offers comprehensive software solutions designed for field businesses. Book a demo to find out more about our products and how they could help you offer a better customer experience and get more positive online reviews!
