Customer Reviews and Their Impact on the Digital Experience
Customer feedback is obviously a vital aspect of any successfully Customer Experience program, because it serves as the primary method to learn about how customers perceive a brand. While collecting information via voice of customer feedback survey or mystery shopping programs is an important cog of this machine, customer reviews are an additionally if not more important aspect of collecting and understanding this feedback.
Brands with a deep well of customer reviews across different sites will find that more customers are able to find them, and these people are more willing to try your product or service because of these comments. In fact, 80% of consumers in America will go through online reviews before deciding to purchase. We live in an age of excessive information, and customers understandably want to learn as much as possible about a brand or product before making a financial commitment, and customer reviews serve as a relatively trustworthy for customers to access this data.
While it is clearly better to have more positive reviews, an apparent lack of review-content online can greatly damage your brand’s ability to attract customers. If your organization’s online reputation is nonexistent, it can be just as damaging as having a trove of negative reviews. Over one quarter of customers will be openly dissatisfied with brands that do not have any testimonials, ratings or reviews. As a result, it is important that your brand is consistently encouraging customers to complete these reviews. Regardless of the channel of communication, give customers opportunities to leave an online review. In doing so, you are not only improving your online reputation, but also proving to your customer base that you are searching for and value their opinion.
Once you have systems set in place to encourage customers to submit more reviews, it is important to ensure that there is not a plethora of negative reviews tarnishing your brand reputation. Over half of consumers will immediately disregard a brand that has negative reviews and rating online. If you are not currently aware of how customers are reviewing you online and there are prevalent negative reviews, you could be missing out on a huge population of potential customers. Train employees to monitor popular review sites in your industry, and when there is negative feedback, make an intentional effort to address the customer and the issue they brought forth.
Reputation management is a growing field within the Customer Experience industry, and customer reviews play a primary role in determining your customer’s perception of your online and overall brand identity. Ensure that your brand is keeping up with its digital reputation by consistently managing the most popular review sites in your industry, and continuously encouraging customers to leave reviews along their journey to purchase. While it is important to be aware of and act on negative reviews, the more customers you get to contribute, the more confidence potential shoppers will have in choosing your organization. Create the best possible digital Customer Experience for your brand by encouraging, understanding and acting on customer reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do customer reviews impact the digital experience?
Customer reviews significantly influence digital experiences by shaping brand perception, building trust, and guiding potential customers’ purchasing decisions.
Why are customer reviews important for businesses?
Positive reviews enhance credibility, improve SEO, and help attract new customers, while negative reviews offer insights for improvement.
How can businesses leverage reviews to improve digital experiences?
By addressing feedback, optimizing customer support, and using reviews to identify strengths and weaknesses.
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