We’re living in a digital age where our smartphones are practically glued to our hands. When was the last time you needed a service and didn’t immediately turn to Google or Yelp? That’s right, probably never. And guess what? Your potential customers are doing the exact same thing when they’re looking for field service businesses like yours.
Online reviews have quickly become the modern-day word-of-mouth; they serve as your initial introduction to potential customers and 93% of consumers say online reviews influence their purchasing decisions. By adding a free Google review widget to your website, you can easily display authentic customer feedback, helping to build trust and encourage more purchases.
Why Reviews Matter
But why are reviews so critical for field service businesses specifically? Consider this: when someone needs the services of a plumber, electrician, or HVAC technician for their home they are inviting someone unknown into their personal space – that can be quite personal! They want assurance they are selecting someone trustworthy with strong abilities. Reviews provide this reassurance in spades!
Positive reviews can do wonders for any business, as they help build trust, increase visibility in local search results and even help attract top talent. On the flip side, negative reviews provide invaluable feedback into areas in which improvement should occur – or else simply offer valuable lessons about where things can go wrong!
Now here’s where it gets tricky – reviews won’t just appear by themselves; to ensure they do you need to actively encourage customers with positive experiences to share them online and offer incentives such as emails with links directly to review platforms or small gifts for honest reviews.
How to Get Reviews?
- Just Ask! – Starting off right is key to any business’s success; yet so many enterprises overlook this simple step. Customers that were satisfied are usually eager to provide reviews – all it needs is some prompting! After finishing a job, be bold; ask them informally: “Hey would you mind leaving us a quick review?”
- Timing is everything – take action while your service is fresh in their minds by sending an email or text within 24-48 hours after finishing a job to thank the client and to provide direct links to review platforms so they can give their review easily and effortlessly.
- Make It Simple – Life can get busy, writing reviews probably isn’t at the top of anyone’s to-do list. So make it as straightforward and painless as possible by using generated dynamic QR codes, such as those offered by Uniqode, to direct potential reviewers.
to direct potential reviewers directly to your review page, or try review kiosks – these digital high five machines could become invaluable assets to any business! - Train Your Team – Here’s a pro tip. To maximize success for any business, training your staff to ask customers for reviews is invaluable. Your technicians represent your business every day; with them building relationships and creating rapport. A simple request from them could do wonders in building customer trust!
- Incentivize (Carefully) – Now, I’m not talking about buying reviews – that’s a big no-no. But offering a small discount on future services or entering reviewers into a monthly draw can give people that extra push to share their thoughts.
- Leverage Social Media – Don’t forget the power of social media. Share positive reviews on your platforms and thank the reviewers publicly. It shows you value feedback and might inspire others to chime in with their experiences.
- Set Up a Review Funnel – Here’s a sneaky little trick. Ask customers if they’re satisfied with your service. If they say yes, direct them to a public review site. If they say no, send them to a private feedback form. This way, you’re addressing issues before they become public and steering happy customers towards leaving reviews.
- Make It Fun – How about a “Review of the Month” contest? Feature the best review on your website or social media. People love a bit of recognition, and it might just motivate others to craft some review gold of their own.
Enhancing Your Reputation
- Close the Loop: Respond quickly when someone leaves an online review – whether positive or negative – showing customers there are real people behind your business who value customer feedback.
- Streamline with Software: Coordinating all your review-getting strategies may seem cumbersome and time consuming when trying to run your field service business efficiently, yet asking customers for reviews remains vital to building online credibility and building your online reputation. Without dedicated time for asking customers for reviews it becomes more challenging than ever to build it yourself and grow it further online. If software can assist in streamlining this task then all those reviews may start coming rolling in much more easily!
Field Promax field service management software could prove transformative.
Field Promax helps manage reviews indirectly by streamlining key operations like scheduling, estimating, invoicing and equipment tracking. By automating these tasks and freeing up time to focus on serving more customers and getting reviews – which gives your staff more opportunity for customer engagement, which in turn could create more satisfied reviewers!
The Long Game
Remember, getting more reviews is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay consistent, make it easy, and always, always provide service worth raving about. Before you know it, you’ll have a treasure trove of glowing reviews that’ll make your business shine brighter than a newly polished chrome faucet!
