Why Is It Important for a Franchise to Respond to All Reviews?

You might want to respond to all reviews for two reasons. When they're positive, you can take advantage of the free publicity your customer has created for you, and if they're negative, you'll need to minimise the damage they've caused. In either case, it shows that you're engaging with your audience and willing to go the extra mile to help them.

Responding to Positive Reviews

Thanking someone who takes the time to leave you a positive review is just the right thing to do. Don't stop there, add a little marketing to your response to catch the attention of other potential customers. Establish a loyal following by showing them what great service you can provide at any of your franchises or locations.

Responding to Negative Reviews

If a negative review is left for one of your locations, don't panic! An opportunity just presented itself to turn the situation around and make a fan out of your disgruntled client. Respond promptly and politely to every negative review, offering to take the conversation offline to resolve the issue. As a result, it shows the public that your business cares for its customers and values their opinions.

Some Things to Consider When Responding to Reviews

Make an online review strategy. Have you been replying to reviews one at a time with the same generic message, copied and pasted from a document? With an online reputation management tool, you have the freedom and flexibility to automatically create a response template with unique verbiage for every reviewer. 

There's no doubt that most people do not leave reviews for a business unless they are very unhappy with the product or service they received. Take advantage of campaigns to get feedback from your delighted clients so users who are searching for your brand will get a full picture. 

Stay consistent and always deliver on your promises. The key to keeping your brand’s reputation on point is consistent messaging and excellent service. Take the time to review your current return policy, satisfaction guarantees and make improvements to your policy where clarity could be lacking. That way you are always putting your best foot forward as a business your customers can trust.

Take notes from your competition. While smart people learn from their mistakes, geniuses learn from watching others. Keep an eye on the tricks and strategies your competitors use and improve your reputation strategy by learning from their strengths and weaknesses.

Monitoring and responding to reviews can be time-consuming, but it can also have a huge impact on your bottom line. If you need assistance in building a reputation management strategy for your business or franchise, contact the experts at Buzzlink Digital today