Online Reputation Management (ORM) is an important and often underrated aspect of any good marketing strategy. In combination with efforts to improve customer service, ORM can make or break your growth. With a combined good reputation and high-quality customer service, businesses can drastically improve their online reputation by focusing on better customer service.
Manage Your Online Reviews
Consumers today are diligent in their search for brands and businesses that align with their beliefs and values. In fact, over 70 percent of consumers prefer to buy from brands who are aligned with their personal values. (SmallBizTrends) In their search, many consumers turn to online reviews from existing or previous customers. Reading reviews helps your prospects determine whether or not your business is the right choice for them.
It’s unlikely that you will deliver 100 percent customer satisfaction because customers vary in preferences and attitudes. Still, all reviews, positive or negative, can be used constructively. You can improve your reputation by sharing customer reviews on your website or your social media channels. Research has found that 91 percent of consumers between 18 and 34 trust online review as much as personal recommendations. (BrightLocal)
Positive Reviews
Positive reviews can be influential in a potential customer’s purchasing decision. If their decision has been narrowed down to you and a competitor, a positive online review can make a big difference. If a person sees that others have enjoyed your product or service, and their interaction with your business as a whole, the new prospect may be swayed in your favour.
Negative Reviews
You can also use negative reviews constructively. It might seem as though you should sweep your negative reviews under the carpet, but this is not the best way to build and grow a loyal, high-quality audience. Instead, share some of your negative reviews online. In addition, share your replies, or post your reply along with the shared review. When you share a negative review, make sure to offer a compassionate solution to the problem. This will often look like an apology or sympathy with the issue, followed by a promise or example of how things will, or have already, improved, and a ‘thank you’ for the original review.
Be Authentic
Key to a good online reputation is brand authenticity. Around 90 percent of consumers claim that authenticity is important when deciding which brands to follow and support. (SocialMediaToday) If you are dishonest about your content, your services, or your business in general, then you are sure to disappoint people, even upset them. Avoid making false promises about the quality of your product or service or the solutions they can offer. Instead, build and maintain an authentic, honest brand personality online. Authenticity and honesty keep your business transparent and earn you the respect of your audience and your existing customers.
When you are authentic, customers know what to expect. This way, it is less likely that they will leave a bad review. Further, if your brand voice has been developed with authenticity and honesty, you are more likely to have warm interactions with your customers. Reputation is a powerful factor in how customers interact with a business.
Great Customer Service
It’s always important to provide your customers with real, human interaction. Still, there are times when some businesses keep their customer service too ‘corporate’, where employees are somewhat cold and robotic. Instead, make sure that your customers are taken care of, listened to, and understood. A warm, friendly voice won’t fix everyone’s problems. Still, many customers will appreciate the empathy and compassion shown by your customer service team.
Get Personal
Personalisation is what makes successful businesses stand out among their competitors. It is also reported that 65 percent of consumers are strongly influenced by personalisation. (The Drum) Consumers today want to feel acknowledged and respected by the brands and businesses they engage with. Instead of feeling like just a number, today’s customer wants to feel like their wants and needs are being cared for with compassion.
Personalise your marketing approach by adding names to emails, offering suggestions based on user habits and purchase history, and employing a caring phone customer service team who can speak to customers with warmth, empathy, and patience.
Conclusion
Businesses have less control over what people think about them than you might believe. However, you do have control over how you relate to your customers, what you do in challenging times, and what your audience gets to see.
To build and maintain a good brand reputation, positive enough to help you grow your business, follow the above tips. How you relate to your prospects customers is one of the biggest influencing factors in deciding to become and remain a customer.
Compassionate customer service is key in securing a positive reputation. Remember that customer service is not just about how you interact with customers when there is a problem; it is also about how you interact and relate before a problem arises.
Stay honest and authentic as a brand, listen to your customers, and show them that you care to keep your reputation high and your customers satisfied.
