The basics of successful communication
1. Respond briefly
Keep your responses short and honest. Don’t overwhelm your potential and existing customers with long responses.
2. Treat your customer as a friend
Only your customers are the reviewers. Instead of selling them what they’ve already bought, tell them something new & interesting about your company.
3. Thank customers for the reviews
Always express your gratitude to the reviewers. Thus you’ll show them and your potential customers that you value honest feedback and care about their opinion.
4. Respond quickly
Try to answer within 48 hours. A quick response means that you are interested in the customer’s opinion and values it.
5. Answer consistently
The more you communicate with your customers, the more attractive your business becomes for the new clients. Try to respond more often.
6. Avoid common answers
Write thoughtful and humanized responses. Use the name of the reviewer, make every response unique. It will improve your reputation.
Positive & negative reviews
Positive
1. Appreciate customers’ time and opinion
Say “thank you” for spending time on writing review and express your gratitude for candid feedback. It’ll demonstrate that you value customer’s time and opinion.
2. Encourage them to come back
Don’t forget to invite your customers back! Thus you’ll show that they are important for you.
3. Focus on your clientele
Don’t chase new customers. Make sure your existing clients stay with you and are satisfied with the services you provide.
Negative:
1. Give explanatory responses with details of customer’s case
The best response is the one that addresses the specific issue and tells about measures taken to solve the customer’s problem. Show that their review was considered, and you are improving.
2. Apologize
Sometimes sincere apology works out the best. It will humanize your company and show your ability to confess mistakes.
3. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes.
Imagine that you were in the same situation as your customer. Think about the best solution to the problem and try to do it even more. Even if you aren’t able to change the situation, the effort will be highly appreciated.
4. Keep the faith and be sincere
Don’t promise more than you can do and never, never lie. Always provide what you have promised so that your business will be trustworthy.
5. Don’t get emotional. Stay professional
Don’t let the feelings overwhelm you. Keep your responses polite and professional. Arguing with the reviewer will drive your potential customers away.
6. Think of a crisis communication plan
Before you start using social media, you should create a crisis communication plan. Thus in critical situations, you’ll know how to react and won’t disappoint your customers by silence.
The impact of online reviews on customers’ buying decisions
1. 69% of all consumers search the internet for online reviews, making it a very powerful source of information that has a major impact on consumers’ behavior and purchasing process.
2. 30% of consumers assume online reviews are fake if there are no negative reviews
3. 40% of consumers read online reviews on their smartphones directly at the point of sale. Consumers who read reviews on a smartphone are 127% more likely to buy than those who read reviews on desktop PCs.
4. Only 28% of all the consumers in the USA have written reviews, but 84% of them have read reviews written by other customers.
5. Products rated 4.5 stars (out of 5) sell the best
72% of consumers will consider buying a product or service with a 3-star rating. However, only 27% of consumers will consider a product or service with a 2-star rating.