It's important not only to know what your customers are saying about your company, product or service, but also to respond to their feedback and show them and other potential customers that you value their opinion.
After looking at how online reviews influence the customer journey , in this second part of the study we want to look at the business side. How do SMEs in Germany collect reviews, what strategy do they follow and do they use review management software or other programs to do so? Our results are based on a survey of 410 employees in SMEs who receive reviews online for their products/services and also manage and use them. The full study methodology can be found at the end of the article.
Reviews as a means of acquiring new customers
An effective way to acquire new customers is referral marketing, also known as word of mouth. Referral marketing refers to recommendations of products and services by customers. This happens on the Internet through online reviews. Referral marketing is an effective way to acquire new customers, as a satisfied customer can recruit a new customer with their positive opinion of a product.
However, this does not always happen on its own. Companies need to work on a review strategy for actively collecting and using online reviews in order to exploit the potential that reviews have. The opinion of satisfied users attracts new customers. Companies therefore need to know which of their customers are happy and ask them for reviews. This can be done through incentives such as small gifts, vouchers or discounts.
Almost half of the SMEs (46%) we contacted for this survey say they receive online reviews. This number is probably much higher. However, companies that do not engage with online reviews may be missing the point. Of the SMEs that say they receive reviews, 74% manage and use online reviews for their products or services. Below we look at the responses of the 410 employees from companies that use reviews and show what a successful review strategy should look like.
Consumers want company responses to online reviews
63% of consumers have written at least one online review in the last two years. However, 40% of them say they have never received a response to their online reviews. 28% would like to receive a response to reviews.
The majority of consumers (57%) think that companies pay attention to reviews, but not enough. Companies should work on this and respond to the reviews they receive. After all, 85% read the company's responses to reviews, 19% of whom read mainly the negative ones and 53% read both the negative and positive ones.
So the good news for companies is that their side is heard too. A negative review can be an opportunity for a company to build trust with its customers. For example, if they respond promptly to a negative or critical review and/or resolve any issues raised, companies show that they take their customers' opinions seriously and provide good customer service. Such measures not only build trust, but also help customers consider the company and its products for future purchases.
The low response rate may be due to the fact that many companies do not know whether they receive reviews or think they do not. If we look at the responses of participants whose companies manage and use reviews, we see that they do a much better job.
How often do companies respond to reviews
Companies should establish a response policy
How you handle and respond to online reviews is important for businesses because it shows that companies listen to and care about their customers. It's best for companies to set guidelines that all employees who respond to reviews must follow. This can specify how quickly, in what tone, and what follow-up steps should be taken.
Knapp ein Viertel der teilnehmenden KMU entschuldigen sich lediglich, wenn sie eine negative Bewertung erhalten, ohne weitere Maßnahmen zu ergreifen. 12 % versuchen sogar die Review zu entfernen. Beides ist keine gute Praxis. Die Antwort auf eine negative Online-Bewertung sollte immer mindestens eine persönliche Ansprache, Erklärung des Problems und Entschuldigung enthalten, diese 3 Elemente sind den Nutzern unserer Studie besonders wichtig.
Wie die Reaktionspolitik in KMU aussieht:
83 % haben eine Richtlinie für das Beantworten von Online-Bewertungen.
80 % der Unternehmen antworten innerhalb weniger Tage auf Reviews. Darunter befinden uae telegram data sich 34 %, die innerhalb eines Tages und 9 %, die sobald die Review veröffentlicht wurde antworten.
56 % nutzen hauptsächlich personalisierte Antworten auf Reviews, 27 % hauptsächlich Standardantworten/Vorlagen und 17 % beides.
Welche Strategie KMU zum Bewertungen sammeln verfolgen
Es gibt verschiedene Strategien und Plattformen, die zum aktiven Sammeln von Bewertungen online genutzt werden können. Die von unseren Umfrageteilnehmern am meisten genutzten Strategien sind:
te oder Dienstleistungen nutzt, sollte es dringend damit anfangen. Hier sind eine Reihe grundlegender Schritte, mit denen Unternehmen einen Review-Management-Workflow einführen können:
Bestimme die Kanäle, auf denen Bewertungen für dein Produkt oder deine Dienstleistung gesammelt werden können.
Entscheide, welche Tools und Plattformen du zum Bewertungen sammeln nutzen willst.
Entwickle eine Strategie, die Kunden dazu ermutigt, Bewertungen zu hinterlassen.
Erstelle eine Richtlinie, wie du Bewertungen sammelst und darauf reagierst.
Nutze die Reviews und Erkenntnisse für die wichtigsten Abteilungen wie Kundenservice, Marketing und Produkt.
Suche nach Möglichkeiten, dein Geschäft zu verbessern oder sogar neue Produkte/Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln.