If you’re a local business owner, agency, or long-term freelancer, a stellar online reputation is vital to your success. You need good reviews to attract new customers. But even if all your customers appreciate your work, it’s hard to get the reviews and ratings you need. That’s why many business owners consider using a review generation tool.
But are review generation tools really a good idea? Or is it better to take a more personalized approach?
Let’s break down how an online review generation tool can and can’t help you.
Time considerations
One of the main advantages of a review generation tool is that it reduces the time you and your customers spend on online reviews.
Among other functions, review generation tools make it easier and faster to request reviews. Some free tools can automatically send an optimized review request to your customers once you input their names and emails. Rather than manually sending thousands of emails, you can set up the tool to do much of the work for you.
A review generation tool can also make it easier for your customers to write a review. If you ask someone to write a review in person, they will need to take the time to search online for the appropriate review site, which is just enough additional effort to demotivate many customers.
But with a review generation tool, you can send review request emails that take customers to a feedback page in just one click.
If you want to reach all your customers with the easiest way for them to leave a review, an online review generation tool is the best option.
Intercepting negative feedback
Most unhappy customers don’t really want to ruin your online reputation. They just want you to solve their problem. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way for a customer to cry for help is to leave a negative review, which lowers your average online ratings.
That’s why you need to get in touch with unhappy customers before they write a review. From there, you can find out what they’re struggling with and resolve the issue.
But how do you find unhappy customers pre-review?
Some customer review tools like the free Kudo can direct customers to a non-public page where they submit their star rating and comments about your service.
Customers who give you good online ratings can have their reviews automatically posted on the review site of their choice. Those who give you bad ratings are asked to leave their comments privately. From there, you can directly respond to the customer to resolve their problem.
One part of the review gathering process you don’t want to leave to a tool is your response to unsatisfied customers. Think about the last time you called a company’s customer support line and got an unhelpful automated response. You don’t want to create that experience for someone who’s ready to leave a negative review for your company!
Take the time to connect directly with the customer and resolve their issue. They may have received a faulty product and need a new one, or they might just need extra setup directions. Your customer will leave the experience with a more positive impression of the brand.
Intercepting negative feedback through a customer review software can be a win for both you and your customers. The customer gets their problem solved, and you get to avoid a negative review.
Increasing response rates
Need more testimonials from customers? Wondering how to get local business reviews? Review generation tools can increase the number of customers who leave a review.
When you use a tool to semi-automatically request reviews, you ensure you’re reaching as many customers as possible with the lowest effort. More customers will get your request for reviews, and that means more customers will get that extra motivation to leave a review. However, that’s not the only reason why businesses using a review generation tool get more reviews.
A review generation tool can also save time for the customer. The faster you make the online review process, the more likely it is that the customer will leave a review.
When you ask for a review in person, it may not be convenient for the customer to leave a review right then and there. It feels like more effort to go find the review page and leave a review, even if you tell them where to go. A time-strapped customer might think, ‘I’ll do that later,’ and then forget about it.
For the best results, we believe you should combine an online review generation tool and a personal review management strategy. You can streamline your request process, get alerts when customers are dissatisfied, and provide exceptional customer service when someone has an issue.
Remember, you don’t have to spend money to get the benefits of a trustworthy review generation tool. Designed to do one thing very well, Kudo is forever free customer review software. Get Kudo to transform your online reputation in just a few minutes a day. GET IT FOR FREE >
