Page 42 - INSIGHT MAGAZINE_July2024

BRIAN'S BLOG

Customer reviews a double-edged sword

Tips on how to handle reviews:
Monitor Reviews Regularly:
Stay updated with what customers are
saying about your business by regularly
monitoring various review platforms such
as Google My Business, Yelp, TripAdvisor,
and social media channels.
Respond Promptly:
Address both positive and negative
reviews promptly. Responding promptly
Customer reviews can serve as a In this way, the very tool designed to shows that you value customer feedback
powerful tool in the contemporary provide transparency can become a and are proactive in resolving issues.
marketplace, offering invaluable breeding ground for deception, causing Personalize Responses:
skepticism among consumers.
insights for both consumers and Personalize your responses to each review
businesses alike. In Canada, those promoting fake reviews whenever possible. Use the reviewer's
could be liable under the Competition Act.
However, while reviews can elevate a Enforcing the Act is a key responsibility of name, acknowledge their specific
product or service, they can also become the Competition Bureau and any business feedback, and express appreciation for
a source of challenge for businesses as making materially false or misleading their input.
negative comments find their way onto claims to promote a product, service or Acknowledge Positive Reviews:
Google Review, TripAdvisor, Trustpilot and business interest, could find themselves in Thank customers for positive feedback
Yelp as customers enveloped by social legal hot water. and let them know that you appreciate
media vent their frustrations. Brad says there is already a certain amount their business. This encourages repeat
But just how businesses can utilize the of skepticism among consumers regarding business and loyalty.
information from this positive or negative online reviews noting research data shows Address Negative Reviews Constructively:
feedback can prove difficult when it comes that 88% to 95% of those between the When responding to negative reviews,
to gauging the impact. ages of 18 and 34 say they rely on reviews. apologize for any negative experience
“It’s one of those things where you can’t However, among them research also the customer may have had and offer a
ignore it. Emotionally, you can’t ignore it, shows that 93% say they are suspicious solution or compensation if appropriate.
nor should you,” says Brad Davis, Associate of Facebook reviews, while 89% says they Avoid making excuses or blaming the
Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University’s are suspicious of Yelp reviews, with 88% customer.
Lazaridis School of Business and admitting to being skeptical about reviews Take the Conversation Offline:
Economics, who specializes in consumer on Amazon. For complex issues or disputes, encourage
behaviour and trends. “If you’re seeing “On one hand, they’re saying reviews are the reviewer to contact you directly to
reoccurring patterns in your reviews, to very influential but on the other hand, resolve the issue privately. Provide a
me that’s free research so you will want to they’re saying they are very suspicious contact email or phone number for further
investigate the validity of that.” of the content. I think there is a real assistance.
He says customer feedback is clearly shallowness about a lot of this research. Seek Clarification:
a good marketing tool and warns that There’s a lot of assumptions,” says Brad, If the feedback is unclear or vague, seek
companies attempting to ‘stack’ their adding consumer behaviour is driven additional information to fully understand
reviews with positive ones can quickly pay more by subconscious emotional drivers the customer's perspective. This helps
a price, noting research shows consumers where people rationalize their decisions in providing more targeted and effective
between the ages of 18 to 34 are very savvy after having already made them. solutions.
when it comes to analyzing reviews. Companies must focus on genuine Use Feedback to Improve:
“They can easily filter out the reviews customer engagement, ethical practices, Use feedback from reviews to identify
where people are being too whiny or the and continuous improvement to areas for improvement in your products,
ones that are too glowing and clearly ensure that customer reviews remain a services, or customer experience. This
smack of being written by a PR person,” constructive force rather than a destructive demonstrates your commitment to
says Brad. “They’ve developed this innate one. continuous improvement.
filter that can diminish the impact of much “I think consumers sometimes often just Address Fake or Malicious Reviews:
of it.” The authenticity of online reviews has want to vent a little a bit and know they If you suspect a review is fake or malicious,
become a growing concern, blurring the are being heard,” says Brad. “Reviews report it to the platform for investigation.
line between genuine recommendations are worth monitoring but I would be Provide evidence to support your claim
and promotional tactics, leading to a loss concerned if businesses think they are a and request its removal if it violates the
of trust in reviews overall. definitive thing and will make or break us.” platform's policies.

42 Summer 2024 www.cambridgechamber.com