Reputation management software helps companies hear what customers are saying

In the real world, you hope that your satisfied customers would be kind enough to spread the word about your services or products. Unfortunately, you have no way of knowing if your customers actually use the power of their voices to tell others how amazing your company is.

But you can find out if they spread the word virtually. Customers are frequently leaving feedback on popular review sites such as Google+, Yelp and TripAdvisor for the entire world to see. Have you researched your company online? Did you know that 87 percent of people will not choose your business if it has a one- or two-star rating and/or several negative reviews?

Why your business needs online review management software

Through review managing software, you will be able to give your customers a voice. The concept is simple: After they do business with you, customers will receive a notification to review your company. With positive reviews, they will have options to post their feedback on the most popular and trending review sites, earning your business recognition and trust among consumers. And here’s the best part: If customers leave negative reviews, the software conveniently provides them with options to post on lesser-known review sites.

Reviews aren’t the only thing you should be concerned about; the stars play an important role too

Would you eat at a restaurant with a three-star rating? If given a choice, you would most likely select another one with a better rating. A three-star rating only convinces 57 percent of people of the credibility of a business, and most customers will pass on anything below that. Here’s the kicker: A business with a four-star rating will entice a whopping 94 percent of consumers.

What happens if your business has negative reviews?

According to researchers from Cornell University, unfavorable reviews can mean the death of your business. It’s harsh, but research doesn’t lie. New businesses are especially at the mercy of customer reviews if they want to remain in the race, but all business owners should seriously consider investing in online review management software to help them encourage positive feedback to counteract the negative reviews.

Don’t gamble with your business’s future!

It’s critical to manage and control online reviews and complaints on your business in order to protect your reputation. It’s also useful to increase your company’s star ratings and positive feedback on review websites to grow awareness of your brand. ReviewMaxer can do both. This powerful, cloud-based software provides its users with a proactive review strategy to quickly and easily manage reviews and comments from more than 500 sites. Sign up for  a demonstration to see how the ReviewMaxer software works and read the blog for more tips and resources to protect your company’s reputation and increase consumer recognition and trust.

Photo credit: 123RF Stock Photo

Written by: Paul Cook

3 ways your company can gain more positive reviews

Facebook mobile now includes a company’s review star average, making positive online reviews even more important to businesses. The review star average is prominent, so when potential customers go to your Facebook page to decide whether they want to eat at, buy from or do business with your company, having a high review star average will be crucial.

According to Entrepreneur, a three-week survey of U.S. internet users revealed that more than one in three wouldn’t eat at a restaurant that had less than four stars. The internet plays a huge role in the consumer’s decision-making process. Let’s say you’re on vacation and you use Facebook to research the restaurants recommended by the front desk. One restaurant has three stars and the other has four and a half. Which restaurant would you try first?

Company reviews are very important to modern consumers, which is why Facebook made them even easier to access.

Here are three ways you can encourage more positive online reviews:

      1. Offer an incentive.

This is a win/win situation. The customer receives a coupon after leaving a review – positive or negative – for his or her next visit that encourages him or her to come back to your business, which could result in another purchase from that same customer. 

      2. Engage with your customers.

Customers want to be heard. For positive reviews, responding with “Thank you for the great review!” or simply liking the review goes a long way. For negative reviews, responding quickly and genuinely is important.

      3. Turn negative reviews into positive ones.