Tips for collecting reviews from customers

Once you start managing your online presence, you will soon learn how important reviews are for a moving company. When customers look for moving companies they will mostly rely on reviews and ratings to see which companies are worth considering. Therefore, if you haven’t got many reviews, you can pretty much consider yourself invisible. Fortunately, there are ways to motivate your clients to review your company and to help improve your online presence. In this article, we will explore the most valuable tips for collecting reviews from customers.

Collecting reviews from customers – what to keep in mind

There are two things you need to convince your customers in order to get reviews. Firstly, you need to convince them to take the time to go online and spend time on the review website. Google and Yelp are the most common choices, as they are also where customers will head to look for moving companies.

Secondly, you need to motivate your customers to verbalize their experiences. It may not be easy for some customers to put into words their experience with your moving company, and why they would recommend it to others. While it helps to understand your customers by using the right client relationship management software for moving industry, you also need to understand their motivation behind giving reviews and verbalizing their experience. After all, your goal is to find ways to combat these two things.

Always ask for reviews after providing moving service

The motivation for providing reviews will be the highest right after the move. Ideally, you want to talk to your customers and make sure that they are satisfied. If they are, suggest that they should leave a review of your company. By doing so you make full use of their current satisfaction over the finished relocation. And you can help them verbalize their satisfaction and guide their review process. A satisfied, cooperative customer will likely be more than happy to leave a review as a thank you.

There are two easy ways to navigate people to your review section. You can either carry a portable device where they can log in and leave a comment (which tends to be a bit tedious). Or you can opt for the simplest option and use QR codes. By scanning a QR code with their phone, customers will be presented with a review section. Therefore, they can write and leave a comment within seconds. This availability and ease of use is nothing to scoff at. After all, it enables you to make full use of the current customer enthusiasm.

Use emails after the relocation

If the customer, for whatever reason, is unwilling to give you a review right after relocation, you shouldn’t push it. They might be tired, frustrated or still overwhelmed due to the relocation. And pushing for a review will only lead to further frustration. So, instead, leave them be for the time. After a day or two, send an email to check up on them. Ask them how they are, and whether they’ve settled in nicely. If they respond, feel free to ask for a review.

Ideally, emails should be used to strike up conversations with your customers. After all, that is the goal of CRM email marketing for movers. By using customer emails you can not only ask for reviews but also collect valuable customer data. Even the reviews that people leave can be used as customer data as they will show how people perceive your company, and what demographic is most likely to leave online reviews.

Provide incentives for giving reviews

If politely asking for reviews isn’t enough, you might want to provide certain incentives. After all, your goal shouldn’t be to only work with your customer once, but to make them return. Therefore, discounts on future services and referrals are all viable rewards for giving reviews. Keep in mind that you should reward reviews of any kind, not just the ones that compliment you. Feel free to ask for a minimum of characters in reviews, so that they seem genuine.

Use social media

Social media are another place where you can look for reviews. While they might not be as straightforward as you get on Google or Yelp, they will serve a purpose. Not only can you look for social media influences to review your company, but you can also motivate standard users to tag you in their posts. You can also make posts of your own, and tag your customers (with their permission of course). All if all, you want to connect your social media profile with as many customers as possible. And having them comment on your company and leave reviews in the comments is always a plus.

Respond to reviews (even if they are bad)

One of the most important aspects to keep in mind is that you need to respond to reviews. Especially if they are bad. Your customers should always feel welcome to criticize you, even if they are outright wrong. What you need to do is not take it personally. Thank them for voicing their opinion and gently pointing out what the issue was. With luck, they will change their tune and even apologize for a strongly worded review. What you need to avoid is arguing with customers. This not only achieves nothing, as you won’t change their mind. But also portrays you as a subpar company.

Final thoughts

The main reason for collecting reviews from customers is to boost your online reputation and to get customer info. Reviews further help your SEO and therefore incrementally grow your brand recognition. While gathering customer info helps overall customer management, which is why it requires proper customer management software for movers. Therefore, you should try your best to get as many reviews as you can. The one thing you absolutely should avoid is posting fake reviews. These not only hurt your brand but also challenge the credibility of your moving business.