As consumers, we base our decisions entirely on reviews.
Whether it is a personal reference or an online review, customer feedback is an essential part of the business. When it comes to plumbing, the stakes are much higher.
People pay a good amount of money for repairing jobs. They expect a substantial quality of work in return. So to answer the question, yes, online reviews do matter when considering hiring professional plumbers. The difficulty of the task at hand is not essential, for it is the overall experience of working with a company that matters the most in the end.
To make sure your plumbing business thrives, you need a foolproof plan to garner as many positive online reviews as possible. We are the dwellers of the digital world where everything is a click and touch away. You could be a newbie, an established name in your industry – to make sure you are reaching the market; you need positive feedback.
Here is a comprehensive good for you related to how-to garner good reviews and deal with the bad ones, too, for they are one of your most substantial assets.
- Review Sources
Put yourself in the place of the customer. If you were looking for someone to fix your drain lines, would you first trust someone’s word of mouth or look up recommendations online straight away? Perhaps your search for a Dallas drain line repair service and stumble across an ad online. While some companies choose to limit their review panels, others provide their customers with as many avenues as possible to ensure presence. Set your priority review ground.
Google is the first place where we search for anything. Your Google profile should be an impressive one for starters. Your Facebook page most commonly appears right on top of the search list. An impressive Facebook profile will do half of your work for you, for it is the ideal platform for networking. Ask for customer feedback on your Facebook page. Once you have established a decent market, you can create a Facebook ad too.
Aside from social media, some prefer third-party review websites like Yelp. List your plumbing business in the right category with your complete profile. Finally, if you do not wish to swim in foreign waters, the best place to present reviews is on your website. Use a widget to pull reviews from third parties like Facebook and Google. Additionally, you can opt for a built-in review aggregator that is although a little more complex but much more controlling as it allows you to control your reviewers.
- Kickstart Your Review Stream
BrightLocal states that people need at least ten reviews to build an opinion about the trustworthiness of a business. Reviews, however, can be quite challenging to bring in, which leaves the question – how to get the process started? Here is a great way to start – just ask your customers. Feedback emails and messages are an excellent reminder, and you can program them to be sent almost immediately after you are done with business. You can wait for as many and three days for a response. When sending out requests, it is crucial to assign someone experienced with sales. A face-to-face request is the most effective of them all.
Do not forget to ask the right questions. Request them for a star rating on your page, and if you notice a good score, send a review link for further detail. You just have to be smart about the matter. Use attractive incentives to attract customers and positive reviews. Anything from a gift coupon to a raffle ticket is a good enough incentive to ensure a response. However, be sure not to abuse incentives.
- Follow Up on Reviews and Queries
Review and query responses represent a company’s interest in their clientele and their concerns. If customers see that a company has taken out the time to thank its customers for feedback, then that also leaves a good impression on them.
The Harvard Business Review notes higher overall business ratings with review responses. A simple token of gratitude with hopes of future business is an excellent way to increase customer loyalty and the chances of getting recommendations in the future as well.
It is crucial to not merely pay attention to the good things for nothing good comes in life without the bad.
Negative reviews deserve acknowledgment, and to ensure you establish a solid clientele; you need to let those disappointed know that you are working to improve your game.
The criticism highlights your flaws but allows you to learn professionalism in the process as well. Businesses should be approachable, and thoughtful response to a negative remark shows just that. Customer satisfaction can make or break your clientele. It is best to adopt an unbiased approach. Try not to be argumentative, defensive, or derogatory, and you are good to go.
- Use Reviews for Marketing Purposes
You need to build trust and loyalty amongst your clientele to ensure a stable market presence. Your marketing strategy is an aggregate of multiple components. Your content is one of those components. Diverse and thought-provoking content can boost business in a short time. Content focusing on reviews is a useful advertising tool.
- Parting Thoughts
Reviews provide you with an excellent opportunity to gain customer loyalty. Employ the use of these tried and tested tactics to make the most out of their marketing potential to edge out the competition. In the end, it is not the size of the business that matters but customer satisfaction that leads the name forward.
