Encourage Reviews Of Your Business With Improved CX

how to increase positive business reviews

Positive reviews for your business are always good to showcase to help you attract customers. If you want to have good reviews to show off, you can't always just sit back and wait for them to come along. Sometimes, you need to be proactive in encouraging people to leave a great review that could be incredibly beneficial for your company. Reviews can make or break your business on platforms like Yelp, Amazon, Facebook, and Google just to name a few. 

Here are some basics to generate more positive reviews before a comprehensive top 10 tip sheet on increasing business ratings while improving customer experience:

Make Reviews Easy 

Most people just can't be bothered to review their experience, unless they have had a particularly great or awful one. They are even more reluctant if it is too much effort to submit the review. So make your review system quick and easy. 

Offer Incentives For Reviews 


People will often feel more motivated to do something if there's a potential reward. If you want to incentivize people to leave a positive review (or any review), give them something in return, such as a discount or entry into a prize draw. Just keep in mind you aren't technically allowed to compensate anyone for a positive review, especially on websites like Yelp. It is a gray area in some cases but keep it within the terms and services of the platform you're using. There's no reason you can't express your appreciate for positive reviews and follow up with customers that left a negative review to help resolve the issue quickly and politely.

Follow Up with Customers 

Sometimes, all it takes to get your customers to review you is asking them to do it. People can forget, or not realize that there's a way to review your business. Follow up on their purchases or your contact with them to suggest they leave a review for you. Hopefully they will provide you with a positive public review, but either way any feedback can be helpful to improving your products or services!

Deliver A Stellar Service 

Of course, providing excellent customer service is one of the best ways to get good reviews. If you offer an excellent experience to your customers, they will want to tell people that you helped them. Knowing how to deliver fantastic customer service to your customers will put you in a good position. Remember that the customer is always right!

Here are more methods for increasing positive business reviews:

1. Smile At The Customers

Nothing can turn a hostile scenario into position moment faster than a sincere smile. A smile that says, "I want to help you in a positive way." It communicates you are positive about the interaction with the customer. A sincere smile enhances the communication process so that you can find the solution much quicker. 

2. Introduce Yourself as the Solution Creator 

Make sure you introduce yourself, find out the customer’s name, and let your customer know your position and why you are there. This lets the customer know you are taking responsibility to creating a solution for them. You might say something like: "Hello, my name is Mike. I am the manager at this location. I am here to assist you in this situation, please tell me about it." Notice I didn't say, "What’s the problem?" By using "What’s the problem?" you start the customer service situation in a negative note. The customer is thinking "You’re the problem," "This establishment is the problem," "The whole world is the problem," etc. By starting your conversation with "I am here to assist you in this situation, please tell me about it" you are setting up a "verbal agreement" in the customer’s mind to move to a solution. Note: If possible, please use the customer’s name throughout the conversation. 

3. Listen To The Customers

Customers want tell their side of the story and feel like they are only heard but you listened to them. Mentally take a step back and dedicate yourself to actively listening to the customer’s story with an open mind so that you can find a solution. In the above situation, the manager stood silently while my students were explaining their story. Be active in your listening and create empathy ("put yourself in the customer’s shoes") with statements such as: * "I can appreciate what you’re saying." * "I can understand how you’d feel that way." * "I can see how you’d be upset." * "It sounds as if we’ve caused you inconvenience." * "What I understand the situation to be..." Please stay away communication that alienates the customer such as: * "I don’t know why you are so upset." * "That’s the first complaint we ever got on that." * "I know how you feel." (Because you don’t) * "Boy, you’re sure mad." In the above story, the students told the manager that they weren’t happy with the service because they didn’t have time to eat their meals. The manager, not listening, said, "Would you like dessert?" The solution was not more food. Listen for the solution! 

4. Be Sorry For The Right Reasons 

Be sincere in your concern for the customer and say sorry the correct way. Many time in the heat of the customer service situation we what to show some sign of concern so we do the following: 

* The first words of the interaction with the words, "I’m sorry." First, you didn’t find out any information from the customer to be sorry. * Say sorry throughout the conversation with saying what you are sorry for. When saying you are sorry, say exactly what you are sorry for. The students, even though the manager kept repeating she was sorry, didn’t think the manager was sincere in her apology. The correct say to say you are sorry is: * "I’m sorry you had to wait so long for your food." * "I am sorry that you were treated that way." * "I’m sorry that our employee said that to you." * "I’m sorry this situation happened to you." Let the customer know exactly why you are sorry. The students thought the manager’s "sorry" statements were insincere because she never mentioned why she was sorry. 

5. Give Your Personal Assurance

Let the customer know you will personally create a solution for them. It could be as simple as saying, "I’m taking personal responsibility for this." 

6. Ask The Customers What They Want 

One of the fears that we have when trying to satisfy the customer is that we think they want something out of our reach. Ask the customer, "What would you like you to do?" or "What would make this situation right for you?" You will be surprised that in most cases the customer will ask for less you were willing to give. 

7. Use Statements Of Conviction To Gain Consumer Confidence & Present Action Plan

Sure the following to gain the confidence of the customer: * "We’re going to do something about that!" * "We will make a change right now!" 

Make sure customers know exactly what you are going to do to correct the situation for them. The majority of making things right for the customer is making them aware that you are taking action to make a difference for them. Explain to them the actions and timelines you need to take to make things right for them. If you need to leave or make a telephone call to obtain additional information, say: * "Please excuse me while I make a telephone call obtain the best solution for you. This will take five minutes, can you please wait?" * "Excuse me, I need to ask the person with the missing piece of information so that we can quick resolve this for you. Do you mind waiting five minutes?" 

Note: Make sure you get back to the time customer before the time you specified. If you promised ten minutes, get back to the customer before ten minutes. Rule of thumb, double the time it would normally that to get the information. If you know it will take ten minutes to get the answer for the customer then tell the customer you will get back to them within twenty minutes. 

9. Move Quickly To The Solution 

If you applied steps 1-8 you are ready to give the customer the solution they wanted for a win-win situation. You can confirm this by saying the following: * "Would this be agreeable for you?" * "Is this the solution you were looking for?" * "Will this make things right for you?" 

10. Ask For The Business 

If you did everything right this is the perfect time to ask the customer to come back and do business with your organization. You showed that you were professional, caring, sincerely, positive, and proactive. Why wouldn’t they do business with you again? Some of the way you can say this is: * "We would appreciate the opportunity to serve you in the future." * "Please come back and I will personally guarantee you receive outstanding service." * "Here is a 20% coupon. Please use it on your next visit to our establishment." It’s important that you let the customer know that you appreciate their business and want them to come back. 

Final Thoughts On Creating Better CX

Remember, if you did everything right, not only will them come back but they will other people to do business with you. Use challenging customer service situations to build your business.



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I hope you enjoyed this article about best practices for gaining valuable positive business reviews for your company.

Interested in more articles about bettering business branding?

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- How Your Business Can Earn A Good BBB Review

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