By Chris Keenan on October 10, 2018
Reviews are a very important part of any pest control business. With many individuals seeking reviews as a form of confidence when choosing a pest control operation to do business with, you need to make sure you have the reviews and that you are have open dialogue with those who leave you the reviews as well–both positive and negative.
Think of reviews as a piece of your marketing efforts that others provide for you and make sure you are taking all pieces of reviews seriously and allowing the customer to be a voice of your pest control brand. Below are key pieces of advice for pest control businesses on how to create a review system that plays a role in pest marketing efforts:
Continually asking for reviews can turn many customers off from even providing a review for your business. Even if your pest technician did a great job, being over eager for reviews can seem like pestering and also lacks sincerity.
Make it easy and convenient for the customer to leave a review for your business. Have a link to follow at the end of an email receipt for business or add a discrete “ask” for reviews in your newsletters you may send out for email marketing campaigns. Nothing needs to be overtly pushed on the customer, but those who feel they have received quality pest control services may be more inclined to review.
Do not leave a reviewer who has taken the time to review either on a form or via social media to sit after the review has been completed. Make sure you are thanking them for their review and acknowledge that they are an integral part of your pest operations.
Customers that receive a response will know that reviews are being read and appreciated and that their is a real human behind those emails and review requests and not just an automation which modern-day businesses and customers have become accustomed to, for better or worse.
Did you receive a review that was not what you expected? Did the customer explain a situation they did not feel was up to your standards? If so, you should create an authentic dialogue.
First, confirm that the person did, in fact, receive services from you. If they did not, fully address that you cannot find them in your database, but also allow them to send an email to discuss the matters privately.
If the information is founded, be sure to discuss the situation, first by answering publicly, but then inviting them to discuss further details privately. Acknowledging that a customer was not happy and being willing to discuss shows you are listening and willing to put the customer first.
If the situation is resolved, it is not wrong to ask if they would be willing to update the review to reflect the corrected service.
It is not so much to receive and reply to both positive and negative reviews, but to also consider the content and implement into your business. Many times, the customer is able to see your business from a different angle and may be offering ideas that would make your business model better. You can’t look at reviews and never consider adjusting their pest business practices to meet the needs of those your serve in your community.
It is good practice to take down all statements made and see how you can reflect that. Even making it a point to state “You Asked, We Listened” in your newsletter shows you are customer-forward in your approach.
Not sure how to create a good system for reviews? Talking with a lead generation company or marketing firm may be a good way to find a seamless and effective marketing strategy for collecting and assessing reviews.
Chris Keenan WeGetLeads.com
Chris Keenan is President of WeGetLeads.com, a search marketing and lead generation provider. He has over 10 years experience marketing and consulting for local businesses.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wegetleads/