We’ve always tried to do the right thing by our customers. We all still do. But any one who’s sold anything – hot coffee to luxury cars – knows no matter how hard you try, you can’t please everyone all the time. Twenty-five years ago, we didn’t put a whole lot of stock in one unhappy customer. After-all, they were one person with one voice and a limited number of people who would even listen to them. Not true at all today.
Today, one dissatisfied customer with an axe to grind, and 5 minutes to spare, can share their exaggerated story with thousands. Right, wrong or indifferent; this is the new B2C landscape. I’ve worked with a business owner who received a one star rating because their RV store was too far away from the potential customer. This can be mind numbing, make you want to scream, but it can’t be ignored. Your Brand’s Reputation is at stake.
We at Agency01 have defined the crucial focal points for anyone conducting business today as “The Four ‘R’s.” These four ‘R’s are real, not going away, and can literally make or break a business. These R’s are; Ratings, Reviews, Responses and Referrals.
Businesses spend thousands every month on marketing programs, ad placements and conquest campaigns. We depend on brand recognition and a clever call to action to generate store visits and website traffic. But there is a huge opportunity for every business to increase customer retention and move into the ranks of a caring brand by managing and Responding to Ratings & Reviews, and actively seeking Referrals.
Every business that exists today, from multi-billion dollar enterprises to your local dry-cleaner, every business single one, is affected by these four ‘R’s. And it’s not easy to manage. There are so many places a customer can engage and leave comments, positive or negative. So much more business critical than finding the right ad copy and call to action is the organic customer engagement that happens every day when we’re not looking. We have to actively and appropriately engage EVERY customer discussion.
In research posted in December 2018, BrightLocal found that “86% of customers read reviews for local businesses” and most importantly… “89% of customers read businesses’ responses to reviews.”
We have to Respond, because that Response is sometimes more important to the next customer than the negative (or positive) review. Every business messes up. We all make mistakes. It’s the handling of that adversity which becomes our differentiator. It’s what sets us apart from the other businesses and cleans away some of the noise.
Not doing anything will cost you money, according to a September 2017 Forbes article, “Businesses risk losing 22% of business when potential customers find one negative article on the first page of their search results.” Moz research concluded that with four or more negative reviews, articles, posts etc about your company, “You’re likely to lose 70% of potential customers.”
We’ll discuss each of the ‘R’s in later articles, but for now, keep them top of mind and begin to weave them into your business planning and culture. You have to find a way to monitor the major sites where customers leave feedback. Tools exist online, as well as very qualified agencies who can help you set up a process and manage this interaction. When you have a happy customer, ask them to take 1 minute and leave your business a favorable review. If you find someone has left you negative comments, respond in a way that gives your future customers insight into how you do business, not just the rantings of a madman.
Agency01 is a Marketing firm in Tennessee, specializing on helping small to medium sized businesses (SMB) grow their businesses online and navigate the complexities of providing analog products to digital customers.
