Respond to reviews - doing so will improve your business's score

We have said it before (here's last year's article) but this article on the Harvard Business Review prompted us to repeat - and simplify - the message (and it applies to every business on the planet - not just hotels). 

Responding to reviews is proven (see here) to have the following effects:

• customers will - on average - increase their score of you business. And with the Google filter now set at 4.5 every 0.1 counts.
• customers will be less likely to post a negative review - because they know it will elicit a response from the business.
• customers will 'keep to the facts' - again, knowing they will be challenged if they exaggerate

On top of that, customers that post a positive review will have that positive experience reinforced if you thank them. It will also impress readers, of whatever kind of review, if you show you care about each and every comment made by your customers. 

If you have any questions at all, about the response mechanism on a particular platform (Google, TripAdvisor, Facebook etc.) or about just how to word a particular response, just call us here at HelpHound.

Responding to reviews - what can you hard-nosed business people learn from a ballerina?

She left her home in Argentina at the age of fifteen, to train at Royal Ballet School. She is universally acknowledged at one of the greatest ballerinas of our time. But we can be pretty sure she has not had much training in marketing or social media - so what can Marianela Nunez teach us business folk?

Let us begin by telling you a story: last night a HelpHound staffer attended a performance of Marguerite and Armand by the Royal Ballet. Being a keen fan of ballet in general and Ms Nunez in particular our staffer follows her on Instagram. Let's be clear about this - she did not invite this person to follow her, they just 'did', as you do on Instagram. But they posted their congratulations on her performance, not at the end of the evening, but during the interval. What do you suppose happened next? 

This happened next...

...and for those of you who don't use Instagram, the 'heart' is a user's way of thanking someone for their comment. Much more importantly: the thanks were posted within ten minutes of the original comment being uploaded.

Compare that with businesses and their reviews. We would rather not, but since it is an important part of our job, we will.

We reckon the average business does not respond to reviews - ever - at all. Bearing in mind that these reviews are posted by happy customers who have gone to some lengths to express that happiness - and that responding is FREE for the business - we are dumbfounded.

How about "Thanks for your kind comment and helpful suggestions"? That took all of ten seconds to type. Even better: how about addressing the criticisms? But three weeks later and...nothing. It gets worse. 

The next reviewer is doing their best to say "Don't use this company". So what does the business, with all its marketing nous and resources, say?

Nothing. No apology, no explanation. How could this be? Seriously: HOW - COULD - THIS - BE?

Let's apply all of our experience and give you some options - and our answer to those options...

• Option 1: the business is unaware that they have the review. We see this all the time with big corporates (seldom with SMEs - a review like this rightly keeps them awake at night). So many businesses think they have reviews covered - when we meet them they say things like "Our PR people handle that side of things" - our answer? Make sure an individual within the branch is nominated an understands their responsibility. And then make sure head office has KPIs to keep the branches on their toes.

• Option 2: the business doesn't know how to respond. They may have lost their G+ log in details (often the person that set up their G+ account has left). Solution: ask us for our simple step-by-step memo and our help to recover the lost log-in.

• Option 3: a negative attitude to reviews. All people who write reviews are either 'idiots with too much time on their hands' (positives) or 'keyboard warriors with impure motives' (negatives). This reason for ignoring reviews - and not responding - is more common than some might imagine - but it flatly goes against all the evidence that consumers now rely more heavily on reviews than ever before. Solution: a fundamental shift in the business's attitude and approach to reviews needs to happen.

• Option 4: Failing to understand that the simple act of responding to reviews makes it less likely that someone will post a negative review in future. Action: try it - prove it for yourself, it's true.

...and, most important of all...

• Option 5: Failing to understand that a good showing in reviews, which consists not only of getting great reviews but in responding to those reviews in a timely manner, drives business through the door.

And, by 'timely' what exactly do we mean? How about 'within an hour of receiving the email from Google alerting you to the review's appearance?

New from Google - your own Dashboard

Today your business received an email* like this from Google...

 *to the registered user on your Google My Business account. 

...and one click away is this...

...which contains all your Google housekeeping in one place. Need to change your office hours? Click top left. Need to create a new Google Post? Bottom left. But most important of all, from our point-of-view: responding to reviews at top right.

After all, this looks good...

...but this says so much more... 

We always advise clients to respond to every review they receive. It not only impresses potential customers in myriad ways (you care, you look professional, you look as if you understand modern marketing) it also gives you a great opportunity to highlight aspects of your products or services as well as giving fair warning to anyone tempted to unfairly criticise (that they will be challenged).

Responding to reviews - a great opportunity to impress everyone

Suppose, just for a moment, Google rang you and said 'we are going to allow you unlimited space to promote your business*, all you have to do is write the words'. What would you do?

Decline politely? Write the bare minimum? Or, as we are suggesting, give serious consideration to every word you craft? *Because that's exactly what Google are allowing you to do when responding to reviews.

Here are some tips on how to respond to online reviews - whatever your business, and whatever the reviews platform. Some are basic CRM, some may be less obvious, but nonetheless important; let's start with the basics...

1. Respond.  Businesses that respond to reviews do more business. It's as simple as that.
2. Respond to all your reviews. It constantly astonishes us how many businesses only respond to negative reviews. A response takes minutes at the most, seconds usually.
3. Be aware that you are speaking to every potential customer when you respond. Most businesses address the writer of the review and forget that they have an opportunity to impress all those who read it.

If this is as far as you read (and then act) you will already be doing a better job than 90% of businesses on the planet. Read on if you want to get into the top 1%!

Respond

A simple 'Thank you' or 'We're sorry' is better than nothing at all.  

Tailoring your response

It should not take long (and if it does it usually means the review in question has the potential to do real harm to your business if not responded to correctly). Here are some tips and examples.

This is a fairly 'standard' negative review. There is nothing the business can do - it is not against Google's T&Cs, so it cannot be appealed (consult us if you do have an unfair or inaccurate negative review, we will advise you if there is a chance that it may be taken down on appeal) - except respond, which the business has done.

But how could the response be refined? Perhaps something like this (if the customer is recognised):

Or this (if the customer is unknown to the business):

Points to note - 'Dos':

1. Always begin by using the reviewer's name (as posted - not as you may know it internally). If the reviewer has posted as MickeyMouse123 then address them as such - that is the convention
2. Write so as to impress any third-party (a potential customer) reading your response that you are represent a well-managed caring business. Expressions such as 'As soon as I saw...'
3. Refer to the positive nature of the majority of your reviews
4. Refer to the fact that it is company policy to proactively invite reviews
5. Predict a positive outcome
6. Always sign the review in person - never 'Customer services' or unattributed
7. If you don't want to disclose an individual email address make sure your business has a dedicated address for review correspondence

 Points to note - Don'ts:

1. Never disclose a customer's personal or financial details in a response: 'your credit card was declined' or 'your references were unsatisfactory'
2. Don't get into a confrontational situation - it helps no-one, least of all your business, if you agrue in public (bear in mind that reviewers can edit their review - both ways)
3. NEVER offer financial incentives - either for posting reviews or for modifying them - a comment along the lines of 'They offered me £x to delete this review' is difficult, if not impossible, to come back from

Responding to positive reviews

You would think this would be a piece of cake - what could go wrong? Well, in two words: 'missed opportunities'. 

Let's look at an example:

Here the business has responded - a massive step in the right direction. but could they have done better? Remember Google's invitation? Here goes...

See?  Don't miss the opportunity to refer to products and services that may be relevant to anyone reading the review and your response. And, again, do sign off with your name and position.

In summary

If you follow the advice contained in this article you will see more of the benefits of properly engaging with reviews, whichever platform they are on.