My mom always said, “Reputation, reputation, reputation.” That was her full sentence. It was levied upon me with regularity to instill its importance. In life, there are many mistakes we can overcome, but it is very difficult to get past a bad reputation.
In business, the same is true. In today’s world, we live by other people’s opinions in the form of reviews. We search reviews before we dine out, before we book at hotel room, before we choose a homebuilder, and even before we seek the advice of a physician.
Google reviews are the most prominent review platform. These reviews are linked to Google My Business mapping. Yelp reviews are tied to Apple Maps. But for this dicussion, let’s focus on Google. It is vital to set up your Google My Business location propertly. You want to offer a comprehensive profile of your business with correct information about how and where you can be found. When you do business with customers, they can review your business on Google. Customers may rate their experience from one to five stars with five stars being the best experience.
Consumers are so aligned with Google reviews, they immediately recognize the importance of the stars and quickly size up a business without reading one word. Companies who tell you they can get rid of your one-star reviews are not being truthful. Google has policies in place for review removal that include bullying and harrassment. But most normal bad reviews will stay on the internet FOREVER. So what’s the best way to combat negative reviews? Respond to them. In fact, it is vital to respond to every single review – both good, and bad.
Honestly and transparancy go a long way in business. When consumers see that a business takes accountability, the consumer is more forgiving. Remember, we all make mistakes. Likewise, if a business responds in a polite and professional manner, even when the customer isn’t right, it says lot about the business. It tells people who you are, and how you interact with your customers. Are you respectful? Do you value the customer? Do you listen?Write Brain Solutions can set up and optimize your Google My Business listing and manage all your reviews. Our proactive “get more reviews” plans will engage your customers so they can tell the world just how wonderful you are.