How to Effectively Respond to Customer Reviews

When running an online business, customer reviews, whether positive or negative, are going to come. As an owner, you should always answer back. Many times, the number of customers outnumbers the employees, meaning brands only have so much control over what's said about them online.

So when the chance is given, take control of the way you respond and manage those reviews.

Have you ever researched a brand before utilizing its services? Well, you're not alone. Research shows that 90% of customers read reviews before continuing with a business service.

If you're an online business owner and not so sure where to start, follow along to see how to get your clients to leave a good review and how to effectively respond to customer reviews.

The Types of Reviews You Can Receive

1. Quotes

As a brand owner, this will probably be one of the easiest reviews to get. A satisfied customer may send over an email expressing their gratitude. From there you can ask the person if they'd be okay with you sharing a snippet of their emails as a quote on the website. Most of the time you will get a yes.

Many business websites will often display this in a callout box with the customer's name and sometimes a picture of the person who said it.

2. Social Media

In this digital age, social media can be a make or break for your online business. With the use of social media, customers are more empowered than ever when it comes to reviewing a business’s service or product.

If you are a business owner, having an online presence is important to better understand your customer’s wants and needs. Start by creating business accounts on popular media platforms such as Facebook, Google, Instagram, and Twitter. Facebook has become one of the top review sites.

It's also not uncommon to catch larger brands such as Amazon or Delta Airlines on Twitter responding to a customer with a good or bad experience.

Similar to third-party site reviews, you'll want to respond quickly. This will allow you to remain active and an easy outlet for customers to be able to reach you. Potential shoppers value these authentic reactions when visiting sites to purchase.

3. Third Party Sites

These are customer reviews that are published through third-party websites that are not affiliated with the business in review. These third-party websites include Yelp, Google, and the Better Business Bureau.

Oftentimes, potential customers see these reviews as highly authentic. As an online brand owner, it is best to respond quickly to third-party reviews to show that you are engaged and looking to better your business.

4. Case Studies

Case studies are a bit different from the previous reviews listed. These are mainly written by the business but also include quotes from clients. This helps showcase your ability to help a customer reach a specific goal.

Stakeholders can use a case study as a resource when deciding on a B2B company before signing up for services.

5. Customer Stories

Similar to case studies, customer stories are written by the business but instead, it is client focused. This gives your business the opportunity to have customers share their true experiences with your services or products. This will help build personal connections and lead you down the right path to receiving a good review.

6. User Generated Content and Brand Ambassadors

User-generated content has become one of the most popular tools when it comes to marketing your brand.

Every day people are taking videos, writing reviews, and publishing blogs about your business service or product without you even having to ask. It's easy to run across someone on the internet that has a following these days, so take advantage of those customers by encouraging them to share their experiences.

Putting them front and center serves as a win-win for you and the customer. With this, you're able to spotlight an individual who helped shape the brand.

Seeing content from real people increases your credibility and shows that your brand actually delivers what is advertised. People trust user-generated content because they know that the options are unbiased and genuine.

For your business, you can add those social media posts to your website for potential customers to see this user-generated content. Even try reaching out to them by offering a free trial of a product or service for a video review or written post.

Tips for Responding to Positive Reviews

• Always thank the reviewer: show them their kind deed didn't go unnoticed.
  
• Respond as soon as you can: this simple action allows the customer to feel appreciated.
• Keep your message brief: your response does not have to be lengthy, it's best to leave it short and sweet.
• Be authentic and personal: step away from giving the same cookie-cutter response and assure them you are human too!
• Share the review: this is a time to rejoice, take the good news you just received, and put it on your social media platforms for everyone to see.

It's always a plus to receive a positive review. When you do, make sure to respond with some help from these editable positive review templates.

Tips for Responding to Negative Reviews

• Acknowledge and apologize for any mistakes. Even if you feel you did nothing wrong this will help defuse the situation.
• Attempt to resolve the issue. See what can be done to take care of the situation at hand, if there's nothing that can be done at the moment assure the customer that it won't happen again.
• Move the conversation offline. When it comes to a bad experience it can be difficult to resolve through electronic responses. Provide your contact information and show your willingness to address the customer's problem.
• Keep your word. Follow through on the discussion that you and the customer had. This not only protects credibility but your reputation as well.
• Responding to negative reviews can be a breeze. You can even use these editable negative review response templates to help you.

Finally, if you've showcased exceptional customer service throughout, don't be afraid to ask a customer to leave a good review. To help you do this, check out these editable review request email templates from Smith.ai. Fill in the blanks and automate these emails to start asking for and receiving reviews in no time.