As a business owner, you know your customers are the lifeblood of your company. Without them, your business would fail to produce revenue and have to shut down. If you want to enhance what consumers are saying about your company, the below steps should be taken to better your customer’s experience, which will ultimately improve their feedback.
Respond to Reviews
The digital age has brought with it the ability for buyers to immediately leave their opinion of your business for the world to read. Whether they post reviews to your website or a separate domain, such as Yelp or Angie’s List, the comments are accessible to other users who visit the website. While reviews can be intimidating, they provide an excellent opportunity for you to engage with your customers.
Make a habit of checking reviews on a regular basis. Depending on the number of patrons you service, you might need to check every day. For example, if you own a restaurant, you could have hundreds, if not thousands of guests, purchase from you on a weekly basis. If this is the case, check your reviews every day. However, if you own a small graphic design agency and only work with a handful of clients at a time, you can check your reviews a couple times a week. Chances are, you will not be seeing near as many reviews as a restaurant. The higher the number of sales, the more often you will need to check your reviews.
As you read through the comments, interact with the consumers by responding to their posts. Whether the comment praises your services or has a long list of things that went wrong, respond to the review. If you are addressing positive reviews, such as Le-Vel Thrive reviews of buyers stating how much they love the products, thank the customers for the kind words. If it is a critical review, such as a user who purchased your custom t-shirt and received the wrong product, thank the user for taking time to bring the concerns to your attention. If it makes sense, try to connect with the person via phone or email. A critical review gives you the opportunity to make the situation right and have that patron update their review from a negative to a positive comment.
Use Many Avenues for Feedback
While reviews are one of the most popular forms of feedback, there are numerous other outlets you can use. It is important to utilize every avenue possible, so you can get a more holistic idea of what people are saying and what you can change to improve client experiences. Brainstorm what other routes you can use to gain customer feedback.
One way to get feedback is through surveys. These can be done via email or text. Depending on your line of work, consumers may already provide their contact information when checking out. After the purchaser receives the product, send an email or text asking for feedback on his or her experience. Create a survey with basic questions and include an option for the purchaser to submit remarks. If you do not automatically have your customer’s contact information, ask them if they would like to submit it when they are checking out.
Implement a Reward Program
Consumers are much more likely to provide contact information if you have a reward program. A reward program not only gives them a reason to connect with you, but it gives you an opportunity to enhance the patron experience. After all, who doesn’t like to earn free stuff? Set up some type of reward program where the customer spends money and earns compensation, such as free products or discounts on future purchases.
Regardless of the type of business you own, your clients need to be happy for you to stay in business. Seeking feedback and applying changes will not only improve public responses but create more satisfied buyers. Apply the above recommendations to engage more with your customers and ultimately provide them a better consumer experience.
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