By Gavin Mullins
At a time when well over 500 new start-ups are being launched each day in the UK, finding ways to differentiate and grow a business brand is more important than ever. User generated content in the form of customer endorsements and online reviews are a powerful way to achieve this and verify claims made about a product or service. The simple fact is that reviews help consumers decide whether they should purchase a particular product or service.
Online, they are the modern-day equivalent of the ‘word of mouth’ our parents would have relied on a mere 10 or 15 years ago to filter out the best potential suppliers. According to independent research conducted by e-commerce specialists 3DCart, 71% of consumers said that customer reviews made them more comfortable about buying a product and 82% of consumers reported that reading past customer reviews made the buying decision easier.
But just as customers rely on reviews to inform their purchasing decisions, they also appreciate their power to vent dissatisfaction very publically. Consequently, people are much more vocal about sharing their experiences of quality or service and they won’t hesitate to use social media to tell the world. It’s like an extra insurance policy. Consumers know that if they are unhappy with any purchase – whether for goods or services – they can always go online, which forces brands to consistently deliver good value if they want a sustainable business.
Although business owners dread the prospect of receiving negative reviews, it’s actually an inevitable part of business and there’s a positive side to consider. Things go wrong, mistakes are made and you can’t please everyone all of the time. It also tends to be more common for customers to have a moan than to leave positive comments, but business owners tend to panic when it happens and it’s hard to know what to do in these situations.
A bad or negative review will happen for every business at some stage, they are a part and parcel of business life today. It is a consumer’s right to leave feedback and most people understand that a business will have the odd bad review. Clearly, negative reviews will impact a buyer’s decision making, but there are positive and negative aspects to consider. What’s more important is how you as a business owner deal with negative feedback and whether you use it as a chance to learn, be grateful even. Remember, if they hadn’t raised the issue, you would never have known there was a problem.
Additionally, by having been actively collecting reviews anyway, the chances are you will have a larger proportion of positive reviews already. So when something negative occurs, it simply gets diluted in among the good ones. That’s good planning. When a bad review happens, bear in mind why reviews are important in the first place, to help develop trust and demonstrate transparency. Although no one wants negative reviews, displaying them openly does demonstrate transparency. Rather than try to conceal lower-rated reviews, known as ‘white-washing’, it’s far better to acknowledge them and be seen to be responding appropriately. Consumer research has shown that customers are more likely to trust brands and businesses that aren’t afraid to be transparent, even if that means sharing poorer experiences, and acknowledging where things were not perfect.
Rather than viewing poor reviews negatively, as a threat to potential sales, see them as an opportunity. A customer has shared some information about your products or services and given you a chance to learn about important issues and make improvements. Consider the alternative – they could have gone away dissatisfied and not said anything. Not only would you have lost a customer, you wouldn’t know the reasons why and be in a position to address any problems. From a potential consumer’s perspective, when they encounter negative reviews, they will be more interested in how you as a supplier dealt with the problem. As much as a positive review is reassuring, it’s equally important to know that a brand is listening and that when problems occur, they are handled professionally and openly. This all adds to the authenticity of a brand and an important part of building trust.
Gavin Mullins is the CEO of Eooro.com
