Jessica van Muijlwijk, from Sirelo (part of TriGlobal), offers five tips to help you get the best out of your online reviews.

When was the last time you booked a hotel without first checking the reviews? We all read reviews, every consumer does, especially when it comes to booking a move. Research shows that 90% of consumers read online reviews before considering a business. Reviews have the power to grow or hinder your business, and the one person who has the biggest influence on how your company appears online, is you.

I work with moving reviews every day and have seen so many companies benefit from an interaction with reviews. My personal advice: incorporate reviews as part of your daily operation. This exposure will help grow your business and gain trust from your potential customers.

Here are 5 tips to get the best out of your reviews.

1.  Ask every single customer to write a review about your business

Most people think that limiting review-invites to only ‘satisfied’ customers is the best way to go. On the contrary, this will limit your page more than you know. When every single customer is asked to leave a review, you’ll constantly be receiving new reviews, which keeps your profile relevant. The more reviews, the stronger and more transparent your online persona and profile will become. This will also ensure your page ranks higher on the platform and your company becomes more visible to the online customer. 

2.  Respond to every review

53% of customers expect a reply to their online review within a week, so don’t leave them hanging. Even if it’s just a simple ‘thank you’, make sure to respond to each review. Not only is your reply ‘on show’ to the next prospective customer, it also allows you to share your part of the story in the case of a negative review.

When replying to a negative review ensure you explain yourself in a way that shows professionalism and vulnerability as this will almost always lower the impact of such a review. Research shows that potential customers are more likely to trust a moving company that admits to fault, and handles the error with professionalism, rather than a moving company with a perfect review score.

3.  Negative reviews are a way to learn and improve

Negative is the new positive. A negative review can be painful to receive, there is no shame in that. However, without feedback, we can’t learn. Make the most of the situation and ask yourself what can be learned from this experience. You may end up thanking that customer in years to come for improving your service or helping you to avoid a negative review in the future. 

4.  Have reviews on more than one platform

We all have to start somewhere, but remember to grow your feedback loops on multiple platforms and social media channels. This not only helps increase your online presence, but it shows you’re willing and open to receive feedback. In other words: if you believe you deliver a good service for which your customers are mostly satisfied; why not let them share their experience online?

Confining reviews to just one place (or even worse, not having online reviews at all), makes consumers beg the question as to why this is. A company that is afraid of receiving reviews must be hiding something, right? Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there as that’s what consumers expect nowadays. 

5.  Save money – use free review platforms

There is nothing wrong with paid review platforms such as Trustpilot and Reviews.co.uk except that you have to pay of course. Many professionals don’t realise that free and industry-specific options exist. Social media and Google are well known for offering a free service, but more recently, specialised moving-industry platforms have also joined the mix, such as Sirelo.org and Mymovingreviews.com.

Reviews have the power to not only influence tomorrow’s customer, but also help companies learn about their business and increase their online presence. Reviews are an essential component of doing business in this day and age and you have the power to influence how this goes. More than 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. So, what are you waiting for?

For more tips, or to know more about Sirelo.org please don’t hesitate to contact me on reviews@sirelo.org.

Bio

Jessica van Muijlwijk is consumer interactions manager for Sirelo, which is part of TriGlobal. She has worked with TriGlobal for three years and has managed reviews since Serelo’s launch two years ago.

Sirelo is a platform that connects consumers with movers.  Its aim is to help online consumers find everything they need to know about moving house, including finding and comparing moving companies. Moving companies do not pay to have a profile on Sirelo. Every moving company has its own profile, making it an independent platform for consumers to consult with unbiased information.

Photo:  Jessica van Muijlwijk