– Aka “The Enlightenment of Customer Reviews”
NOPE, this is not another BLAH BLAH blog about weight loss, self-image or body shaming. Actually the title above simply suggests that if you really don’t want to know the truth, then don’t ask the question! If you are a business owner, however, you can’t bury your head in the sand. You better want to know if your customers are satisfied, if they would come to you again, and if there are things you could have done better. The best and most consistent way of achieving this goal is through customer reviews.
Keep in mind, although reviews are imperative it’s important for you to understand that your client’s time is valuable and the last thing they are thinking about is the impact this will have on your business. Most have no clue how (or where) to leave such testimonials so it’s best to develop a system that is efficient and easy… for both of you!
If you follow these simple tips, obtaining reviews from your clients will be relatively painless:
- Streamline the process to keep it fast and simple. They don’t owe you this courtesy, so don’t make it a chore for them.
- Use links with few and specific instructions.
- Make sure the process is cell phone/tablet compatible.
- The entire thing should take no more than a few minutes. Try it yourself to see if it is quick and easy. Re-do the process if it is not painless.
- Decide which review sites will have the biggest impact on your business.
- Ask for the review promptly after you have completed your service to the customer while their thoughts are fresh (and while they are happy!)
- Let your customer know how important their input is to you and your business.
- Inform your client that the whole process will take them only a couple minutes.
- Make sure to upload these reviews to your website and any social media (i.e. Facebook). Do this constantly so that reviews are always new and fresh.
- Be consistent. Make this review process part of your marketing approach and follow through the process.
On occasion, you may be surprised to learn that somebody wasn’t as happy with your service as you had thought. It is extremely important for you as a business owner to learn from any negative (or even neutral) comments. The point of obtaining and sharing this information is not just for the growth of your business, but for personal growth as well. Strive to do better, to be better.
Do these jeans make my butt look too big? Well if you already know they do and you wish you hadn’t posed the question in the first place, then it’s time to put the skinny jeans away… time to put on something that is a better fit and a true representation of how you want people to really see you. Learn from your reviews, adapt, correct, and move forward.
